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The Association

Council 2013/4 - Notice of SGM

Proposed Rule amendments

Future meetings

April Lecture

Presidential Address

Awards 2013

Crested china

Durham Meeting

Circular

Volcanoes Field Trip part 2

Code of Conduct Bracklesham Bay

Obituary

Our First President

CORRECTION

GA Excursion to Vienna

Dorking Museum

Guide Review

Proposed New Zealand Field Trip

Rockwatch News

Curry Fund Report

Crossword

Research Awards

08554 Geologists Mag Vol 12 No. 2_mag41.qxd 28/05/2013 15:06 Page 1

Published by the Geologists’ Association.

Four issues per year. ISSN 1476-7600Production team: JOHN CROCKER, Jon Trevelyan, John Cosgrove, Roger

Dixon, Vanessa Harley.

Printed by City Print, Milton Keynes

The GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION does not accept any responsibility for views

and opinions expressed by individual authors in this magazine.

The Geologists’ Association

Founded in 1858 The Geologists’ Association serves the interests of both

professional and amateur geologists, as well as making geology available to

a wider public. It is a national organisation based in London, but is

represented by local and affiliated groups around the country.

The GA holds monthly lecture meetings, publishes a journal and geological

guides and organises field excursions both in the UK and abroad.

Subscriptions are renewed annually on November 1.

You can join the GA on-line on our website

www.geologistsassociation.org.uk/JoiningtheGA.html.

By phone 020 7434 9298 or by post to Sarah Stafford, Executive Secretary,

The Geologists’ Association, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU.

President: Professor Rory Mortimore

Executive Secretary: Sarah Stafford

Useful Email contacts

President: [email protected]

Executive Secretary:[email protected]

Field Meetings: [email protected]

Awards: [email protected]

Festival of Geology: [email protected]

Conference: [email protected]

GA Magazine (articles): [email protected]

GA Guides: [email protected]

Earth Heritage: [email protected]

Curry Fund: [email protected]

Rockwatch (junior club of the GA): [email protected]

Magazine of the Geologists’

Association

Volume 12, No 2, 2013

© The Geologists’ Association.

All rights reserved. No part of this

publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system or transmitted, in any form

or by any means, without the prior

permission in writing of the author and the

Geologists’ Association.

LAST Copy dates for the Circular &

Magazine

March Issue January 14

June Issue April 22

September Issue July 22

December Issue October 21

Items should be submitted as soon as

possible and not targeted on these dates.

We welcome contributions from Members and

others.

[email protected]

Magazine of the Geologists’ Assocition Vol. 12, No. 2, 2013 2

CONTENTS3/4 The Association

4 Council 2013/14 - Notice of SGM

5 Proposed Rule amendments

6 Future meetings

7 April Lecture

8 Presidential Address

9 Awards 2013

10 Crested china

11 Durham Meeting

13 Circular

18 Volcanoes Field Trip part 2

23 Code of Conduct Bracklesham Bay

23 Obituary

24 Our First President

24 CORRECTION

25 GA Excursion to Vienna

27 Dorking Museum

28 Guide Review

28 Proposed New Zealand Field Trip

29 Rockwatch News

30 Curry Fund Report

31 Crossword

32 Research Awards

Cover picture:

Fire fountaining at Stromboli –

painting done in the field

see article on field trip page 18

Curry Fund Dates for 2013

Applications to Committee

to be received by Date

February 20 March 8

May 20 June 14

August 20 September 13

November 20 December 13

[email protected]

Research Awards

Deadlines

15 February and 15 September

[email protected]


The highlight of any year is providedby the GA awards and it was a greatpleasure to present the awards at theAGM in May. Congratulations to all therecipients they are listed elsewhere inthis issue of the GA Magazine. It is aparticular joy to see excellent students,often struggling to meet the costs ofstudying, receiving substantial awardsfrom the GA for their excellent workwhich will help them through theircourses.

I would like to make special mention ofour new Honorary Life Members, SusanBrown, Eric Robinson and Joe Collins.Can there be more deserving GAmembers that we should recognise inthis way? All three have made lifetimecontributions to the activities of the GAand all three sent in wonderful lettersof acceptance.

Following on from the February Reportit is good to be able to report that PaulOlver, Haydon Bailey and Paul Sargentmet to take forward a key idea for thefuture of making geology moreaccessible to new GA members orthose with little or no geologicalknowledge. It is also good to see thatthe GA lectures are now on-line formembers (the user name andpassword were sent with the AnnualReport). A big thank you to SarahStafford, Barbara Silva and GaryJensen at the Geological Society forsupporting this and overcoming varioustechnical issues.

Getting the message about the GAbeyond the relatively small geologicalcommunity has been made mucheasier through running the GAconferences and the next GAconference in Durham on 21st-22nd

September 2013 on ‘Onshore andOffshore Geology: the vital link’ hasproved to be particularly useful in thisrespect. The financial support for theconference through sponsorship from arange of companies and governmentdepartments is exceeding expectationsand allows us to keep the registrationcosts down for GA members andstudents. It has also brought therelevance of the GA to the attention ofthese organisations. Lesley Dunlop anda team at Durham University and theNortheast groups are looking forwardto welcoming you to Durham inSeptember. We have an excellentrange of talks and follow-up field trips(see the flyer in this issue of theMagazine and on the GA website withthe booking form). For convenience,the booking form is also printed onthenback of the address sheet.

