James Croll’s name appears alongside eminent scientists of the 19th century but his career began as the janitor of Anderson’s University in 1860.

This position granted him access to all of the University’s resources and, although he had no formal education in the sciences, he began submitting papers for publication in the ‘Philosophical magazine’ with his theories on physical geology. These articles impressed leading Scottish scientists Archibald Geikie, Andrew Ramsay, and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) who nominated him as secretary of the Geological Survey of Scotland in 1867.

In 1875 Croll published his groundbreaking theories on the probable causes of climatic change over geological time in his book entitled ‘Climate and time in their geological relation’. His intellectual contribution to the debate on climate change fostered links with distinguished scientists such as Charles Darwin and Sir Charles Lyell.

The self-educated Croll was finally given academic recognition in 1876 when he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, and awarded an honorary degree by the University of St Andrews.

Archives reference: OP 4/53. Frontispiece from 'An autobiographical sketch of James Croll' by James Campbell Irons, 1896