William Thomas Gordon

Prof William Thomas Gordon FRSE FGS FGSE FLS FGA (1884–1950) was a British palaeontologist and palaeobotanist in the early 20th century. He was also an expert on diamonds and gemstones and assisted Hatton Garden in the testing of rare stones.

He was born in Glasgow on 27 January 1884 the son of William Gordon a marine engineer and surveyor, and his wife Mary Patterson. The family moved to Edinburgh when he was young, living at 89 Ferry Road in the Leith district. He was educated at George Heriot's School then studied sciences at Edinburgh University graduating MA BSc. This included studying Geology under Prof James Geikie. From 1910 to 1912 he did postgraduate research at Cambridge University gaining a further MA.

In 1912 he returned to Edinburgh as a Lecturer in Palaeontology. In the same year he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were James Geikie, John Horne, Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour, Robert Kidston and Ben Peach. He won the Society’s Makdougall Brisbane Prize in 1922.

In 1914 he was given a post as Lecturer in Geology at King’s College London and took this opportunity. In 1920 he became a full Professor and remained until his retiral in 1949.

He died on 12 December 1950. He was unmarried and had no children.

The standard author abbreviation W.T.Gordon is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.

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