Jolliffe, Alfred Walton

Person

Jolliffe, Alfred Walton

1907-1988

Alfred Walton Jolliffe was born 8 May 1907, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He obtained his B.Sc. from Queen's University at Kingston in 1929 and his MA from the same institution two years later. He then enrolled at Princeton University, where he obtained a PhD. in Geology in 1935. He began his career as a geologist by working as a summer student for the Geological Survey of Canada, beginning in 1928. In 1935, while completing his PhD thesis, he was instrumental in making the first major gold discovery in the Western Arctic. This significant event led to the founding of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and an ensuing "boom" of mining exploration throughout the region. A.W. Jolliffe was honoured for his work in the Northwest Territories by having Jolliffe Island in Great Slave Lake named after him.
During the next decade he continued in the employ of the Geological Survey, first as an assistant, then as an associate, and finally as a full geologist. In 1946 he left the Geological Survey of Canada after accepting the position of Associate Professor of Geology at McGill University in Montreal. He continued there until 1950, at which time he returned to Queen's University as a Professor, Department of Geology, where he remained until his retirement in 1972. During his career as a professional geologist and educator, he acted as a geological consultant for various Canadian mining companies in the Canadian north, northern Ontario (Steep Rock Iron Mines in particular) and in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. He was also a keen advocate of aerial photography, especially during its infancy in the late 1930's as a means to map geologically large areas of the earth's surface.
Following his retirement from active teaching, A.W. Jolliffe pursued actively his love of "total history" in general and the history of science and technology in particular. At the time of his death he was involved, with his brother in translating the latin works of Agricola, as well as compiling voluminous researhfiles pertaining to the "History of Science" throughout the ages of mankind.
Alfred W. Jolliffe was active throughout his career in many scientific societies including the Royal Society of Canada which made him a Fellow in 1943, The Geological Society of Canada, The Geological Society of America, and the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, which awarded him the Barlow Medal in 1939. In 1973 he was honoured for his teaching excellence by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty.
Alfred Walton Jolliffe, Professor Emeritus of Geology, died, 5 August 1988 at age 82.

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