ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

More than a ‘Wife-Assistant’: The History of Charlotte Murchison in the Margins of Victorian Geology

• In Event: Stratigraphy, Deep Time, and the Making of Geological Knowledge 1

English Abstract

Women in the history of geology, especially the Victorian period, are often labelled ‘help-mates’, ‘marital collaborators’ or ‘wife assistants’. Most historians would agree this is a direct result of the limitations and expectations placed on them by Victorian society. My research has led me to suggest that, among them, Charlotte Murchison was able to find a way to use those expectations to not only seamlessly enter this male-dominated world but also to create a modest place for herself within geological circles. Leading to evidence of her contributions towards geology, albeit with a certain level of anonymity. During the early years of her marriage to Roderick Murchison, Charlotte herself was a renowned conchologist within her own right, continuing to curate an impressive collection of geological specimens that she would often lend to the couple’s friends and her husband’s colleagues. However, after her encouragement towards Roderick to pursue a career in geology, Charlotte’s name all but ceases to appear in the history books. Nevertheless, there is enough evidence of Charlotte’s own contributions in the margins of academic works that primarily focus on her husband. Similarly, by reading primary sources, such as letters sent to the couple, through a lens that focusses on Charlotte, her presence emerges and suggests a relevant role in the wider geological community. Ultimately, this paper aims to encourage a discussion around rethinking the hidden contributions of Victorian women who, like Charlotte, deserve to be considered more than simple ‘help-mates’ in the history of science.

Author

• Serena Masters, Aberystwyth Univeristy