James Croll (1821-1890) was a Scottish scientist who developed an astronomical theory of climate change 60 years before Milutin Milankovitch published a very similar theory. He was employed as a janitor at the Andersonian College and Museum in Glasgow from 1859 until 1867, after which he joined the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh. During his stay in Glasgow, Croll wrote several papers that were read at the Geological Society of Glasgow’s meetings and published in the transactions of the society. He was elected as an honorary associate of the society in 1867.
In the Archive section of this website, there is a section devoted to James Croll. This has now been enhanced by a new article, written by the society’s honorary archivist Margaret Anderson, describing James Croll’s connections with the society.