William Sanders

William Sanders (12 January 1799 – 12 November 1875) was an English merchant and geologist.

Early life and career Sanders was born in Bristol on 12 January 1799, and educated mainly at a school run by Thomas Exley. For a time Sanders and a brother were in partnership as corn merchants, but he retired from business to concentrate on scientific work. Later he helped develop the Bristol Museum, of which for many years he was honorary curator.

Works A geological map of the Bristol Coalfield, on a scale of four inches to the mile, was Sanders's major work; it was begun in 1835 and finished in 1862, when it was published. It covered an area of 720 square miles, and was laid down from his own surveys. The preparatory topographical map was made under his care and at his own expense, by collating about one hundred parish maps on different scales.

Personal life On 12 November 1875, Sanders died unmarried.