William Hutton (1797-1860) was an English geologist who was an authority on coal measures, an ardent collector of fossils, and a supporter of mechanics' institutes in the north of England.

Hutton was born on July 26, 1797 in Sunderland, England to Gilbert Hutton (1762-1838) and Sarah Hobson Hutton (1766-1838). His father was a colliery viewer.

For much of his life, Hutton lived in Newcastle upon Tyne and worked as an agent for Norwich Fire Insurance Company. Having little formal education, he studied geology in an amateur capacity. Hutton gained a reputation as an expert on coal measures and fossils, and assembled his own large collection of fossils.

Along with John Lindley (1799-1865; APS 1862), Hutton authored The Fossil Flora (1831-1837), a major work in the field of paleobotany. The fossil plant Huttonia was named after him in 1837.

Hutton became a member of the Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1818; a member of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1825; a fellow of the Geological Society of London in 1828; a fellow of the Royal Society in 1840; and the treasurer of the Natural History Society in 1845. He was an honorary secretary of the Newcastle Natural Historical Society from 1829-1846, and an honorary curator of the George Allan Museum.

Hutton died in Hartlepool, England on November 20, 1860.

Physical description

Approximately 450 items

Provenance

Purchased from W. Myers (Sotheby's) and accessioned, 04/22/1980 (1980 618ms).

• Newcastle Natural History Society.

• Anderson, William, 1766-1846
• Armstrong, Wm. (William), 1778-1857
• Bache, A. D. (Alexander Dallas), 1806-1867
• Bowman, J. E. (John Eddowes), 1785-1841
• Brongniart, Alexandre, 1770-1847
• Buckland, William, 1784-1856
• Combe, George, 1788-1858
• Dechen, H. von (Heinrich), 1800-1889
• Emmett, Anthony, 1790–1872
• Fellowes, Charles, 1812-1896
• Gosse, Philip Henry, 1810-1888
• Hancock, Albany, 1806-1873
• Henslow, J. S. (John Stevens), 1796-1861
• Hooker, William Jackson, Sir, 1785-1865
• Hutton, William, 1797-1860
• Ingham, Robert, 1793-1875
• Johnston, George, 1797-1855
• Johnston, Jas. F. W. (James Finlay Weir), 1796-1855
• Jones, Thomas Rymer, 1810-1880
• Klipstein, August von, 1801-1894
• Lindley, John, 1799-1865
• Mackenzie, George Steuart, Sir, 1780-1848
• Milne, David, 1763-1845
• Murchison, Roderick Impey, Sir, 1792-1871
• Nichol, J. P. (John Pringle), 1804-1859
• Osler, Abraham Follett, 1808-1903
• Phillips, John, 1800-1874
• Rawson, Rawson William, Sir, 1812-1899
• Sedgwick, Adam, 1785-1873
• Sykes, Colonel (William Henry), 1790-1872
• Taylor, John, 1779-1863
• Turner, Edward, 1798-1837

• Beyond Early America
• Botany.
• Geology.
• Natural history.