Trevor David Ford OBE (19 April 1925 – 22 February 2017) was an English geologist and author, best known for publishing the first report on the Precambrian fossil Charnia masoni in 1958.

In addition to paleontology, his wide-ranging research encompassed geomorphology, speleology, studies of minerals and mineralisation, and mining history, and mainly focused on the Peak District.

His academic career was at the Department of Geology of the University of Leicester, where he rose to be a senior lecturer (1980–87) and associate dean for combined studies in science.

[1][2][3] After he was demobilised he read geology at the University of Sheffield (1947–49), and then studied for his PhD with Leslie R. Moore as his supervisor; his thesis was entitled The Upper Carboniferous rocks of the Ingleton and Stainmore coalfields (1953).

[1][2] Much of his research was focused on the Peak District, and encompassed geology, geomorphology, speleology and paleontology, studies of local minerals (especially tufas, travertines and the fluorite Blue John, but also Ashford Black Marble), lead–zinc mineralisation, and the history of lead mining in the area.

[3] Ford was instrumental in the recognition of the Precambrian fossil Charnia masoni, discovered in Charnwood Forest by Roger Mason.

[1] He also published on John Whitehurst and White Watson, pioneering geologists of the Peak District, and other topics in the history of geology.