Lot 358
The David Livingstone Medal - Royal Scottish Geographical Society to Marion Newbigin 1923
Jewellery, Watches & Silver | 560
Auction: 5 June 2019 at 11:00 BST
Description
struck in 22ct gold, depicting David Livingstone and on the reverse a depiction of the Spirit of Civilisation, designed by James Pittendreich MacGillvray, in original case
Dimensions
Diameter: 64mm, weight: 190.6g
Footnote
The David Livingstone Medal - Royal Scottish Geographical Society to Marion Newbigin 1923
Struck in 22ct gold, depicting David Livingstone and on the reverse a depiction of the Spirit of Civilisation, designed by James Pittendreich MacGillvray, in original case with gilt text to the cover
Diameter: 64mm, weight: 190.6g
The Livingstone Medal is awarded by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in recognition of outstanding public service in which geography has played an important part.
Named after the African explorer David Livingstone it was endowed in 1901 by his daughter, Agnes Livingstone Bruce.
Past recipients include; Annie Lennox, Michael Palin, HRH The Princess Royal, David Attenborough, Sir Ranulph T-W Fiennes and many other recognisable names.
Marion Newbigin, the recipient of this medal was born in Alnwick in a family with four sisters and three brothers. She, along with her sisters were lifelong supporters of the women's suffrage movement and the fact that universities didn't admit women didn't deter her and two of her sisters holding strong academic positions. She took courses at Edinburgh Association for the university education of women, eventually moving to London University and in 1893 achieving a BSc. and five years later a Ph.D.
In 1902, she was employed as editor of the Scottish Geographical Magazine. She held that position until her death, and during those 32 years, she helped shape the academic discipline of geography as it first took shape.
Her most prominent work was Animal Geography in 1913 and other books on the same subject. Her work diversified into political geography, travel and cartography. She was awarded this medal in 1923 "for her numerous contributions to geographical science, based largely on her own observations".
The majority of the proceeds of the sale of this medal are being donated to The Royal Scottish Geographical Society