Cartoon by H T De la Beche

BGS image ID: P832328

This cartoon was drawn by Henry De la Beche and features himself. The writing at the bottom says "Opportunity of studying the effects of rain on glass. Devon 1831". This would have been during the time that De la Beche was carrying out a geological examination of South Devonshire for a hobby. His income came from a sugar plantation in Jamaica but money was running short and he would have found delays caused by the weather very frustrating.

Andrew L Morrison

Portrait of Henry De la Beche

BGS image ID: P718393

This portrait, on enamel, was painted by Henry Pierce  Bone (1779-1855) who was the son of noted enamel painter Henry Bone. A note on the back of the frame says that Bone presented it to the Museum of Practical Geology.

Henry Thomas De la Beche was born on 10 February 1796. He spent much of his early life at Lyme Regis and developed an interest in geology. He was responsible for the creation of the Geological Survey (then called the Ordnance Geological Survey) in 1835 and he remained Director up to his death on 13 April 1855. He was knighted in 1848.

Andrew L Morrison