Allport , Samuel , 1816-1897 , petrologist Lubbock , Sir , John , first Baron Avebury , 1834-1913 , banker, politican, and scientific writer Bemrose , Henry Arnold , 1857-1939 , printer and publisher Carpenter , William Benjamin , 1813-1885 , biologist and university administrator Crookes , Sir , William , 1832-1919 , Knight , chemist and physicist Darwin , Sir , Francis , 1848-1925 , Knight , botanist Etheridge , Robert, the elder , 1819-1903 , palaeontologist and museum curator Geikie , Archibald , 1835-1924 , geologist and historian Gorst , Sir , John Eldon , 1835-1916 , Knight , politician and lawyer Haast , Sir , (John Francis) Julius von , 1822-1887 , Knight , geologist and explorer Hull , Edward , 1829-1917 , geologist Hunt , Thomas Sterry , 1826-1892 , geologist and chemist Huxley , Thomas Henry , 1825-1895 , biologist and science educationist Thomson , William , Baron Kelvin , 1824-1907 , mathematician and physicist Kingsley ,

Allport , Samuel , 1816-1897 , petrologist Lubbock , Sir , John , first Baron Avebury , 1834-1913 , banker, politican, and scientific writer Bemrose , Henry Arnold , 1857-1939 , printer and publisher Carpenter , William Benjamin , 1813-1885 , biologist and university administrator Crookes , Sir , William , 1832-1919 , Knight , chemist and physicist Darwin , Sir , Francis , 1848-1925 , Knight , botanist Etheridge , Robert, the elder , 1819-1903 , palaeontologist and museum curator Geikie , Archibald , 1835-1924 , geologist and historian Gorst , Sir , John Eldon , 1835-1916 , Knight , politician and lawyer Haast , Sir , (John Francis) Julius von , 1822-1887 , Knight , geologist and explorer Hull , Edward , 1829-1917 , geologist Hunt , Thomas Sterry , 1826-1892 , geologist and chemist Huxley , Thomas Henry , 1825-1895 , biologist and science educationist Thomson , William , Baron Kelvin , 1824-1907 , mathematician and physicist Kingsley ,

Thomas George Bonney was born on 27 July 1833 in Rugely, Staffordshire, the eldest of ten children of the Revd Thomas Bonney, headmaster of Rugely grammar school. He attended St John's College, Cambridge, and subsequently studied for holy orders. Though never studying geology formally, he taught the subject at his old college from 1868 onwards, inspiring and encouraging many students who went on to become leading geologists. From 1877 he also took on the role of geology academic at University College London (UCL). Moving to London in 1881 to concentrate on his work as assistant general secretary of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, he stayed there for a number of years until, retiring from his post at UCL, he returned to Cambridge in 1905 and resumed teaching at St John's.

Bonney wrote and published prolifically, in the form of academic works, popular books, and newspaper articles, as well as theological lectures and sermons. Valuing fieldwork, his geological interests included mineralogy, petrology (especially ultrabasic rocks and metamorphism), and glaciation studies. He was also a skilled artist and a keen alpine mountaineer.

He was a leader in many societies, being president of the Mineralogical Society (1884-1886), the Alpine Club (1883), and the British Association (1910), and vice-president of the Royal Society (1898-1899). He became a Fellow of the Geological Society in 1860, serving as secretary (1878-1884) and president (1884-1886), and remained so until his death on 9 December 1923.