Thomas Henry Tizard

Thomas Henry Tizard CB FRS (1839 – 17 February 1924) was an English oceanographer, hydrographic surveyor, and navigator.

He was born in Weymouth, Dorset and educated at the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich, at that time noted for its advanced mathematical training. He entered the Royal Navy by competitive examination as master's assistant in 1854 and served in the Baltic during the Crimean war. In 1860 he was promoted second master and commenced surveying in the Rifleman Reed, during which time he commanded the tender Saracen for three years.[1] Tizard was largely responsible for an important series of observations on the surface and under-currents in the Straits of Gibraltar, which set at rest the vexed question of the movements of these waters.[2]

An atoll in the South China Sea that Tizard surveyed in the 1860s from aboard HMS Rifleman was later named Tizard Bank after him.

Towards the end of 1872 Tizard transferred to HMS Challenger.[3] The appointment opened to him the greatest opportunity of his life in bringing him into contact with the leaders of the science of oceanography. The Challenger expedition resulted in a vast increase of knowledge of the physical condition of the oceans and of the distribution of marine life, and in the progressive improvement of apparatus and methods of research. Tizard remained with the Challenger until she paid off in 1876, and spent the next three years at the Admiralty writing the narrative of the voyage in association with Sir John Murray.[4][5]

In 1879 Tizard resumed surveying duties afloat, and took charge of the Home survey. He was at first in command of the hired vessel the Knight-Errant and then of HMS Triton (1882), the first British ship to be built specifically for survey work.[2][6] During the nine years that he held this command he wrote many papers of scientific value and interest. Among these may be mentioned a report on deep-sea exploration in the Faroe Channel;[7][8] lectures on Marine Surveying and Hydrographic Surveying,[9][10] and an article on the 'Thames Estuary' (Nature, 1890)[11] which is of great permanent value. He was promoted to staff captain in 1889, and in 1891 was appointed assistant hydrographer of the navy, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1899 Birthday Honours.[12]

In 1881 Tizard married Mary Elizabeth Churchward. They had five children, including one son, Sir Henry Tizard.[13]

  • Pycnogonida (sea spiders) dredged by HMS Triton in the Faroe Channel in 1882[14]
    Pycnogonida (sea spiders) dredged by HMS Triton in the Faroe Channel in 1882[14]
  • Nautical chart of Yarmouth and Lowestoft Roads surveyed by Tizard in HMS Triton in 1885
    Nautical chart of Yarmouth and Lowestoft Roads surveyed by Tizard in HMS Triton in 1885
  • Surveying Beacon used on the sand flats of the Thames estuary. From Tizard (1891)[10]
    Surveying Beacon used on the sand flats of the Thames estuary. From Tizard (1891)[10]
  1. ^ Day, Archibald (1967). The Admiralty Hydrographic Service, 1795-1919. H.M. Stationery Office. pp. 156–157. OCLC 1082894797.
  2. ^ a b A. M. F (1924). "Obituary: Captain Thomas Henry Tizard, C. B., F. R. S., R. N". The Geographical Journal. 63 (5): 460–462. JSTOR 1781248.
  3. ^ Aitken, Frédéric; Foulc, Jean-Numa (2019). "Chapter 2". From deep sea to laboratory. 1 : the first explorations of the deep sea by H.M.S. Challenger (1872-1876). London, UK: ISTE-WILEY. ISBN 9781786303745.
  4. ^ Tizard, T.H.; Moseley, H.N.; Buchanan, J.Y.; Murray, John (1885). "Narrative of the Cruise of H.M.S Challenger with a general account of the scientific results of the expedition". In Thomson, C.Wyville; Murray, John (eds.). Report on the scientific results of the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76 under the command of Captain George S. Nares and Captain Frank Tourle Thomson. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. First part; Second part
  5. ^ Tizard, T.H. (1882). "Memorandum on the meteorological observations made during the voyage". In Thomson, C.Wyville; Murray, John (eds.). Report on the scientific results of the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873-76 under the command of Captain George S. Nares and Captain Frank Tourle Thomson. Narrative Volume 2. Her Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 300–744.
  6. ^ Ritchie, G.S. (1967). The Admiralty Chart. London: Hollis & Carter. pp. 341–342.
  7. ^ Tizard, T.H.; Murray, John (1882). "Exploration of the Faroe Channel, during the Summer of 1880, in H.M.'s hired ship " Knight Errant." By Staff-Commander Tizard, RN., and John Murray; with Subsidiary Reports". Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 11: 638–719. doi:10.1017/S0370164600047994.
  8. ^ Tizard, T.H.; Evans, Frederick John Owen (1883). "Remarks on the soundings and temperatures obtained in the Faeroe Channel during the Summer of 1882". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. 35 (224–226): 202–226. doi:10.1098/rspl.1883.0037.
  9. ^ Tizard, T.H. (1887). "Lecture on marine surveying". Professional Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers. 11: 57–73.
  10. ^ a b Tizard, T.H. (1891). "Hydrographic Surveying". Professional Papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers. 16: 123–144.
  11. ^ Tizard, T. H. (1890). "The Thames Estuary". Nature. 41 (1067): 539–544. Bibcode:1890Natur..41..539T. doi:10.1038/041539a0. ISSN 0028-0836.
  12. ^ "No. 27086". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1899. p. 3585.
  13. ^ Dictionary of National Biography
  14. ^ Hoek, Paulus Peronius Cato (1883). "The Pycnogonida dredged in the Faroe Channel during the Cruise of HMS "Triton" (in August 1882)". Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 32: 1–10. doi:10.1017/S0080456800026624. S2CID 130348962.