Person

Hardman, Edward Townley (1845 - 1887)

FCS FGS

Born
6 April 1845
Drogheda, Louth, Ireland
Died
30 April 1887
Dublin, Ireland
Occupation
Geologist

Summary

Edward Hardman was seconded from Ireland to the Colonial Office in Western Australia as a temporary geologist (1883). His primary task was to find the colony's first profitable goldfield. Hardman went on two expeditions to the Kimberlys, first in 1883 and then again the following year. It was during the 1884 visit that he discovered good deposits of alluvial gold. This instigated the deployment of many private prospecting parties to the Hall's Creek area in 1885. During these expeditions, Hardman made good notes and geographical maps of the area. His appointment was terminated in October 1885 so he returned to his post in Ireland. In 1887 a position for a permanent government geologist was created, but Edward Hardman fell ill and died before he could accept the posting.

Details

Chronology

1870
Career position - Geologist on the Geological Survey of Ireland
1871 -
Career position - Fellow, Royal Geological Society of Ireland (FGSI)
1874 -
Career position - Fellow, Chemical Society of London (FCS)
1883
Career position - Survey of the Kimberleys region
1883 - 1885
Career position - Government Geologist with the Colonial Office of Western Australia
1884
Career position - Discovery of the Kimberley goldfield
1885
Career position - Geologist on the Geological Survey of Ireland

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Book Sections

  • Playford, Phillip, 'Edward Townley Hardman, 1845-1887' in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004). Details
  • Playford, Phillip E., 'Hardman, Edward Townley (1845-1887), geologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 4: 1851 - 1890 D-J, Douglas Pike, ed. (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1972), p. 342. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A040387b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

  • 'Obituary. Edward Townley Hardman', Geological Magazine (1887). Details
  • Downes, Peter J.; Deacon, Geoff L.; and Bevan, Alex W. R., 'Northampton lead, Kimberley gold and the Youndegin iron meteorite: early mineral collections in Western Australia (1848 - 1887)', Earth Sciences History Group Newsletter, 44 (2013), 15-25. Details
  • Zylstra, Baige, '"Those riches of which we are so proud": Western Australian geological collecting for international and intercolonial exhibitions 1850 - 1890', Studies in Western Australian history, 35 (2020), 59-74. Details

Resources

McCarthy, G.J.

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