Women in geology - Mary Anning fossil collector

The Lyell collection of the Geological Society (London) refers to a new book The Life of Mary Anning, Fossil Collector of Lyme Regis: a Contemporary Biographical Memoir by George Roberts.

The abstract starts out: “Despite the modern celebrity of the fossil collector Mary Anning (1799–1847) of Lyme Regis and her frequent use as an icon in scientific education and popularization, there are few accounts of her life by her contemporaries. We report here a previously unpublished anonymous manuscript memoir of Anning's life, in the Special Collections of the University of Bristol Library.” Read more.

The 'Mary Anning Rocks' campaign illustrates how Anning is, both in this town and more generally beyond Lyme Regis, a figurehead for efforts to encourage young people, especially girls, to take an interest in geology. The Geological Society is planning a temporary exhibition of her specimens in London. See more.