Keeping in touch with the great varietyof local and affiliated groups isessential and it has been a pleasure

giving talks to the Hassocks FieldSociety on 11th February, a talkentitled South Georgia to the SouthDowns (more than 150 attended), andto the Mole Valley Group on theGeology of Stonehenge on 11th April.The enthusiasm for geology in the localgroups is always very impressive andthanks to both groups for the welcomethey gave me.

The Oxford Geology Colloquiumorganised by the Oxford GeologyGroup and the Oxford UniversityNatural History Museum and supportedby the GA was a great success andcongratulations to Paul Sargent and allthose involved at Oxford. Also manythanks to Sarah Stafford and DianaClements for making the GA stand sowelcoming and encouraging.

Other events to keep in your diary arethe joint GA/GSL symposium on theHertfordshire Puddingstone and SarsenStones in May 2014 which has nowbeen firmed up to include a day oflectures at Burlington House on Friday16th May 2014 followed up by a fieldtrip to Hertfordshire on Saturday 17th

and then to France to see Sarsens andPuddingstones in the area near Dieppeon the 18th and 19th November.

The AGM is the time of year whenelections to Council take place. Aspecial thanks go to the retiringofficers and council members; SeniorVP Professor David Bridgland (who willremain as GA Earth HeritageRepresentative); Dr Mike Ridd (heremains as Overseas Field Trip Sec.)and to retiring Council MembersAndrew Ashley, Chris Woolston andDavid Greenwood for all their work onyour behalf.

We welcome the newly elected officers,Dr Haydon Bailey Senior Vice President(co-opted October 2012), Colin Prosserwho remains VP to keep continuitywith Elsevier negotiations, and LeanneHughes who is a newly elected VicePresident. The other new CouncilMembers are Nikki Edwards and PaulSargent (co-opted February 2013 to beGA Magazine editor).

Also retiring is Dr John Crocker with aspecial thank you for his 11 years asGeneral Secretary and many years asEditor of the GA Magazine.

Following the AGM on 3rd May, a fulllist of the current Council can be foundon p.2.

A total of 10 awards were presentedat the AGM including 3 Honorary LifeMemberships to Susan Brown, EricRobinson and Joe Collins. Full details ofthese can be found on page 9.

Now that the Annual Report hasbeen approved, it is available on thewebsite. This year we were able tosend out nearly half electronically thussaving the Association a considerableamount in postage. I sent out a letterwith the Report telling members of theusername and password to be able toaccess GA lectures online. This facilityis only available to GA members. Weare aware that some electronicdeliveries of the Annual Report wereblocked by spam filters. If you didn’treceive the password, please contactSarah Stafford in the office and shewill send it to you. If you find that yourReport is still sitting in your spam,please can you alter the filter to allowGA messages through.

Subscriptions have not been raisedsince 2005. The GA has containedsubsequent inflation costs of 27.5%,until now. However, significantlyincreased printing and distributioncosts necessitate an adjustment to GAsubscriptions in 2014. The newsubscriptions will reflect the option toreceive the PGA in electronicformat, beginning next January; wehope this will be a popular move andwe encourage members to take thisoption in order to protect both the GAand its members from rising costs. Forthose who prefer paper copies, theincrease will be less than half theinflation rate for the intervening years.A direct link for each edition will be e-mailed to members who opt to receivethe PGA on-line. For full details of theproposed new subscription rates seepage 4. These proposals must beapproved at a Special General Meetingwhich will take place at 6 pm on5th July before the monthly talk. Also,we propose to tidy up a few of theRules that were ambiguous and toextend ‘Student Rates’ forsubscriptions to include young peopleunder 26, see details on page 5.Options for publication of the GAMagazine, including electronicpublication, are being explored by ournew editor, Paul Sargent, and will bediscussed further by the PublicationsCommittee in June.

The Hertfordshire Geological Societyhas requested to become a LocalGroup of the GA. As they have over 12members who are also members of theAssociation they are welcomed byCouncil. The advantage is that they donot have to pay the affiliation fee. Anyother locally-based groups who alsohave more than 12 members would bewelcome to apply for Local Groupstatus. Just send the list of names toSarah Stafford in the GA office. Forthose who are already Local Groups,please check that you still have the 12members required to qualify.

The GA has been out and about overthe past few months. In March we hada stand at the Oxford Colloquium and

continued on page 4.......

FROM THE PRESIDENT

General Secretary’s Report

Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 12, No. 2, 2013 3


Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 12, No. 2, 20134

Secretary’s report continued......

in May we attended the LymeRegis Fossil Festival where welaunched the new Bristol Guide.The Rockwatch activities were aspopular as ever (Rockwatch is theJunior Club of the GA). There willbe other opportunities to buy ourGuides direct at this year’s GAConference in Durham (Onshoreand Offshore Geology, the vitallink; September 21st) and the GAFestival of Geology on 2nd

November.Our profuse apologies to Ellis

Owen’s friends and family for theerror in the March edition of theGA Magazine. Ellis’s name wasinadvertently deleted from hisobituary. Instead of FrederickOwen in the title and in the firstsentence they should have readEllis Frederick Owen.

Diana Clements

NOTICE OF SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF

THE GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION

This is to give notice that there will be a Special General Meeting of the

Geologists’ Association at

6 pm on Friday 5th July 2013 at Burlington House, London.

Agenda

To approve the revised subscription rates (see below)

To revise the Rules of the Geologists’ Association (details see page 5.)

