CaptainLevett Landon Boscawen Ibbetson[1] (1799 – 8 September 1869) was an English 19th centurygeologist, inventor, organiser and soldier. He is particularly associated with early developments inphotography. He was a member of theLondon Electrical Society and later aFellow of theRoyal Society (elected 6 June 1850).[2][3]
From hisLondon home (46 Margaret Street, near Cavendish Square),[4] Ibbetson corresponded withWilliam Henry Fox Talbot in 1842,[5] having spent some years trying to produce alithograph from an originaldaguerrotype, writing "I have been going on with experiments in the Callotype & have had some very good results as to depth of Colour." Ten years later, in 1852, Ibbetson exhibited work produced using the Talbotcalotype process, calledLe Premier Livre Imprimè par le Soleil, at a London Society of Arts exhibition.[6] This book, originally published in 1840, was an album of contact prints of ferns, grasses and flowers and used "the independently invented process ofFriedrich Gerber ofBern, published in January 1839, when Ibbetson was residing in Bern."[7]
An enthusiastic geologist, one of Ibbetson's finds on theIsle of Wight, the fossilised remains of aHybodus, was sent to Sir Philip Malpas de Grey Egerton, and was discussed in the Proceedings of the Geological Society in 1845.[8]
During the 1840s, Ibbetson was also engaged in various geological surveys associated with the expansion of the British railway system, during which work he corresponded with eminent geologistHenry Thomas De la Beche.[9]
He wrote a book, with contributions fromEdwin Lankester, published around 1852, entitledNotes on the geology and chemical composition of the various strata in the Isle of Wight ... With a map in relief.[10] With ProfessorEdward Forbes, he produced a description of the geology betweenBlackgang Chine and Atherfield Point, in the Isle of Wight, for theGeological Society.[11]
In 1851, Levett Ibbetson helped manage theGreat Exhibition. At this event, public toilets were relatively novel, and Ibbetson was given the task of writing an 'Official Report on the Waiting Rooms and Washing Places in the Exhibition Building' - during which he recorded "The largest receipt from the Waiting Rooms was on Wednesday, 8 October 1851 when 11,171 persons made use of them".[12]
Ibbetson died atBiebrich inPrussia, where he had lived for several years. Some years earlier he presented a valuable collection of fossils to theMuseum of Practical Geology in London.[11] His illustration of a fossil, "Transverse section ofmadrepore" inTheWestminster Review of September 1840 is credited with being the first example of the use of limelight to shorten exposure times when making daguerreotypes.[13]
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Capt. Levett Landon Boscawen Ibbetson was the son of Sophy and Major Levett Ibbetson, who was son ofJames Ibbetson. He was the father of Major Henry Levett Boscawen Ibbetson of the77th (East Middlesex) Regiment of Foot of theBritish Army.[14] He also served in the28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot.[15] Major Ibbetson lived atWest Teignmouth,Devon, England.
Media related toLevett Landon Boscawen Ibbetson at Wikimedia Commons