Frederick William Shotton - The University of Birmingham - Edgbaston, Birmingham, U.K. - Blue Plaques on Waymarking.com

A Blue Plaque for Frederick William Shotton the eminent geologist who was Professor of Geology at the University of Birmingham between 1949 and 1974 located by the main entrance to the Lapworth Museum of Geology.

Fred Shotton's Blue Plaque is one of two Blue Plaques to the right-hand side of the main entrance to the Lapworth Museum of Geology.

The Plaque carries the following text:
"UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Frederick Shotton
furthered understanding
of climate change
1949-1974"

It was Frederick Shotton’s work on Quaternary geology in the English county of Worcestershire in the West Midlands which was the basis for his research which greatly added to our current understanding of climate change.

The quaternary period began 2.6 million years ago and extends into the present and "is typically defined by the cyclic growth and decay of continental ice sheets associated with Milankovitch cycles and the associated climate and environmental changes that occurred."

"Professor FW Shotton MBE FRS (1906-1990) was a leading authority in the field of Quaternary geology. By studying those sediments, and particularly their association faunas, Shotton made considerable advances to our knowledge of climate change in the recent geological past, and how this can help us to understand climate change in the future." (visit link)

"F. W. Shotton, FRS, Professor of Geology at the University of Sheffield 1945-1949, and at Birmingham 1949-1974, is best known for his research on Pleistocene geology of the English Midlands. However, during the Second World War he became a distinguished military geologist. From 1941 to September 1943, based in Egypt, he used hydrogeology to guide-development of portable water supplies for British forces operational in the Middle East and northern Africa. Recalled to the UK after campaign victory, from October 1943 he helped plan for the Allied liberation of Normandy by providing terrain evaluation (primary through preparation of specialist maps and contribution of technical advice) relating to beach conditions, suitability of ground for the ground for the rapid construction of temporary airfields, and water supply. Following D-Day, 6 June 1944, he based in northern France and later Belgium, and was involved with further water supply tasks, discussions on quarrying of aggregate, and assessment of soil conditions likely to influence off-road vehicle mobility of the siting of airfields and military depots, thus contributing to Allied victory in Europe in May 1945. Preparing to go into Germany, he was granted early demobilisation to resume his academic career. Wartime achievements generated few of his hundred significant publication, but post-war influenced his inspirational teaching and academic leadership." (visit link)

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Blue Plaque managing agency: University of Birmingham Individual Recognized: Frederick Shotton Physical Address: The University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham, United Kingdom B15 2TT Web Address: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/19/2019 Poole/Freeman visited it