William Phillips (geologist)

William Phillips FGS FRS (10 May 1775 – 2 April 1828) was an English mineralogist and geologist.

The foundation of the Geological society came about through a series of business meetings, some held in Phillips' house in London, by a group of mineral enthusiasts who wished to finance the publication of a treatise on mineralogy by Louis de Bournon; Phillips was to be the publisher.

[2] His digest of English geology, A selection of Facts from the Best Authorities, arranged so as to form an Outline of the Geology of England and Wales (1818), formed the foundation of the larger work undertaken by Phillips in conjunction with William Conybeare, of which only the first part was published, entitled Outlines of the Geology of England and Wales (1822).

In this work Phillips reprinted his description of the chalk cliffs of Dover and other parts of East Kent.

[2] In 1796 he and his brother Richard, together with William Allen and Luke Howard, took part in forming the Askesian Society.