Worthington George Smith

Stone Age Hackney: Rediscovery

A black and white photograph of a deep excavation. In the trench pose 3 unknown workers, and apart from them Worthington George Smith pointing to a layer of stratigraphy in the soil with his cane.

This series explores how Hackney’s Old Stone Age (Palaeolithic) archaeology was discovered and preserved due to the rapid urban development of the late 1800s and the dedicated work of a handful of collectors. The Opportunity The borough witnessed rapid population increase in the 19th century, rising from just under 15,000 people in 1801 to nearly … Read more

Stone Age Hackney: Worthington George Smith

Trade-card of Worthington George Smith, with central inscription space surrounded by wood-engraving style images of birds, fruits, violin, plants, mask, sculpted head, vase, and lower left a Neanderthal and at right a mammoth.

This series explores how Hackney’s Old Stone Age was discovered because of the rapid urban development in the borough in the late 1800s. The dedicated work of a handful of collectors preserved these for the future. In this post, we explore the work of a local archaeological pioneer, Worthington George Smith. Worthington George Smith (1835-1917) Smith was … Read more