Edward Charlesworth (1813–1893) was an English geologist and palaeontologist who made significant contributions to the study of East Anglian fossils during the nineteenth century. The eldest son of the Reverend John Charlesworth, he initially pursued a career in medicine. However, he abandoned his medical studies in 1836 to join the British Museum, redirecting his focus toward natural history and geology.\n\nCharlesworth became deeply involved in the study of the Crag formations of East Anglia. Between 1835 and 1838, he engaged in a notable scientific debate with the prominent geologist Charles Lyell regarding the age and classification of these geological strata. During this period, Charlesworth also took over the editorship of the Magazine of Natural History, a publication that became so closely associated with his leadership that it was frequently referred to in contemporary scientific literature as "Charlesworth's Magazine."\n\nIn 1844, Charlesworth was appointed as the second keeper of the Yorkshire Museum, succeeding the distinguished geologist John Phillips. He held this position for fourteen years until 1858, contributing to the curation and development of the museum's geological collections before being succeeded briefly by Charles Wakefield.