Proposed Subscription Rates

applicable from November 2013

Full rate including paper copies of PGA 45.00

Full rate with electronic copies of PGA 35.00

Reduced rate without PGA (Associate) 30.00

Students and Young Persons under 26

with electronic copies of PGA 20.00

Joint rate including paper copies of PGA 60.00

Joint rate with electronic copies of PGA 50.00

Affiliated Societies 40.00

COUNCIL MAY 2013 – May 2014

Officers: President: Professor Rory Mortimore;

Senior Vice-President: Dr Haydon Bailey;

Vice Presidents: Dr Colin Prosser, Miss Leanne Hughes;

Treasurer: Dr Graham Williams;

General Secretary: Mrs Diana Clements.

Postholders: Minutes Secretary: Mr Roger Le Voir; Meetings

Secretary: Dr Michael Oates; Field Meetings Secretary: Mr

Geoff Swann; Overseas Field Meetings Secretary: Dr Michael

Ridd; Guides Editor: Professor Susan Marriott; GA Magazine

Editors: Mr Paul Austin Sargent, Professor John Cosgrove;

Earth Heritage Representative: Professor David Bridgland;

GA Archivist: Dr Jonathan Larwood; Librarian: Miss Elaine

Bimpson; Awards Panel Secretary: Mrs Barbara Cumbers;

Membership Team Chairman: Dr Paul Olver; Rockwatch

Chairman: Mrs Susan Brown

Non-Council Postholders: Proceedings Editor: Professor Jim

Rose.

Ordinary Members of Council: Mr Anthony Brook,

Ms Nikki Edwards, Professor Richard Howarth,

Mr Peter Riches, Mr Paul Winrow.

Executive Committee: Officers, Mrs Sarah Stafford.



3.5 STUDENT MEMBERS Individuals who have not yet reachedtheir nineteenth birthday or who are infull-time education may apply for StudentMembership. They shall pay a reducedSubscription but shall have the samerights as Full Members.To Read: 3.5 STUDENTS AND YOUNG PERSONSUNDER 26Individuals who have not yet reachedtheir twentysixth birthday or who are infull-time education may apply for Studentand Young Persons Membership. Theyshall pay a reduced Subscription but shallhave the same rights as Full Membersexcept that they may only receiveelectronic versions of GA publicationswhere applicable.

4. ADMISSION AND REMOVAL OFMEMBERS 4.1 Every candidate for admission toMembership of the Association shallcomplete an application form and returnit together with the appropriate AnnualSubscription to the Association’s office.4.2 A candidate applying for Membershipshall be considered by the Council at itsnext meeting following receipt of thecompleted application form accompaniedby the first Annual Subscription and shallbe proposed for admission at thefollowing Ordinary Meeting.4.3 If there is an objection to theadmission of any candidate toMembership, the candidate may reapplyfor admission at a subsequent OrdinaryMeeting.4.4 Any Member whose conduct is, in theopinion of Council, prejudicial to theinterests of the Association, may beremoved from the Association by Council.Such action shall require a vote of a twothirds majority of the Council memberspresent at a meeting, the agenda forwhich shall carry the item “Removal of aMember”. No Member may be soremoved unless prior notice has beensent to that Member of the intention ofthe Council to proceed against thatMember under this Rule and of thenature of the charges made against thatMember; opportunity shall be afforded tothat Member to answer the charges, andto explain the conduct objected to, inadvance of that Council meeting.To read: 4.0 ADMISSION AND REMOVAL OFMEMBERS4. Every candidate for admission toMembership of the Association shallcomplete an application form and returnit together with the appropriate AnnualSubscription to the Association’s office.Delete paragraphs 4.2 and 4.3 completely4.2 Any Member whose conduct is, in theopinion of Council, prejudicial to theinterests of the Association, may beremoved from the Association by Council.

Such action shall require a vote of a twothirds majority of the Council memberspresent at a meeting, the agenda forwhich shall carry the item “Removal of aMember”. No Member may be soremoved unless prior notice has beensent to that Member of the intention ofthe Council to proceed against thatMember under this Rule and of thenature of the charges made against thatMember; opportunity shall be afforded tothat Member to answer the charges, andto explain the conduct objected to, inadvance of that Council meeting.

6. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS6.3 Any Member whose Annual

Subscription has not been received by 1st

April of the year for which theSubscription falls due shall forfeit theright to receive the Association’spublications. If such a Member shallseek restoration to the list of those whoreceive publications, the Member shall berequired to pay a restoration fee to bedetermined from time to time at theAnnual General Meeting or at a SpecialGeneral Meeting.To read: 6.3 Any Member whose Annual

Subscription has not been received by 1st

March of the year for which theSubscription applies shall forfeit the rightto receive the Association’s publicationsin paper format.

9. MEETINGS9.4 Special General Meetings shall beheld as Council determines, or within areasonable time following receipt byCouncil of a requisition signed by not lessthan twelve Members. In either case aprinted notice giving the date and theobject of the Special General Meetingshall be notified to members, normally bypublishing in the GA Magazine, not lessthan fourteen days before such Meeting;and no business shall be considered atsuch Meeting except that for which it wasconvened.To read:9.4 Special General Meetings shallbe held as Council determines, or withina reasonable time following receipt byCouncil of a requisition signed by not lessthan twelve Members. In either case anotice giving the date and the object ofthe Special General Meeting shall benotified to members, normally bypublishing in the GA Magazine, not lessthan fourteen days before such Meeting;and no business shall be considered atsuch Meeting except that for which it wasconvened.

