John Wickham Flower
| John Wickham Flower FGS | |||||||||||
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| File:Flower, John Wickham.jpg | |||||||||||
| Born | 1807 | ||||||||||
| Died | 1873 | ||||||||||
| Residence | Park Hill Croydon | ||||||||||
| Occupation | business | ||||||||||
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Contents
Notes
Office Notes
ESL Council 1869-70 Member
AI Council 1871 Treasurer
AI Council 1872 Treasurer
AI Council 1873 Treasurer
House Notes
1871.02.14 Publication Committee
1871.02.14 Finance Committee
1873.04.22 The death was announced of Mr J. Wickham Flower, the Treasurer of the Institute. It was ordered that a letter of condolence be sent on behalf of the Council to Mrs Flower and family. It was further resolved that Mr John Evans be asked to write an obituary notice of Mr Flower
Notes From Elsewhere
JOHN WICKHAM FLOWER, Esq., F.G.S., of Park Hill, Croydon, descended from a Norfolk family, was born in London on the 11th August, 1807. He was educated at a school in Cambridgeshire, where he was well grounded in classical literature, for which he retained a strong love and continued to cultivate throughout life. His special tastes led him, however, to the study of Archaeology and Natural History; and "his first savings were spent in an excursion to Winchester, to examine the antiquities of that place and the tomb of William of Wykeham. His attention was early directed to Geology, and he spared neither personal trouble nor expense in enlarging his collections, which were always made as much in the general interests of science, and of his friends, as for himself. He closely explored the interesting Tertiary cliffs of Hampshire, and was instrumental in discovering the fine and unique jaw of an alligator at Hordwell. He collected also largely from the Brickearth beds of Grays. Nor did he neglect the opportunity offered him by the residence of a friend at Moreton Bay, Australia, to procure a very fine series of the land, freshwater, and marine mollusca of that district, many of which were new to this country. But the particular problem which he set himself to work out, on his settling at Croydon some twenty-five years ago, was to ascertain whether the immense pebble-beds of Addington, belonging to the Lower Tertiary series, were not formed of flints derived from the
destruction of higher beds of Chalk than any which now remain in the neighbourhood of London. Stratigraphical Geology has shown that the Chalk formation, as it trends towards the Weald, had been largely planed down before the deposition of the Tertiary Strata, and Mr. Flower's palaeontological researches seemed quite in accordance with this view, and to point to the former existence of beds older even than any now remaining in the London Basin. In pursuance of this object, he carried on for years an examination of the flint pebbles forming the Addington Hills, and broke up many thousands of them in search of the small fossils they occasionally contain.1 Unfortunately the results of this long investigation have never been published. It was, however, evident that they were of a nature to confirm the views he had been originally led to form. Another investigation in which he took an active part was that relating to the evidence bearing on the Antiquity of Man. It will be remembered, that Mr. Prestwich considering that the testimony of the workmen at the Amiens pits required confirmation, returned a second time, in 1859, to the St. Acheul pits, accompanied, by several other geologists, and amongst them Mr. Flower, who, with his usual zeal, set to work himself with pick and spade, and remained for hours at the search, until his perseverance was rewarded by disinterring, with his own hands, an undoubted flint implement almost at the very base of the mammaliferous gravel-beds. His last scientific work was a paper on the theoretical questions connected with these discoveries. In this paper he questioned the conclusions of Mr. Prestwich and other geologists, that the valley-gravels are of fluviatile origin, and deposited along old lines of drainage, doubting whether they are due to fluviatile action at all, and whether the flint implement makers were contemporary with the animals with whose remains the flint implements are found. He also suggested modifications
in the nomenclature of the Stone periods. While thus differing from his friends on theoretical questions, these differences were always put forward and expressed in that spirit of conviction and kindliness which marked the earnest and amiable spirit of the author, and characterized all his works—even the controversial ones,—never tending to sever, but only to draw closer, the bonds of friendship between the disputants. His charming discourse on the "Study of Natural History " shows the character
of the man—his disinterested love of nature—his literary taste, and the importance he attached to the study of the Earth, its Fauna and Flora.
Besides his contributions to Natural Science, we must notice those larger and more elaborate works on theological questions, all of which breathe the same spirit of earnestness, love of truth, varied research, and liberal views. It is not the place in these pages to give an account of his theological works, but the titles of them which are annexed will afford some idea of their scope and tendency. As an Antiquary Mr. Flower was equally zealous and liberal. His collection of Stone Implements, both of the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods, was second, probably, only to that of Mr. Evans.
We wish space would allow us to dwell at greater length on the works of one who, in the midst of the arduous and engrossing profession of the law, found time to cultivate other branches of human knowledge, and ever showed himself possessed of the true and right spirit of a Naturalist and of an earnest inquirer in the cause of truth. While engaged last winter in exploring the antiquities and works of art in Italy, he was seized at Rome with the symptoms of a fatal illness, and returned only in time to end his days in April last at his own residence near Croydon, at the age of 65, deeply lamented by the men of science who had the privilege to share his friendship.
Publications
External Publications
The following is a list of his works :—
On the Pleasure and Advantages to be derived from the Study of Natural History.
A Lecture. 1857.
On a Flint Implement recently discovered at the base of some beds of drift gravel
and brick-On some Flint Implements lately found in the valley of the Little Ouse ri\i
Ibid. 1867.
On some recent discoveries of Flint Implements of the drift in Norfolk and Suffo
with observations on the theories accounting for their distribution. QUE
Journ. Geol. Soc. 1869.
Notice of a Kjokken-Modding in the Isle of Herm. Journ. Anthrop. Soc.
On the relative ages of the Stone Implement Periods in England. Journ. Anthrc
Inst. 1872.
Surrey Etymologies. Journ. Surrey Archaeol. Soc. 1865.
Notices of the family of Cobham of Sterborough Castle, Lingfield. Sun
Archaeol. Soc.
A Letter to the Lord High Chancellor with reference to the investment of t
Cash balances belonging to Suitors in the Court of Chancery, and the me
in which Government Securities are purchased and sold on the suito
account. Pamphlet. 1859.
Adam's Disobedience and its Results in relation to Mankind as shown
Scripture. 1861. 2nd edition, enlarged. 1871.
On Original Righteousness.
The Apostolic Pandects. 1863.
An inquiry respecting the origin of the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus. l8(
Forensic Imputations. 1867. J. P.
House Publications
ASL
on kitchen midden in Herm Island [1869]
AI
On the Relative Ages of the Stone Implement Periods in England 1872
