The Lapworth Museum has a large and extensive archive particularly relating to Charles Lapworth, the first Professor of Geology at Birmingham, but also to other significant geoscientists, particularly from the nineteenth century.

The Lapworth Archive is extremely important historically, and scientifically, and has been described as one of the most complete archives of any 19th century natural historian after that of Darwin. The archive contains a remarkably complete record of Lapworth’s research, teaching, administrative and consultancy work, and also personal items.

The material spans approximately fifty years from his early research in southern Scotland in the mid 1860s, through to his death in 1920. During those years Lapworth was involved in many important geological controversies, debates and discoveries. The archive clearly records his role in these issues, and his ideas and methodology when solving some of the major geological controversies.

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Lapworth's early geological work involved unravelling the geology of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. He demonstrated that graptolite fossils could be used to zone and correlate rock sequences throughout the area, and could help to establish the geological structure and history. This work began during the 1860s and continued through to the 1880s. The archive contains many of Lapworth's beautifully hand drawn maps, cross-sections and sketches made during his research in the area.

After his appointment as the first Professor of Geology at Mason College in Birmingham, Lapworth's research turned to the geological structure of the North West Highlands, an area that had been the subject of great controversy for many decades. Lapworth's crucial work in solving the controversy is recorded in detail within the archive. He again used his pioneering large-scale geological mapping to establish the structure and geological history of the region, concentrating on the area around Durness and Loch Eriboll in Sutherland. His original, beautifully coloured and annotated field maps, sketches and notebooks are preserved in the collection.

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Lapworth's work on graptolites, a fossil group in which he was also one of the worlds leading authorities, is preserved within the archive. This material includes numerous original drawings of different graptolite species together with his original notes and figures in connection with his numerous publications.

Lapworth was also involved in applied geological work, and to a large degree founded the discipline of hydrogeology; he also worked as a member of the Royal Commission inquiry into the extent of Britain's coal reserves prior to the Great War.