GA RESEARCH AWARDS AND NEWRESEARCHERS SCHEME REGULATIONSAND PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO ALLRESEARCH AWARDS5. The GA will not considerretrospective applications, i.e. to supportactivities that will already have occurredprior to the deadline date.6. Where indicated in their awardletter, successful applicants must submita written report (suitable for publicationin the GA Magazine) and/or a statementof expenditure, by a specified deadline.7. Successful applicants who do notprovide the written reports requestedcannot be considered for future awardsuntil their reports have been received.8. Successful candidates cannot beconsidered for further awards until 12months have elapsed following receipt oftheir written report and/or statement ofexpenses9. The financial support from the GAshall be acknowledged in any publication,poster or presentation arising fromfunded activitiesTo read: 5. Normally awards and grants aremade to those whose place of work orstudy is in the UK or at a UK university.6. The GA will not considerretrospective applications, i.e. to supportactivities that will already have occurredprior to the deadline date.7. Where indicated in their awardletter, successful applicants must submita written report (suitable for publicationin the GA Magazine) and/or a statementof expenditure, by a specified deadline.8. Successful applicants who do notprovide the written reports requestedcannot be considered for future awardsuntil their reports have been received.9. Successful candidates cannot beconsidered for further awards until 12months have elapsed following receipt oftheir written report and/or statement ofexpenses10. The financial support from theGA shall be acknowledged in anypublication, poster or presentation arisingfrom funded activities

THE IVOR TUPPER FUND OF THEGEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION

(for students in 2nd-4th years) 2. The fund is designed to givefinancial assistance – a single awardnormally of £2000 cash annually – to adeserving undergraduate in their second,third or fourth year at university,studying Geology or Earth Sciences. To read:2. The fund is designed to givefinancial assistance – a single awardnormally of £2000 cash annually – to adeserving undergraduate in their second,third or fourth year at a UK university,studying Geology or Earth Sciences.

GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION

Proposed Rule amendments for approval at the Special General

Meeting on 5th July 2013



Leanne Hughes

BGS

Friday 5 July

Geological Society, Burlington House,Piccadilly, W1V 0JUat 6.00 pm, tea at 5.30 pm

185 years ago BGS geologists startedcolouring in selected sections of theirmaps to represent the different rockswhich lay beneath their feet. Todaygeologists at the British GeologicalSurvey continue to collect data todevelop the next 3 dimensionalgeneration of geological output. Thephysical process of mapping remainslargely the same - several thingshowever are massively different, nodoubt as a result of the industrial andtechnological revolutions. Thegreatest change has beentechnological. The method ofrecording the mapped information

has changed from a paper process toan entirely digital one. Traditionallythe geologist was armed with a paper‘fieldslip’. Today however geologistsare using a computerised mappingtablet similar to an iPad to recordtheir data. This is known as the BGSSIGMA system, the computer hasinbuilt features such as GPS, sketchtool, photograph annotation tool andlayers of topographic maps andphotographs. The data collected inthe field can then be easily convertedinto whichever format is needed.Often this format will now be adigital, 3D, geological model, as wellas a 2D map. Not only has themapping gone digital but thedistribution of the final maps hastaken the leap into the age of theiPhone too. Now anybody anywherein the country can download thelatest geological information aboutthe rocks which lie directly beneaththeir feet straight on to the screen oftheir phone. This year, the very firstgeological lines and colours will bedownloaded into this national digitalmap (digmap) that have never seen apiece of paper.

July Meeting

“Traditional paper mapping”

Sigma system in use

September - No lecture BUT

2013 Annual Meeting

“Onshore and Offshore Geology the vital link”

Durham University

Saturday 21 September Annual Meeting

Sunday 22 September Field Trips

For more information see

[email protected]

Details on pages 11 and 12

Application form on the back of the address label

Friday November 1 - Local Groups Meeting

Saturday November 2 Festival of Geology -

University College London

Sunday November 3 Festival Field Trips

More details in the next magazine



A Holostratigraphic approach to

the Chalk of the Central

Graben, North Sea Norway

Haydon Bailey, Matthew

Hampton and Liam Gallagher

Network Stratigraphic

Consulting Ltd.

It’s essential before starting this talkto define what we mean by‘holostratigraphic’. The QuaternaryResearch Association definition is:

...bringing together every possible

method to produce an integrated

correlation that may have a much

higher resolution than any one method

alone can provide.

In essence the results of a holisticapproach should be greater than thesum of its parts. In the present study,carried out over the Eldfisk structure, inthe Norwegian sector of the North Sea,we utilised a combination oflithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy,lithofacies, petrophysics, geophysics,biofacies and event stratigraphy. Theoperators for the Eldfisk chalk reservoir,ConocoPhillips, intended to initiate awater injection programme to enhancehydrocarbon recovery, but before doingso needed to understand more fully thedeeper controls and history of thestructure in order to control thiseffectively.

Getting the nomenclature right.

The chalk lithostratigraphicterminology widely in use before thisstudy was outdated and inadequate forthe purposes of the project. Fortunatelyan updated and better defined scheme(Fritsen, 1999) was available and it wasdecided to use this herein.

In addition it was important to definethe biostratigraphic elements of thestratigraphic model using the variousmicrofossils available, principallycalcareous nannoplankton, planktonicand benthonic foraminifera andradiolaria. The resulting stratigraphicmodel is based on detailed analyticalstudies carried out over thirty years,together with any relevant publishedonshore data. However, the stratigraphyof every hydrocarbon structure isunique so a field specific model also hasto be developed that can then becompared directly to the regionalstratigraphic framework.

What sort of chalk do we see?

The chalk lithologies encountered aresimilar to those seen in most North Sea

fields. Background hemipelagicsedimentation is reflected by thepresence of periodite deposits,comprising stacks of carbonate andargillite-rich couplets, occasionallypunctuated by still stands marked bywell defined hardgrounds. In addition, afull range of allochthonous/remobiliseddeposits are also encountered fromcoarse debris flows, through large scaleslumps to distal mud clouds. Thesewere logged in detail in order to put theassociated biostratigraphic data intocontext.

