George Swiney, a physician, was the son of William Swiney (1748–1829),
Admiral of the Red. He was born on 8-Jun-1793 at St Marylebone, Middlesex, England. He was educated at Edinburgh University, where he graduated M.D. in 1816. Having retired from practice, he settled in London, lived a secluded life, and acquired a reputation as an eccentric. He spent much time on his will and died at Grove Street,
Camden Town, on 21 January 1844. He bequeathed £5,000 to the Society of Arts, to found a quinquennial prize for the best published essay on jurisprudence, the prize to be adjudicated jointly by the Society of Arts and the London College of Physicians
Lectureship in Geology Swiney also left £5,000 to the
British Museum to found a lectureship in geology, the lecturer to be an M.D. of Edinburgh. Holders have included •
William Benjamin Carpenter from 1847 to 1852 (First holder) •
Robert Edmond Grant from 1853 •
Thomas Spencer Cobbold from 1868 to 1873 •
Ramsay Traquair 1883 to 1887 and 1896 to 1900 •
William Ramsey McNab from 1888 to his death in 1889 •
Robert Francis Scharff from 1906 to 1908 ==List of winners==