George Alexander Louis Lebour Papers
1852-1914
(0.25 linear feet)

B L491

© American Philosophical Society
105 South Fifth Street * Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
 American Philosophical Society 105 South Fifth Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
Table of contents Abstract
Geologist George Alexander Louis Lebour was a minor figure in nineteenth century England. Educated at the Royal School of Mines, Lebour served as Professor of Geology at Durham College of Science and then Vice-Principal of Armstrong College, formerly Durham College of Science and presently University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was most associated with his publication on the geology of Durham and Northumberland and he wrote more then 100 papers mainly on carboniferous geology, heat-conductivity of rocks, and the transfer of heat through the earth's crust.

The Lebour Papers are comprised of 0.25 linear feet of correspondence relating to Lebour's interest in the analysis and sharing of geological specimens, geological surveying, and underground temperatures. There are a few letters with the Geological Society of London and with Richard Howse, the curator of the Natural History museum of Newcastle-upon-Tyne regarding the loaning of specimens.
Background note
George Alexander Louis Lebour was born in 1847 and educated at the Royal School of Mines. Little else is know of his early life. At the age of 20 Lebour began to serve on the Geological Survey of England. Using the knowledge he gained from that eight-year experience he accepted a position as lecturer of geological surveying at the University of Durham College of Science in Newcastle from 1973 to 1879, and succeeded Dr. David Page as Professor of Geology, a position he occupied until his death.

Lebour may have been most noted for his work on the geology of Northumberland and Durham. He wrote the "The Geology of Durham" published in the Handbook to the Geology and Natural History of Northumberland and Durham. Of his many other papers on the geology of Durham most notable are those dealing with the classification of the Salt-measures, the breccia-filled fissures in the Magnesian Limestons, and the Marl Slate and Yellow Sands. Throughout his professional career Lebour was most concerned with the transfer of heat through the earth's crust and the determination of the thermal conductivity of rocks. His findings publishing in a series of British Association reports from 1873 to 1881 were accepted as the standard of the time.


Scope and content
This relatively small collection contains incoming correspondence of Lebour and correspondence between other individuals including Walter Calverley Trevelyan, William Crawford Williamson, Hanns Bruno Geinitz and G. J. Symons. The correspondence primarily relates to the exchange and analysis of geological specimens. There are some correspondences of Richard Howse, then curator of the Natural History Museum of Newcastle-upon-Tyne regarding the exchange of fossil specimens. Also included are a few letters to the Geological Society requesting information or copies of publications.

Administrative information
Restrictions
None.

Provenance
Accessioned, 1980 (accn. no. 1980-848ms).

Preferred citation
Cite as: George Alexander Louis Lebour Papers, American Philosophical Society.

Processing information
Recatalogued by Leigh McCuen, May 2003.

Additional information
References
There is a obituary in Geological Magazine 5 (1918): 287-288.

Added entries
Subjects
  • Geological Society of London
  • Geology
  • Natural History Museum (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)
  • Specimens

    • Contributors
  • Bonney, T. G. (Thomas George), 1833-1923
  • Davidson, Thomas, 1817-1885
  • Dewalque, G. (Gustave), 1826-1905
  • Enniskillen, William Willoughby Cole, 3rd Earl of, 1807-1886
  • Geikie, Archibald, Sir, 1835-1924
  • Geikie, James, 1839-1915
  • Geikie, James, 1839-1915
  • Geinitz, Hanns Bruno, 1814-1900
  • Gilbert, Grove Karl, 1843-1918
  • Howorth, Henry H. (Henry Hoyle), Sir, 1842-1923
  • Howse, Richard
  • Lapparent, Albert Auguste Cochon de, 1839-1908
  • Lebour, George Alexander Louis, 1847-1918.
  • Oliver, Daniel, 1830-1916
  • Ramsay, Wilhelm, 1865-1928
  • Renevier, Eugene, 1831-1906
  • Roemer, Ferdinand, 1818-1891
  • Symons, G. J. (George James), 1838-1900
  • Thornbill, John
  • Trevelyan, Walter Calverley, Sir, 1797-1879
  • Watson, Robert Spence, 1837-1911
  • Williamson, William Crawford, 1816-1895

    		•
    Contact information
    American Philosophical Society
    105 South Fifth Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386

    [http://www.amphilsoc.org/]

    ©5/2003


    Detailed inventory

    		 Thornbill, John, ALS to Richard Howse 1852 October 8 1p.

    		[Bathwith], Robert, ALS to [?] 1860 July 31 3p.

    		Charlton, Edward, ALS to [Richard] Howse 1862 January 12 1p.

    		Earl of Enniskillen, ALS to [Richard] Howse 1871 August 24 1p.

    		Kirkby, James W., ALS to [Richard] Howse 1872 July 25 1p.

    		Oliver, D[aniel], 1830-1916, ALS to 1875 December 4 2p.

    		Roemer, Ferdinand, 1818-1891, ALS to Richard Howse 1876 October 24 2p.

    		Egerton, M. Grey, ALS to [?] 1876 December 8 2p.

    		Trevelyan, Walter Calverley, Sir, 1797-1879, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour, 1877 December 23 2p.

    		Nebey, E, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1879 April 16 1p.

    		Brown, J.[M.], ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1881 March 22 2p.

    		Williamson, William Crawford, 1816-1895, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1881 March 22 3p.

    		Trevelyan, Walter Calverley, Sir, 1797-1879, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1881 July 8 2p.

    		[Hayes, L. McKenny], ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1887 April 8 3p.

    		Williamson, William Crawford, 1816-1895, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1887 June 5 2p.

    		Tomlinson, William W., ALS to [George Alexander Louis Lebour] 1890 October 14 2p.

    		Symons, G. J. (George James), 1838-1900, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1891 October 19 2p.

    		Geinitz, Hanns Bruno, 1814-1900, ANS to the Geological Society of London 1892 February 12 1p.

    		Gilbert, Grove Karl, 1843-1918, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1893 April 27 2p.

    		Berkeley, Earl of, ANS to Geological Society of London 1893 July 5 1p.

    		Bonney, T. G. (Thomas George), 1833-1923, ALS to [George Alexander Louis Lebour] 1894 June 12 2p.

    		Renevier, Eugene, 1831-1906, ANS to Belinfante, L. L. 1897 April 22 1p.

    		Lapparent, Albert Auguste Cochon de, 1839-1908, ANS to Belinfante, L. L. 1898 March 8 1p.

    		Geinitz, Hanns Bruno, 1814-1900, ANS to Geological Society of London 1898 March 12 1p.

    		Dewalque, G. (Gustave), 1826-1905, ANS to Geological Society of London 1898 July 4 1p.

    		Howorth, Henry H. (Henry Hoyle), Sir, 1842-1923, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1898 August 25 3p.

    		Ellean, John, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1898 January 8 3p.

    		Lapworth, Charles, 1842-1920, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1902 January 22 3p.

    		Geikie, Archibald, Sir, 1835-1924, ANS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1903 July 11 1p.

    		Watson, Robert Spence, 1837-1911, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1907 July 5 1p.

    		Geikie, James, 1839-1915, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1912 September 26 3p.

    		Ramsay, Wilhelm, 1865-1928, ALS to George Alexander Louis Lebour 1914 June 22 2p.

    		Davidson, Thomas, 1817-1885, ALS to [George Alexander Louis Lebour] n.d. 4p.

    		Salter, John William, 1820-1869, ALS to [Richard] Howse n.d. 2p.