What can we do with the microfossils?

The nannoplankton and foraminiferacan be used to define marker events forcorrelation and units which carryprecise ages. Having established thechronostratigraphy, time slices can beselected which are used as mappinghorizons.

In addition to assisting in thedefinition of the stratigraphy,foraminifera also have the potential tobe used in palaeoenvironmentalinterpretations. Whilst acknowledgingthat a whole range of criteria need to beconsidered, including water massoxygenation and mass movement,palaeotemperatures, palaeocurrentdata, faunal feeding mechanisms andsediment reworking, different benthonicforaminiferal groups are used to definebiofacies groups which principallyreflect water depth. Models establishedin Late Cretaceous sequences in otherareas of the North Atlantic were appliedto the assemblages recorded acrossEldfisk. Taking well defined time slices,depth variations were mapped acrossthe structure that illustrates changesthrough time. Similar shifts in structuralgrowth and the development ofaccommodation space for depositioncould also be recognised from theseismic mapping hence a structuralhistory for the field was developed.

Seismic and petrophysical

interpretations

Whist the biostratigraphic analysesand interpretations were being carriedout simultaneous geophysicalinterpretations was being undertakenby ConocoPhillips staff. An iterativeprocess was established with bothgroups ‘feeding’ off each other’s data.The seismic interpretations werehindered by a gas cloud withinsediments overlying the structural crestdeveloped along the Lindesnes Ridge.However, wells drilled in this seismicallyobscured area were analysedbiostratigraphically and results from thetwo disciplines integrated. Conversely,

the seismic interpretation allowed thewidescale mapping of formational unitsacross the region which was impossiblefrom the stratigraphic analysis ofindividual wells.

Re-interpretation of the wireline logdata for each well was also undertaken,using the new lithostratigraphy andupdated biostratigraphic results. Theresulting well interpretations wereplotted onto well summary logs whichwere then correlated following differentseismic lines, thereby allowing directcomparison of the different datasets.Unconformities could be identified andsection loss and/or gain calculatedagainst an absolute timescale.

The end product

Finally, the structural historyemerging for Eldfisk from the range ofdisciplines applied was compared withthe eustatic sea-level curve for the LateCretaceous and against known tectonicevents. It became apparent that normalsedimentary cycles could be recognisedin the eastern part of the field, althoughstructural movements had beensuperimposed in this area, particularlyduring the Maastrichtian and Danian.Conversely, in the crestal region a morecomplex history occurred, withprogressive tectonic movements alongfault lines causing erosion and sedimentredeposition.

A comprehensive understanding ofEldfisk structural development duringthe Late Cretaceous - Paleocene intervalhas been established. This could nothave been achieved by any singlediscipline, but evolved from theapplication of a holostratigraphicapproach.

Haydon Bayley

APRIL LECTURE



A walk on the Chalk Side: Anexploration of the mysteries of theEuropean Chalk

Rory began by identifying themysteries as some of the most oftenasked ‘big’ questions about the Chalk.Such seemingly simple questions arealso some of the most difficult toanswer!

Why is chalk such a persistent faciesacross vast areas of the globe?

Where has all the chalk come from?Why is the chalk white?Where has flint come from?How is it that flint bands can be

traced 100s kms?What controlled the location and

scale of mobile chalks and slump beds?Only those questions highlighted

were dealt with this year. An attemptwould be made to answer theremaining questions next year!

Why is chalk such a persistent faciesacross vast areas of the globe?

Rory took as his starting point DerekAger’s observation in The Nature of theStratigraphical Record (Ager, 1973)that the Chalk was an excellentexample of the persistence of facies. In1957 Ager had noted that whitelimestones with chert nodules in thewhite cliffs at Şile on the Black Sea,were really white chalk with black flintscontaining familiar Chalk fossils,including Micraster and Echinocorys.Rory illustrated support for Ager’sobservations in papers from the formersuch as Dzabarov (1964) on UpperCretaceous sea-urchins from theCentral Kopet-Dag and theirstratigraphical significance. TheEchinocorys illustrated in these paperscompared directly with those from thesouthern English Chalk. A map of theLate Cretaceous at 98 Ma (based onSohl 1987 and Skelton 2003) illustratedthe extent of continental seas andoceans, where chalk formed a majorpart of the carbonate deposits.

Part of the reason for the persistenceof chalk facies was rising sea-levelsthrough the Late Cretaceous, shown bythe relative sea-level curve of Hancock2000, producing potentially similarconditions over vast areas ofcontinental shelf. Rory then asked whatdrove this rise in sea-levels and basedpart of the answer on the suddendoubling of oceanic crust production at120-125 Ma (top Barremian) to > 35million km3 per Ma from a consistent18-20x106 km3 per Ma over theprevious 70-80 Ma. This rate of oceaniccrust production continued for the next40 Ma (i.e. to the Campanian) and wasassociated with an abnormally largelength of fast spreading ridge In thePacific Ocean and with a Cretaceoussuperplume (Skelton et al 2003).

Rates of crustal production could not

have been the whole story as globalsea-levels continued to rise into theLate Campanian and the Maastrichtian.These were periods of reduced ‘normal’rates of crustal production and seatemperatures were also reducing! Rorysuggested that serpentinization of newoceanic crust should be investigated asanother possible cause of high sea-levels. Hydration and serpentinizationof ultrabasic rocks lead to volumeincrease and lower density creatinguplift, a process possibly accelerated byseismic pumping on low-angle faults atmid-ocean-ridges. A further questionthat needs answering is the length oftime such alteration processes continueafter formation at mid-ocean ridges.

