Thomas Sopwith's Geological Teaching Models

The son of a builder and cabinet maker, Thomas Sopwith (1803-1879) started work as an apprentice to his father. After completing his apprenticeship he changed career and became a surveyor. He drew geological cross-sections of Alston mines in 1828. His 1834 book A treatise on isometrical drawing provided a means of visualising geological and mining plans in three dimensions and was well received. It is with his background of cabinet-making and interest in geology that Sopwith fashioned his models.

The models are made to a very high standard. Constructed from 579 separate pieces of wood, they were laminated and joined together; the surfaces were then carved by hand. The models were available in sets of six or twelve, and in various sizes. Another set is held at the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences.

The relationship here between teaching models and books is worth stressing. In his book, which describes models that teach geological principles, Sopwith uses books themselves as a means of modelling a geological feature (Image 2).(2) Models and book, are then all housed in a case that is bound specifically to resemble a large volume to sit on a shelf. The models also feature in Lyell's 1841 Elements of Geology (Image 3).(3)

References

1. G. Mantell, Medals of Creation, Vol. 2 (London: Bohn, 1844), p. 987.
2. T. Sopwith, Description of a Series of Elementary Geological Models (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1841), p. 16.
3. C. Lyell, Elements of Geology vol. 1 (London, 1841), p. 121.

James Hyslop

James Hyslop, 'Thomas Sopwith's geological teaching models', Explore Whipple Collections, Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge, 2006.

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