GB 0116 Thomas Webster Collection - Webster, Thomas (c 1772-1844)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0116 Thomas Webster Collection

Title

Webster, Thomas (c 1772-1844)

Date(s)

  • c1799-1845 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

0.03 metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Thomas Webster was born in the Orkney Islands, Scotland in c 1772. He was educated in Aberdeen, Scotland before travelling to England and France, making architectural sketches on his journey. He became an architect in London and in 1799 he was Clerk of the Works at the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI), employed to design the lecture theatre. He was also a geologist and in 1814 he wrote a paper called `On the Freshwater Formations of the Isle of Wight, with some Observations on the Strata Over the Chalk in the South East Part of England' in Transactions of the Geological Society of London, 2 (1814) 161-254. This study highlighted aspects of British geology not known before indicating upper secondary and tertiary strata, and was very important at the time. Thomas Webster became Curator of the Geological Society's museum and was Professor of Geology at University College London from 1842 to 1844. He died in London in 1844.

Archival history

GB 0116 Thomas Webster Collection c1799-1845 Sub-fonds of the Royal Institution of Great Britain collection 0.03 metres Webster, Thomas, c 1772-1844. Geologist. Architect.
Thomas Webster was born in the Orkney Islands, Scotland in c 1772. He was educated in Aberdeen, Scotland before travelling to England and France, making architectural sketches on his journey. He became an architect in London and in 1799 he was Clerk of the Works at the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI), employed to design the lecture theatre. He was also a geologist and in 1814 he wrote a paper called `On the Freshwater Formations of the Isle of Wight, with some Observations on the Strata Over the Chalk in the South East Part of England' in Transactions of the Geological Society of London, 2 (1814) 161-254. This study highlighted aspects of British geology not known before indicating upper secondary and tertiary strata, and was very important at the time. Thomas Webster became Curator of the Geological Society's museum and was Professor of Geology at University College London from 1842 to 1844. He died in London in 1844.

Accumulated by the RI during the course of business.

Papers of Thomas Webster consist of a bound volume, c1799-1845, containing the autobiography of Thomas Webster, 1837, a copy of the obituary on Webster and various letters including some to Benjamin Thompson, Count von Rumford (CG4/6/1).

As outlined in scope and content.

Access to bona fide researchers by appointment with the Keeper of the Collections or the Assistant Archivist, Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI).

Reproduction of material is permitted at the discretion of the Keeper of the Collections, RI.
English

Card index at the RI.

Other papers of Thomas Webster are located at: the University of Wales Aberystwyth Library; London University, University College Manuscripts Room (reference: MS Add 49); Geological Society Library; Oxford University Bodleian Library Special Collections and Western Manuscripts (reference: MS top Hants e 10); Southampton University Library (reference: MS 47); Cambridge University Fitzwilliam Museum (reference: SG Perceval Collection). The Royal Institute of British Architects holds architectural drawings by Thomas Webster. They are fully catalogued and printed in the Catalogue of the Drawings Collections of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Volume T-Z, edited by Jill Lever (Gregg International, 1984), pp 200-202.

Some of the correspondence has been detailed in 'Some Correspondence of Thomas Webster (circa 1772-1844), Concerning the Royal Institution' in Annals of Science, 1972, 28:43-60.

Sources: card index at the RI, detailed catalogue to be prepared. Description compiled by Miss Ivone Martins, Assistant Archivist, RI. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April 2001 Architecture England Europe Geology London Royal Institution of Great Britain UK Webster , Thomas , ? 1772-1844 , geologist and architect Western Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Accumulated by the RI during the course of business.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Thomas Webster consist of a bound volume, c1799-1845, containing the autobiography of Thomas Webster, 1837, a copy of the obituary on Webster and various letters including some to Benjamin Thompson, Count von Rumford (CG4/6/1).

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As outlined in scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access to bona fide researchers by appointment with the Keeper of the Collections or the Assistant Archivist, Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI).

Conditions governing reproduction

Reproduction of material is permitted at the discretion of the Keeper of the Collections, RI.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Card index at the RI.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Other papers of Thomas Webster are located at: the University of Wales Aberystwyth Library; London University, University College Manuscripts Room (reference: MS Add 49); Geological Society Library; Oxford University Bodleian Library Special Collections and Western Manuscripts (reference: MS top Hants e 10); Southampton University Library (reference: MS 47); Cambridge University Fitzwilliam Museum (reference: SG Perceval Collection). The Royal Institute of British Architects holds architectural drawings by Thomas Webster. They are fully catalogued and printed in the Catalogue of the Drawings Collections of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Volume T-Z, edited by Jill Lever (Gregg International, 1984), pp 200-202.

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal Institution of Great Britain

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area