Person
Clarke, Edward de Courcy (1880 - 1956)
- Born
- 10 November 1880
Waimate, New Zealand - Died
- 30 November 1956
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia - Occupation
- Geologist
Summary
Edward Clarke was a pioneering field geologist who became a leading authority on the Precambrian geology of Western Australia. Before coming to Australia in 1912 he was a geologist with the New Zealand Geological Survey. During the eight years he spent with the Geological Survey of Western Australia, Clarke specialised in mineral resource evaluation and structural geology in gold-bearing districts. These areas included the Murchison and East Coolgardie goldfields, and the area between Laverton and the South Australian border. He was noted for his integrated petrological and mineralogical analyses, his research being largely published by the Survey in its Bulletin series. In 1920 Clarke became a lecturer in geology at the University of Western Australia. In his courses he emphasised hands-on training with rigorous field excursions, and was valued as teacher and mentor. He recruited to his Department Curt Teichert and former student Rex Prider. The Department's collection of geological specimens was considerably expanded by Clarke, now named the Edward de Courcy Clark Earth Science Museum. Honours received by Clarke included the Clarke Medal (Royal Society of New South Wales) and the Medal of the Royal Society of Western Australia.
Details
Chronology
- 1901
- Education - BA, University of Auckland, New Zealand
- 1901 - 1906
- Career position - Assistant master, Auckland Grammar School
- 1902
- Education - MA, University of Auckland, New Zealand
- 1906 - 1912
- Career position - Assistant Mining Geologist, New Zealand Geological Survey
- 1912 - 1920
- Career position - Geologist, Geological Survey of Western Australia
- 1920 - 1930
- Career position - Lecturer in Charge, Department of Geology, University of Western Australia
- 1921
- Education - MA eundem gradum, University of Western Australia
- 1930 - 1948
- Career position - Professor of Geology, University of Western Australia
- 1939 - 1945
- Career position - Member of the Senate, University of Western Australia
- 1941
- Award - Medal of the Royal Society of Western Australia
- 1948
- Life event - Retired
- 1954
- Award - Clarke Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales
Related entries
Colleague
Published resources
Books
- Clarke, E. de C., The field geology and broader mining features of the Leonora-Duketon district, including parts of the North Coolgardie, Mt. Margaret, and East Murchison Goldfields, with a report on the Anaconda Copper Mine and neighbourhood, Mt Margaret goldfield (Perth: Government Printer, 1925), 66 pp. Details
- Clarke, E. de C., Prider, R. T. and Teichert, C., Elements of geology for Western Australian students (Crawley, W.A.: Francis Henry Beaumont, 1948), 303 pp. Details
- Clarke, E. de C.; petrology by R. A. Farquharson, mineralogy and underground waters by E. S. Simpson, The geology and ore-deposits of Meekatharra Murchison goldfield (Perth: Government Printer, 1916), 342 pp. Details
Journal Articles
- Clarke, E. de C., 'Natural regions in Western Australia', Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 12 (1927), 117-32. Details
- Clarke, E. de C. and Phillips, H. Tarlton, 'Physiographic and other notes on a part of the south coast of Western Australia', Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 37 (1953), 59-90. Details
Helen Cohn
Created: 11 June 2026