Head and shoulders image of Dr. Harry Edmunds, Professor and Head, Geology, 1961-1965.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Frederic Harrison (Harry) Edmunds was born on 27 January 1898 in Hawarden, Flinshire, North Wales. After having served in the Special Brigade of Royal Engineers (Sappers) of the British Army from 1917-1919, he went to the University of Liverpool where he obtained his BSc, followed by his MSc in 1923a c, taking a combined course in chemistry and geology. After graduation Dr. Edmunds started out as a chemist and geologist for a firebrick company, but in 1925 left the British Isles to settle in Canada, where he joined the Department of Soils at the University of Saskatchewan. Four years later he was transferred to become the first professor in the newly created Geology Department. Dr. Edmunds achieved renown for his part in the early development of the Lloydminster oil field. His studies led to a better understanding of the Cretaceous System, and oil accumulations in rocks of that age. Dr. Edmunds was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, a Fellow of the Geological Society (London), a Fellow of the Geological Society of America, a member of the Councils of both the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and the Geological Association of Canada. The provincial government appointed Dr. Edmunds to the Saskatchewan Oil and Gas Conservation Board when that body was established in 1952, a post he held until his death. In his spare time, his passion was drama. He was president of Saskatoon’s Little Theatre Club and an officer of the Saskatchewan Drama League. It was largely through Dr. Edmunds’ efforts and influence that the U of S established the first department of drama in the Commonwealth. He was also active in the administration of the Saskatoon Archaeological Society. He became head of the Department of Geological Sciences in 1961. Dr. Edmunds died in February 1965, three months before he was due to retire.