Lapworth, Charles (1842-1920)

British geologist who defined the Ordovician period of geological time (505-438 million years ago) in 1879. He was professor of geology at Birmingham from 1881-1913.

Lapworth's identification of a separate Ordovician system settled the bitter dispute between Adam Sedgwick, who thought strata of this period Upper Cambrian and Robert Murchison, who regarded them as Lower Silurian. He also worked extensively on the Palaeozoic rocks of Scotland and their graptolite faunas. Among the honours bestowed on him were the Royal Medal of the Royal Society and the Wollaston Medal of the Geological Society. His son Arthur (1872-1941) became a distinguished chemist.