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David, Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE)

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Given NameTannatt William EdgeworthLast NameDavidAlternative NameTW Edgeworth DavidPre-Nominal HonorificSirPost-Nominal HonorificKBE, CMG, DSO, FRSDate of Birth28/01/1858Date of Death28/08/1934Biography

Born in Wales, David studied at Magdalene College School, Oxford (1870-1876) and Oxford University from which he graduated as Bachelor of Arts in 1880. In 1881, David carried out geological research in Wales. In 1882, he accepted the position of Assistant Geological Surveyor to the NSW Government; he worked on the NSW Geological Survey, especially mapping and correlating the coalfields of NSW. In 1886, David and his assistant, GA Stonier, discovered the South Maitland coalfield in the Hunter River valley.

The University of Sydney Senate, at its meeting of 2 March 1891, appointed David to lecture on geology during Lent Term. He was appointed Professor of Geology and Physical Geography at the Senate meeting on 18 May 1891. This decision was opposed by the Committee in England appointed to select a Professor. On retiring in December 1924, David was appointed Emeritus Professor (Senate Minutes 22 Dec 1924).

In 1900, David was awarded fellowship of the Royal Society of London after organising successful expeditions to Funafuti, a coral atoll in the Pacific Ocean, then in the British colony of the Gilbert and Ellise Islands, now in Tuvalu. This followed the failure of an expedition organised by the Royal Society in 1896. The objective of the expeditions was to bore a column of coral to a depth of 600 feet. It was hoped that analysis of such a column would provide evidence to help support or refute Charles Darwin's theory on the origin of coral atolls.

Numerous works authored by David were published by scientific and daily presses. A major work, "Geological Map of the Commonwealth of Australia" was published in 1932.

Glaciation was of especial interest to David. He was a member of the Glacial Research Committee of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). In 1907-09, David took leave from the University to accompany the British Antarctic Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton. In the company of Douglas Mawson and Alistair Mackay, he was the first to reach the Magnetic South Pole.

After retiring from the University, David continued work on a treatise on the geology of Australia, a work he failed to complete. In the late 1920s, he became involved in a controversy on the fossil nature of samples of South Australian rock.

David was an accomplished fund-raiser. For example, he used his influence to obtain essential funds to enable Shackleton's expedition to Antarctica in 1907-09 to procede. Subsequently, he gave public lectures to raise further funds for this expedition and funds for the Australasian Antarctic Expedition led by Douglas Mawson in 1911-14.

In 1885, David married Caroline Martha Mallett, then Principal of the NSW Government Department of Public Instruction's Hurlstone Training College for Women. In 1916, he served in battlefields in France. Awards included FRS (1900), honorary DSc degrees from universities of Oxford (1911), Manchester, Wales, Cambridge, Sydney, Bigsby Medal (1899) and Wollaston Medal (1920) both from the Geological Society of London, Clark Medal of AAAS, CMG (1910), and KBE (1920).

ReferencesReferences used and not cited in the text: SU Archives P11; David's application for Chair at the University of Sydney dated 1891 in SU Archives: Biog 909; DF Branagan and TG Vallance, "Australian Dictionary of Biography"

Document

Account of Boring Work at Funafuti

Accounts Book for Funafuti Expedition

BG Corney Correspondence Relating to Funafuti Expedition

David, Tannatt William Edgeworth

David, Tannatt William Edgeworth Finding Aid

Draft Correspondence Written by TWE David to NSW Government

Draft Correspondence Written by TWE David to Royal Society of London and Royal Geographic Society

Draft Correspondence to University Staff Regarding Funafuti Expedition

Draft Lectures Relating to Funafuti Expedition

Extracts from Literature on Coral Reefs, Observational and Analytical Data

FCD Sturdee's Report on Funafuti Expedition

Field Notebooks of 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition

Funafuti Coral Boring Expedition

Funafuti Expedition Correspondence

Funafuti Expedition Field Notes

Funafuti Expedition Observational Data

Funafuti Expedition Preliminary Statements

Funafuti Expedition Report

Funafuti Expedition Summary of Results

Funafuti Expedition Working Papers

Series

Addresses [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1474)

Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1486)

Australian Imperial Forces [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1488)

Cartographic Drawings [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1470)

Correspondence Relating to 1896-1898 Funafuti Coral Boring Expeditions [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1456)

Correspondence Relating to Fossil Fauna of South Australia [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1459)

Correspondence Relating to Various Antarctic Expeditions [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1450)

Correspondence [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1475)

Diaries [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1476)

Draft Manuscripts on 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1446)

Drawings of Fossil Fauna of South Australia [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1460)

Field Notebooks of 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1448)

Fossil Drawings [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1477)

Geological Map of Australia [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1465)

Geological Survey Field Notebooks [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1468)

Lectures Notes [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1483)

Lectures and Addresses [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1493)

Letters Relating to 1897-1898 Funafuti Coral Boring Expeditions [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1453)

Letters by TWE David [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1494)

Manuscripts by Various Authors [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1471)

Manuscripts on 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1444)

Maps and Plans [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1472)

Maps of 1907-1909 British Antarctic Expedition and Other Expeditions [Tannatt William Edgeworth (TWE) David] (Series 1447)

Photograph

Bathing Place - Funafuti

Edgeworth David And Students On Geology Excursion, Wollongong

Felled Trees for Making Canoes

Female (Possibly Caroline Martha David) at Funafuti

Funafuti Expedition Boring Punt

Funafuti Photo Album

Group at Funafuti

Heliopora Coerulea in the Dramp

Ocean Platform - Funafuti

Porites Reef Fields at Funafuti

Professor Edgeworth David at the Site of the Discovery of the Greta Coal Seam

Professor Edgeworth and Caroline Matha David and Members of the Funafuti Expedition

Seaside of Telele

Slope of Beach North of Funafuti Camp

Suva - Fiji

Wooden Model of Funafuti Atoll

Audio

Professor Sir TWE David Dictating a Letter

Map

Funafuti Expedition Map

Context

Position - RelatedProfessorBuilding - RelatedEdgeworth David Building (A11)Edgeworth David Building (F05)

Administration

Alternate IdentifierOld Control Number: P11Metadata StatusComplete