Where did all the chalk (carbonate)come from?

High sea levels explain the potentialfor the extent of nannoplankton bloomsbut not the reason(s) for them. Whatgot the vast quantity of calcareousnannoplankton going? Modern-dayblooms are considered to be controlledby nutrient supply, oxygen,temperature, predation and waterchemistry. Using NOAA satelliteimagery modern Calcareousnannoplankton blooms were illustratedfor the Bering Sea and the WesternApproaches. These modern-day bloomsare nothing like as extensive orcontinuous as those that must havedeveloped during the whole of the LateCretaceous. Something extra wasneeded to get these Late Cretaceouscoccolith blooms going and to sustainthem over such a long time period?Could mid-ocean ridges havecontributed to the global formation ofchalk by releasing extra calcium to theoceans through alteration of the ultra-basic rocks (serpentinization) andrelease of Ca2+ enhanced bystructurally induced fluid flow (seismicpumping)? Rory left these questions tobe answered by future researchers.

What initiated mobile chalks andslumps and how extensive were these?

Rory described having come acrossextensive slump beds in the turbiditesuccessions on South Georgia and thenhis surprise when he found similarstructures in the Chalk of the SouthDowns . Having found sheared chalksand flints at the base of slump beds atShoreham Cement Works and SeafordHead (1974), he then looked for similarexamples in the literature and foundthem in slump beds described from theMϋnster Basin, Germany (Voigt, 1962).Voigt described phacoids extractedfrom the Late Turonian-Coniacian slumpbeds near Halle, Westfalia, Germanyand these contained sheared layers and‘swirls’ similar to those found in theSouth Downs Chalk. The slumps weredirected southwest off the

Nor.dwestfӓlische-Lippsche Schwelle, asea-bed high controlled by faultingalong the Osning Thrust Zone.

Rory then turned his attention to theHarz MassifMassif with its SubhercynianCretaceous Basin in the Harz Foreland.This is the area where Stille’s 1924Upper Cretaceous Ilsede andWernigerode Subhercynian TectonicPhases were first recognised and Roryused Voigt’s, 1929 idealised sectionthrough the Harz Foreland to illustratethe growth of faulting and uplift thatproduced a succession of overturnedbeds onto which the next UpperCretaceous sediments were deposited.Like the Mϋnster Basin Osning FaultZone, the Harz fault controlled thissequence of synsedimentary angularunconformities. These same tectonicevents were further illustrated by theevolution of the Lehrte Salt Plug. atypical example of the uplift on a saltdome during the Late Turonian and/orConiacian. Rory explained that thecombined evidence from the GermanCretaceous basins (Mϋnster andSubhercynian) and the Lehrte Salt Plugillustrate the timing of hiatuses andslumping during the Upper Turonianand Coniacian. He suggested that thetiming of these events comparedclosely with the slumping events foundin the South Downs Chalk and many ofthe slump beds in the Chalk of UpperNormandy, France. A further questionarose from such an observation. Howcould such ‘tectonically induced’ eventsbe broadly synchronous over such avast area of continent? In the finalslides it was suggested that rotation ofthe African Plate into the Eurasian Platewas responsible for reactivating faults(synsedimentary tectonics) leading toangular unconformities in the Chalk,folding and basin inversion, which inturn provided the sea-bed topographyfor hiatuses and slumping.

The answers to some of themysteries of the Chalk are to be found,therefore, in the geological processesassociated with both mid-ocean ridgesand plate-collision tectonics.

Rory Mortimore

Presidential Address May 2013 by Rory Mortimore

8



GA AWARDS 2013FOULERTON AWARD presented to GA member for work of merit connected with theAssociation Dr John CrockerJohn has been a stalwart of the GA since 1989, General Secretary of the GA from 2000 to2011 and, latterly, known to us all as the superb Editor of the GA Magazine

HALSTEAD MEDAL presented for work of outstanding merit, deemed to further the objectivesof the Association and to promote geology. Graham WortonGraham typifies the spirit of the GA at its dynamic best. He lives and breathes geology withinvolving and inspiring others his reason for being. He devotes his professional life as Keeperof Geology at Dudley Museum and his spare time with the Black Country Geological Society topromoting geology to anyone who will listen from politicians, through engineers and plannersto schools and the general public. Over the last 25 years plus, he has brought geology tomany who would otherwise have never taken an interest or been involved and he has putgeology into the heart of the local authority in which he works, setting often quoted examplesof best practice in community engagement, geological promotion and geoconservation.Graham has published many popularist articles as well as refereed papers, hosted part of theWorcester Conference field visits in 2011, has helped with Rockwatch and gave a lecture on hiswork to the GA in 2012.

THE RICHARDSON AWARD presented, for the best research-based paper in the PGA in 2012 Anna HarrisonAnna.M. Harrison*, J.F.M. Plim*, Matthew Harrison*, Lee.D. Jones*, Martin G. Culshaw*(*British Geological Survey and University of Birmingham) ‘The relationship betweenshrink–swell occurrence and climate in south-east England’ (PGA 123, 556-575).The paper has also been awarded the runner up prize in the Climate Change section of theLloyds of London, Science of Risk Prize 2012.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Joe Collins in recognition of his public engagement of geology and his commitment topalaeontology. Joe has been an unstinting supporter of the GA. He became a GA memberin 1953 and has attended practically every meeting and reunion/festival since then and haspublished in the Proceedings. This will be the 60th year that Joe will have exhibited at the GAReunion/Festival. Although officially an amateur, Joe is a world expert on crabs winning manyawards for his research contributions.

