Caroline Birley
| Caroline Birley | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Caroline Birley 16 November 1851 York Place, Oxford Road, Chorlton-on-Medlock, England |
| Died | 15 February 1907 (aged 55) Pendleton, Greater Manchester, England |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Resting place | Lingfield Church, Surrey, England |
| Occupation | Geologist and children's writer |
| Notable work |
We are Seven Jessamine and her Lesson Books |
| Parent(s) | Thomas Hornby Birley Anne Leatham |
| Relatives | Francis Birley (brother) |
Caroline Birley (16 November 1851 – 15 February 1907) was an English geologist, fossil collector and children's author. As a geologist, she was noteworthy, not so much for the scientific value of her collection, but for the regard with which she was held in a predominately male profession. Her interest in geology started with stones she collected as a child and her enthusiasm continued until her death.
She was born at York Place, Oxford Road in the Chorlton-on-Medlock area of Manchester, the fourth and last child of Thomas Hornby Birley J.P. (1815–1885) and Anne Leatham (1820–1866).
Her brother, Francis, was an amateur footballer who won the FA Cup three times in the 1870s and made two appearances for England. Her uncle was Hugh Birley, who was a Conservative Member of Parliament for Manchester from 1868 to 1883.
In 1857, she moved with her family from York Place to Highfield in Heaton Mersey and then, in 1864, to Hart Hill Mansion, Pendleton, and again to 4 Seedley Terrace in 1884.
As a child, Birley developed an interest in geology and on her family holidays on the Isle of Man she would collect stones showing unusual peculiarities. At the age of 12, she became a subscriber to the Geological Magazine in its first year of publication in 1864. At first, she paid for her subscription from her own pocket before her grandmother made her an allowance to cover the cost.
In 1884, she moved from Hart Hill Mansion to nearby Seedley Terrace. Before long, her collection had outgrown her home so she erected an iron building in her garden, which she named the "Seedley Museum"; the museum was opened to the public in 1888.
In 1887, Birley joined the British Association for the Advancement of Science following the Association's conference in Manchester. The following year she became a life member, attending the Association's annual meetings every year until her death. In 1890, she joined the Geologists' Association and, in 1894, she joined the Malacological Society of London, founded the year before.
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