Christopher John Wood (18 August 1939–27 January 2016): Palaeontologist and ‘owl’ of the Cretaceous

Abstract

Chris Wood enhanced the world of Cretaceous research for more than 50 years. His British Geological Survey work helped develop the lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy used to build the framework for investigating and then remapping the Chalk in England and Northern Ireland. In recognition of his work on the English Northern Province Chalk of the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire Wolds, the Yorkshire Geological Society presented him their most prestigious award, the John Phillips Medal, in 2015. His knowledge of the Chalk was also sought and applied to many engineering projects including the Channel Tunnel. In the international arena his palaeontological studies, in conjunction with the many European colleagues he corresponded with, contributed greatly to defining Cretaceous Stage and Substage concepts using a wide range of faunal indices which he also applied to the British successions. Having taught himself German he developed a lifelong working relationship with German colleagues, especially Gundolf Ernst and his research students in Berlin. Latterly, his special focus was on inoceramid bivalve fossils, working closely with Polish colleagues, in recognition of their abundance in the Upper Cretaceous and potential use as substage indices. His final years were marked by reviewing and editing papers for the journals Acta Geologica Polonica and Cretaceous Research.