Trevor D. Ford

Trevor Ford was born at Westcliffe-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea in Essex on 19 April 1925, to Hylda and Ernest Ford, who worked in publishing. The family soon moved north to Ecclesall in Sheffield, where he attended King Edward VII School (1939–41). During the Second World War he first entered the Royal Air Force (1944), but was reassigned to the Royal Navy owing to impaired vision; there he served as a stores assistant in the Far East (1944–46). After he was demobilised he read geology at the University of Sheffield (1947–49), and then studied for his PhD with Leslie R. Moore as his supervisor; his thesis was entitled The Upper Carboniferous rocks of the Ingleton and Stainmore coalfields (1953). In addition to Moore, he was influenced by William G. Fearnsides, Frederick W. Shotton, Peter C. Sylvester-Bradley and William H. Wilcockson. Ford served as editor of the Journal of the University of Sheffield Geological Society (1951–52). ==Career==

'' fossil In 1952, Ford took up the position of assistant lecturer at the Department of Geography of the University of Leicester, under John H. McDonald Whitaker. Geology split from geography in 1954, and he remained at the new Department of Geology for his entire career, rising to lecturer and senior lecturer (1980), and also serving as senior tutor and then associate dean for combined studies in science. His notable postgraduate students include Cynthia Burek. He also chaired the earth science board at Nene College of Higher Education, Northampton (1974–87), and taught evening classes at Vaughan College in Leicester. Ford retired in 1987, and was appointed an (honorary) university fellow. ==Research, writing and editing==

Much of his research was focused on the Peak District, and encompassed geology, geomorphology, speleology and paleontology, studies of local minerals (especially tufas, travertines and the fluorite Blue John, but also Ashford Black Marble), lead–zinc mineralisation, and the history of lead mining in the area. This find gave the earliest clear evidence for the existence of complex macroscopic organisms dating from this era, although Ford's tentative description of the organism as "an algal frond" is now believed to be incorrect. His 1958 article is the earliest report of fossilised Ediacaran biota from this important site. He subsequently made a detailed study of Precambrian rocks and fossils including research on the Grand Canyon. a definitive study of Blue John, as well as numerous cave guides. and editor of the Bulletin of the Peak District Mines Historical Society/Mining History (1965–2000). He was also the honorary editor for the Cave Research Group/British Cave Research Association (1964–90), the Peak District Mines Historical Society (1965–90) and the Transactions of the Leicester Literary & Philosophical Society (1986–2000). ==Personal life==

He married twice: first to Ann Thornhill (died 1956), and in 1958 to Betty Thomas (died 2006). He had two daughters. ==Awards, honours and legacy==

Ford was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1997 for services to geology and cave science. The Derbyshire Caving Association gave him their "Champion of British Sport" medal (1998). he was also president of the East Midlands Geological Society (1982–85). The type species of the genus Hylaecullulus was named Hylaecullulus fordi in his honour, and a cave in the Speedwell Cavern system was named for him. == Selected publications ==

Books • Ford T. D. Rocks and Scenery of the Peak District (Landmark Publishing; 2002) () • Ford T. D, Rieuwerts J. H., eds. Lead Mining in the Peak District (Ashbourne and Landmark Publishing for the Peak District Mines Historical Society; 2000) (4th edn) () • Ford T. D. Derbyshire Blue John (Landmark Publishing; 2000) () • Ford T. The Geology of the Isle of Man (The Geologists' Association; 1993) • Ford T. D., Gill D. W. Caves of Derbyshire (Dalesman; 1984) () • Ford T. D., ed. Limestones and Caves of the Peak District (Geo-Books; 1977) Pamphlets • Ford T. Sediments in Caves; BCRA Cave Studies Series 9 (BCRA; 2001) () • Gunn J., Ford T. Caves and Karst of the Peak District; BCRA Cave Studies Series 3 (BCRA; 1992) () Research papers • Vidal G., Ford T. D. (1985). Microbiotas from the late proterozoic chuar group (northern Arizona) and uinta mountain group (Utah) and their chronostratigraphic implications. Precambrian Research 28: 349–89 • Schopf J. W., Ford T. D., Breed W. J. (1973). Microorganisms from the Late Precambrian of the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Science 179: 1319–21 • Ford T. D. (1958). Pre-Cambrian fossils from Charnwood Forest. Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society, 31: 211–17 ==References==