John Murray (science lecturer)
John Murray (1786? – 1851) was a Scientist, Lecturer, Traveler and Scriptural geologist during the early years of scientific development
Murray was born in Stranraer to Grace and James Murray, a sea-captain. Eventually he earned M.A. and PhD degrees, but was self-taught at the beginning of his carrier and was considered a great example to youth in disadvantageous circumstances.[1] He published several books on science and was a lecturer on physics and chemistry. Beginning in 1816, He gave several sciences lectures a year at the Surry Intuition and Mechanics’ Institutes becoming “one of the best lecturers in the world,’ according to Lord Brougham. He traveled extensively, but lived in Hull most of his life. He was a loyal member of the Church of Scotland and a strong Calvinist. He moved back to Stranraer in 1850, but a severe illness drained his health and finances and he died an invalid on June 28, 1851.[2]
His breadth and depth of knowledge and experience qualified him to join:
- 1819, Fellows of the Linnaean Society,
- 1822, The Society of Antiquities,
- 1823, the London Geological Society,
- 1824, the London Horticultural Society,
- 1837, the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
He was also a member of the Meteorological Society of London, the Wernerian Natural History Society of Edinburgh (from 1819) and the Mechanics’ institutes of Exeter, Devonport, Portsmouth, and Bristol. And he was a Scriptural Geologist.[3]
Works
- The Elements of Chemical Science as applied to the arts and manufactures and natural phenomena, 1815
- A Treatise on Pulmonary Consumption; its prevention and remedy 1830
- The Truth of Revelation (276 pages) 1831, second edition (380 pages) 1840
- Portrait of Geology (214 pages) 1838
Notes
- ^ The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: John Murray, vol. 39, p. 959
- ^ Obituary, The Mining Journal, 12 july 851, 336-37
- ^ Mortenson, Terence J. (1996). British Scriptural Geologists In The First Half Of The Nineteenth Century. Coventry University. Oxford Dictionary of National biography (2004 Oxford U press, vol 39, P. 959) cites Mortenson as an authority on the Scriptural geologist John Murray.