British Geological Survey (BGS), Natural Environment Research Council, UK

BGS was established on July 11th 1835 as the Ordnance Geological Survey after William Buckland, Charles Lyell and Adam Sedgwick stated: “we drew up a joint report in which we endeavoured to state fully our opinion as to the great advantages which must accrue from such an undertaking, not only as calculated to promote geological science, which alone would be sufficient object, but also as a work of great practical utility bearing on agriculture, mining, road making, the formation of canals and railroads and other branches of national industry.” The first director of the Survey was Henry Thomas de la Beche www.bgs.ac.uk/services/ ngdc/archives and an act of parliament in 1845 gave the Survey powers to complete the survey of Great Britain and Ireland.