CURRY FUND MSC AWARD to encourage student excellence, for the best Masters degreetheses on a geology-related topic arising from an MSc taught course in a UK university

Jacob Bendle, Royal Holloway Geography Dept.

Highly Commended:Juliet Szachno-Hodgkinson, Royal Holloway Earth Sciences Dept. Victoria Alexandra Brown, University of Brighton

IVOR TUPPER AWARD to give financial assistance to a deserving undergraduate whodemonstrates outstanding academic excellence

Helena Pryer University College London

Dr Eric Robinson in recognition ofhis public engagement of geologyand his commitment to the subject.Eric has been a GA member since1969; President 1991-1994;Librarian 1970-2002; FoulertonAward 2002.

Susan Brown, in recognition ofher public engagement ofgeology and her commitment tothe GA. Susan has been a GAmember since 1986; President2000-2002; RockwatchChairman since 2001; CurryFund Secretary – ongoing.



Introduction

The year 1830 saw the publication of the firstvolume of Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geologyand the start of a decade of intensive railwayline building in Britain. Within ten years a fairlycomplete network covered much of Britain,connecting for the first time many villages andmost towns particularly those at the coast.

The necessary railway cuttings providedexcellent collecting opportunities for geologistsboth amateur and professional, especially sincethe founding in 1835 of the British GeologicalSurvey. This railway development, together withcharabancs and better roads, provided anopportunity for the general public to becomemuch more mobile and to travel on their annualand bank holidays, particularly from the late1850s onwards.

For many, the holiday or day trip destinationof choice was the seaside, creating a hugedemand for accommodation, entertainment andsouvenirs. It is with the latter that this article isconcerned.

Crested China

To the potteries of the Stoke-on-Trent area ofnorth Staffordshire this souvenir demandprovided a lifeline and in the 1880s manypotteries started making porcelain miniatures orwhat is now known as Crested (= coat of arms)or Heraldic China. Of the manufacturers, Goss isthe best known because of their superiorproducts but there were well over 150 others inBritain alone including Arcadian, Carlton, Shelleyand Willow Art. The actual material used is atype of bisque porcelain called Parian ware, sonamed after the Greek island Paros renownedfor its finely-textured white marble.

During the Edwardian period it has beenestimated that nine out of ten households had atleast one piece of crested ware1. Productioncontinued well into the twentieth century but allhad ceased by the outbreak of world war two in1939. Collecting crested china howevercontinues unabated today in a somewhat similarfashion to Cigarette Card collecting whereproduction in Britain also ceased in 1939.

Manufacturers could and would produce thesame model for many different towns and citieswith each bearing the appropriate heraldicdevice for the locality. The models of greatestvalue are those directly relating to a particularlocality, e.g. a Dactylioceras (a lower Jurassicammonite) from Whitby as opposed to one fromsay Dover on the upper Cretaceous.

The variety produced was enormous and Gossalone had a range of over 2,500 models withsome 10,000 different decorations availablegiving a theoretical 25 million possibilities.

Collectors were able to acquire the samemodel with different heraldic devices or bymanufacturer or thematically, e.g. World War onLand or Natural History items, and Fossils. Inthis last category models are few and rare. Todate the following have been found and are inthe author’s collection:

Fossils

Echinocorys scutata. An internal mould orsteinkern of an upper Cretaceous echinoid basedon a flint specimen found at Steyning in theHorsham district of west Sussex and knownlocally as Shepherd’s Crowns. The maximumdimension is 65mm. On the upper surface the

apical system is clearly shown with the five pairsof ambulacra leading from it with raised porepairs. On the right side in the inter- ambulacralarea the crest is shown – Hampstead and RoyalLeamington Spa in these examples and on theleft side a brief description as given as above.On the lower surface the Goss marks appeartogether with the ambulacra converging at theanterior mouth and an anus posteriorly. Thewhole is hollow and the delicacy of the porcelaincan be seen through the anus. In laterproduction, wear on the moulds can be inferredas far less detail shows on some examples. Theword COPYRIGHT can appear either below orabove the standard Goss mark as in theseexamples. This dates them to late in the SecondPeriod* or early in the Third Period.

Dactylioceras commune. A lower Jurassicammonite from Whitby on a hollow plinth ofsedimentary rock with the seal of Whitby Abbeyin the foreground. This seal is an exception tothe normal armorial crest and shows St Hilda,well known in mythology for changing snakesinto stone**, with the inscription ‘YMAGOVIRGINIS HYLDE = Image of the Virgin Hylde.

(Her name is enshrined in palaeontology in theammonite genus Hildoceras.) The ammonite is62mm in diameter. the Goss mark appearstogether with: ‘Model of the Whitby Ammonite.Rg No 513063 Pub. By Edwin Todd 27Flowergate’, indicating that some models weremade for specific outlets such as local agents.Other Dactylioceras examples show the arms ofAncient Greenwich, Bridport and of Lyme Regis,the latter with the incorrect wordingunderneath: ‘Model of the Lyme Regis ammoniteRg No 515036’, as this ammonite does not occurat Lyme Regis. Such registration numbers referto the model shape which in this case was firstused between 1907 and 1914. Such numberswere not used after July 1914. This model is alsoavailable with the Whitby crest as seen in the jugbelow.

Ball Cream Jug

bearing the crestof Whitby –a shieldwith three stylisedammonites. This has amaximum dimensionof 90mm with thestandard Goss markunderneath.

