Thomas Sopwith (geologist)

He invented, and the family firm manufactured, an ingenious type of desk with all its drawers secured by a single lock, the 'monocleid', which won a prize at the 1851 Exhibition; an improved levelling stave; and wooden geological teaching models.

He worked with Joseph Dickinson of Alston, Cumbria, on a survey of the lead mines in the area owned by Greenwich Hospital.

[7] Sopwith had called attention to the scientific importance of recording the geological features exposed in the cuttings of railways; and the British Association, at his initiative, made a grant in 1840 for the purpose.

By assembling layers according to geological sections, Sopwith was able to demonstrate the stratification and disturbances in regions such as the carboniferous limestone and coal measures of northern England.

In mining, they were used to visualise the layout of mineral veins and assess the feasibility of extraction operations, thereby minimising risk and improving efficiency.

For civil engineers, these models provided critical insights into the geological conditions that could affect construction projects, from railway cuttings to tunnel excavations.

Sopwith’s advocacy for recording mining operations through detailed models laid the groundwork for systematic planning and documentation in the field.

[17] He was awarded the Telford Silver Medal by the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1842 [2][18] and elected the fifth President of the Royal Meteorological Society in 1859.

His candidature citation read: Thomas Sopwith Esq FGS London, Memb Inst CE and Member of the Geological Society of France, Civil Engineer [of] St Marys Terrace Newcastle on Tyne.

[22] Sopwith wrote detailed diaries spanning the 57 years 1821–1878, recording daily events in his professional and personal life.