William Francis Porter McLintock CB

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...

(2 February 1887 – 21 February 1960) was a 20th-century Scottish geologist and museum curator, serving both at the

Royal Scottish Museum The National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, Scotland, is a museum of Scottish history and culture. It was formed in 2006 with the merger of the new Museum of Scotland, with collections relating to Scottish antiquities, culture and history, ...

and the

Natural History Museum, London The Natural History Museum in London is a museum that exhibits a vast range of specimens from various segments of natural history. It is one of three major museums on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, the others being the Science Museum (Lo ...

. He was also

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

of the

Geological Survey of Great Britain The British Geological Survey (BGS) is a partly publicly funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research. The BGS head ...

from 1945-1950.

Life

He was born on 2 February 1887 the son of Peter Buchanan McLintock, a laundry owner at Deanbank in

Stockbridge, Edinburgh Stockbridge is a district of Edinburgh, located north of the city centre, bounded by the New Town, Edinburgh, New Town and by Comely Bank. The name is Scots ''stock brig'' from Anglic languages, Anglic ''stocc brycg'', meaning a timber bridge. ...

. He was educated at

George Heriot's School George Heriot's School is a private primary and secondary day school on Lauriston Place in the Lauriston area of Edinburgh, Scotland. In the early 21st century, it has more than 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff, and 80 non-teaching staff. It was ...

then studied science at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

, graduating with a BSc in 1907. After University McLintock immediately started work as a geologist with the Geological Survey of Great Britain under

Ben Peach Benjamin Neeve Peach (6 September 1842 – 29 January 1926) was a British geologist. Life Peach was born at Gorran Haven in Cornwall on 6 September 1842 to Jemima Mabson and Charles William Peach, an amateur British naturalist and geologis ...

and

John Horne John Horne PRSE FRS FRSE FEGS LLD (1 January 1848 – 30 May 1928) was a Scottish geologist. He served as president of the Royal Society of Edinburgh from 1915 to 1919. Life Horne was born on 1 January 1848, in Campsie, Stirlingshire, the ...

. In 1911 he became Curator of the Geological Specimens at the

. In 1921 he moved to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

to the Natural History Museum. In 1930 he was involved in the relocation of the museum from Jermyn Street to

South Kensington South Kensington is a district at the West End of Central London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically it settled on part of the scattered Middlesex village of Brompton. Its name was supplanted with the advent of the ra ...

. In 1916 he was elected a Fellow of the

Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was establis ...

. His proposers were

, Sir John Smith Flett and

Arthur Pillans Laurie Prof Arthur Pillans Laurie FRSE LLD (6 November 1861 – 7 October 1949) was a Scottish chemist who pioneered the scientific analysis of paintings, especially by Rembrandt. He was also a Nazi sympathiser who opposed the Second World War. Early ...

. In 1936 he stood in as Acting Director of the Geological Survey after the unexpected death of

Bernard Smith (geologist) Bernard Smith FRS (13 February 1881 – 19 August 1936) was a geologist, who worked for the Geological Survey of Great Britain from 1906 to 1936. In 1935, he was appointed director, but died in post less than a year later. Early life and educati ...

, and pending the appointment of

Edward Battersby Bailey Sir Edward Battersby Bailey FRS FRSE MC LLD (1 July 1881 – 19 March 1965) was an English geologist. Life Bailey was born in Marden, Kent, the son of Dr James Battersby Bailey and Louise Florence Carr. He was educated at Kendal grammar sch ...

. In the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he was seconded to the Atomic Energy Division of the survey (seeking sources of

Uranium Uranium is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Ura ...

). In 1945, he was appointed Director of the Geological Survey, a post he held until retirement.Continental Tectonics and Mountain Building: Richard D Law He retired in 1950 and died in Edinburgh on 21 February 1960. He was invested

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...

(CB) in the

1951 New Year Honours The 1951 New Years Honours were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1951 for the Brit ...

Family

He married late in life, in 1939 (aged 52) a widow, Mrs Maude Alice Marshall.

Publications

*''Guide Collection of Gemstones''

References

1887 births 1960 deaths Scientists from Edinburgh People educated at George Heriot's School Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Directors of the British Geological Survey Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Companions of the Order of the Bath 20th-century British geologists {{UK-geologist-stub