page_title: William Smith (geologist)
hierarchical_section_title: William Smith (geologist)
caption_attribution_description: A delineation of the strata of England and Wales with part of Scotland. (The first geological map of Britain, published by William Smith in 1815)
context_page_description: William 'Strata' Smith was an English geologist, who created the first nationwide geological map.
  Like another great scientist of his time, Michael Faraday, he was the son of a blacksmith. His geological discoveries were made when, as a young man, he was a surveyor, and so travelled the country. Smith's greatest discovery was that sedimentary rocks of a similar age held fossils of a similar type. So he could identify them when they were at the surface in different parts of the country.
  Smith put together the historical geology of Britain and southern Scotland into a single record. At the time his map was published he was almost unknown to the scientific community. His humble family and education meant he did not mix easily in learned society. His work was plagiarised, he was financially ruined, and he spent time in debtors' prison. It was only later in his life that Smith got recognition for what he had done.
context_section_description: William 'Strata' Smith (23 March 1769 – 28 August 1839) was an English geologist, who created the first nationwide geological map.
  Like another great scientist of his time, Michael Faraday, he was the son of a blacksmith. His geological discoveries were made when, as a young man, he was a surveyor, and so travelled the country. Smith's greatest discovery was that sedimentary rocks of a similar age held fossils of a similar type. So he could identify them when they were at the surface in different parts of the country.
  Smith put together the historical geology of Britain (England and Wales) and southern Scotland into a single record. At the time his map was published he was almost unknown to the scientific community. His humble family and education meant he did not mix easily in learned society. His work was plagiarised, he was financially ruined, and he spent time in debtors' prison. It was only later in his life that Smith got recognition for what he had done.
caption: Smith's famous 1815 geological map of part of Great Britain
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