Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Gurney, Henry Palin
GURNEY, HENRY PALIN (1847–1904), man of science, eldest son of Henry Gurney by his wife Eleanor Palin, was born in London on 7 Sept. 1847. He entered the City of London School in 1856, under the headmastership of Dr. Mortimer, and remained there until 1866; at the school he gained the Beaufoy mathematical medal, and was head of the school in science in 1865. In 1866 he proceeded to Clare College, Cambridge, where he specialised in science and mathematics. He rowed in his college boat, and ran for the university in the inter-university sports of 1868 and 1869. He graduated B.A. in 1870 as fourteenth wrangler, and was fourth in the first class of the natural science tripos. At the university Gurney studied mineralogy and crystallography under Professor William Hallowes Miller [q. v.], and acted for a while as Miller's deputy. Gurney was also the senior lecturer at Clare College in mathematics and natural sciences. Elected to a college fellowship in April 1870, he held it until 1883, when he was senior fellow of his college. In 1871 he took holy orders, and was appointed curate to Canon Beck, rector of the college living of Rotherhithe, and subsequently officiated for many years as curate at St. Peter's Church, Bayswater. Shortly after his marriage in 1872 he became lecturer for Walter Wren at Wren's tutorial establishment in Powis Square, Bayswater. Gurney's sound mathematical knowledge, clear method of teaching, and powers of organisation were found of such value that he became in 1877 managing partner of the firm of Wren & Gurney, which rapidly acquired celebrity as a preparatory establishment for young men wishing to enter the army, the Indian civil service, and other home or foreign office departments.
Meanwhile he had kept up his interest in mineralogy, and in 1875 he published his only book, a small but clear and useful work on crystallography, one of the manuals of elementary science issued by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. In 1876 Gurney helped to found the Crystallogical Society, and was a member of its first council. In 1894 he was appointed to the post of principal of the Durham College of Science, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in succession to Dr. William Garnett. At a critical period in the history of the College of Science Gurney showed tact, ability, and powers of conciliation and administration. Next year Gurney added the duties of professor of mathematics to the burden of the principalship, retaining the chair until 1904. In 1895 he took a prominent part in founding a department of mineralogy and crystallography at the college, and was himself the first lecturer, giving his services gratuitously. In 1890 the honorary degree of D.C.L. was conferred upon him by the University of Durham.
To meet the additional accommodation which the growth of the college made imperative, Gurney arranged an influential public meeting at Newcastle in 1899, where a strong committee was formed to collect subscriptions. In 1901, at Gurney's suggestion, the Armstrong Memorial Fund was devoted to the completion of the college, as a memorial of Lord Armstrong. The college thereupon took the name of Armstrong College. The new buildings were duly commenced in 1904.
Gurney died through a mountain accident in Switzerland on 13 Aug. 1904, having apparently lost his footing whilst out alone on La Roussette near Arolla. He was buried at Ganerew in Herefordshire. In 1872 he married at Whitchurch, Herefordshire, Louisa, daughter of the Rev. H. Selby Hele of Grays, Essex. He left a family of nine daughters; the eldest, Mary, is head mistress of the Newcastle high school for girls.
Gurney was essentially a teacher and an organiser of teaching, who combined great abilities as an administrator with a sound knowledge of scientific principles and marked powers of clear exposition. He acted as chaplain to the bishop of Newcastle, and warden and chaplain of the Newcastle diocesan house of mercy. For the first supplement of this Dictionary he wrote the memoir of Lord Armstrong. He also privately printed 'The Continuity of Life' (1876) and *A Sermon on Words' (1882), and contributed notes on geology to the 'Transactions' of the Institute of Mining Engineers.
There is a bust of Gurney by Mr. C Neuper in Armstrong College library, and an oil painting by A. H. Marsh in the hall.
[Mineralogical Mag., vol. xiv. Oct. 1904, No. 63, pp. 61-4; Newcastle Diocesan Gaz., Sept. 1904, p. 110; the Northerner, vol. v. No. 1. Nov. 1904, p. 2; Lady Clare Mag., vol. iv. No. 1, Oct. term, 1904, p. 7; City of London School Mag., No. 160, March 1905, p. 3.]