William George Fearnsides, 1879-1968

The unique position which Fearnsides occupied among the great Cambridge geologists of this century arose from his eminence in both the academic and applied fields of geology. Throughout his long life, he combined a vital curiosity in everything around him, acute observation, a quite exceptionally retentive memory and an unusual flair for the correlation of observation and knowledge in diverse fields. His exuberant personality and his remarkable physical and mental vigour had already made him something of a legendary figure in his own lifetime.