Three handled Loving Cup. These come invarious sizes and the one shown is the smallestproduced by Goss with acapacity of a third of a pintand a height of 76mm. Forthe story of the origin ofLoving Cups please seepage 604. The interest inthis example is thatbetween each pair ofhandles a crest appears. Two are of Whitby andSt. Hilda – shown elsewhere and the third is thatof Whitby Abbey showing three coiled snakescomplete with heads.

Geology

Rock of Ages. In 1740 the Reverend AugustusMontague Toplady, M.A. is reported to havesheltered from a storm in a angled cleft in therocks in Burrington Combe near Cheddar in

Somerset. This resulted in him writing thefamous hymn which starts - Rock of Ages cleftfor me, let me hide myself in thee. A model ofpart of this rock, as far as I can determine, is the

only purely geological model produced by anycompany. It bears the arms of Cheddar on theright and the hymn wording on the right andback. Comparison with a British GeologicalSurvey photograph shows that it a good modelof the relevant part of the outcrop of BurringtonOolite which overlies the CarboniferousLimestone. The maximum dimension is 81mmand the normal Goss mark has the addition of‘England’ underneath indicating that it was madein the Third Period.

Natural History

Colchester Native Oyster Shell – Ostrea edulisA fine bivalve right valve, 68mm diameter,

bearing the Colchester coat of arms uppermostwith the standard Goss mark and the ladypainter’s yellow mark underneath. Internally thepallial line is show and also the hinge with theligament pit. Externally there are four coarseannual growth rings. Locally farmed oystershave been famous here since Roman times.

Limpet Shell

A large up side down limpet 74mm indiameter with three orange coral legs. The coatof arms is that of Ipswich on the physical upperor biological ventral surface with the standardGoss mark underneath.

Fir Cone

A typical specimen 90mm long with theMaidstone coat of arms, made by Arcadian Chinaof Stoke-on-Trent.

Others

Whelks, nautili, and scallops are known butare not included here. There is also a wide rangeof mammals, some fish and birds and a fewmore plants.

Stuart BaldwinNotes: *When William Henry Goss was the owner and

runner of the factory from 1858-1887 any Goss items

produced have been called from the First Period. His

sons took over in the Second Period 1881-1934 and in

the Third Period 1929-1939 items were made for Goss

by other factories but still bear the Goss mark.

**In Marmion by Sir Walter Scott in 1808 he writes:

Of thousand snakes, each one

Was changed into a coil of stone,

When Holy Hilda pray’d.

References

1. Pine, Lynda, 2001. Millers Goss and Crested China. A Collector’sGuide. Milestone Publications.

2. Pine, Lynda, 2005. Goss and Souvenir Heraldic China. ShirePublications.

3. Pine, Lynda & Nicholas, 1987.William Henry Goss. The story of theStaffordshire family of Potters who invented Heraldic Porcelain.Milestone Publications.

4. Pine, Nicholas, 1999. The Concise Encyclopaedia and Price Guide toGoss China. Milestone Publications.

5. Pine, Nicholas, 2000. The 2000 Price Guide to Crested China.Milestone Publications.

Crested China in Geology and Natural History

Echinocorys scutata

Oyster,

fir cone

and

limpet

10



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11




PLEASE NOTE THE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR FIELD MEETINGS

ENQUIRIES & BOOKINGS Geoff Swann organises day andweekend meetings in the UK. Michael Ridd is responsible foroverseas and longer excursions. Sarah Stafford at the GAoffice is responsible for bookings, payments and generaladministration [email protected]

You must book through the GA office to confirmattendance. Please do not contact the field meeting leaderdirectly. Meeting times and locations will be confirmed onbooking. These are not normally advertised in advance, asthere have been problems with members turning up withoutbooking or paying and maximum numbers being exceeded.Field meetings are open to non-members althoughattendance by non-members is subject to a £5 surchargeon top of the normal administration fee. Some meetingsmay have restrictions on age (especially for under 16s) or bephysically demanding. If you are uncertain, please ask.

PAYMENTS for day and weekend meetings must be madebefore attending any field meeting via telephone (creditcard) or post. Cheques should be made out to Geologists’Association. Please give an email and contact number andplease also provide an emergency contact name andtelephone number at the time of booking.

There are separate arrangements for overseas meetings.

TRANSPORT is normally via private car unless otherwiseadvertised. If you are a rail traveller, it may be possible forthe GA office to arrange for another member to provide alift or collect you from the nearest railway station. Thisservice cannot be guaranteed, but please ask before booking.Please indicate on your booking form if you are able to offera lift.

PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE for field meetings isprovided but personal accident cover remains theresponsibility of the participant. Further details areavailable on request from the GA office.

Safety is taken very seriously. Should you be unsure abouteither the risks involved or your ability to participate safely,you must seek advice from the GA office before booking.Please make sure that you study any risk assessment orsafety briefing and that you have all the safety equipmentspecified. You must declare, at the time of booking, anydisabilities or medical conditions that may affect yourability to safely attend a field meeting. You may be asked toprovide further information on any prescription drugs etcthat you may use whilst attending a field meeting. In orderto ensure the safety of all participants, the GA reservesthe right to limit or refuse attendance at field meetings.

EMERGENCY CONTACT: if you are lost or late for thestart of a meeting, an emergency contact is available duringUK field meetings by calling the GA mobile phone 07724133290. The mobile phone will only be switched on justbefore and during field meetings. For routine enquiriesplease call the GA office on the usual number.

TRAVEL REGULATIONS are observed. The GA acts as aretail agent for ATOL holders in respect of air flightsincluded in field meetings. All flights are ATOL protectedby the Civil Aviation Authority (see GA Circular No. 942,October 2000 for further details). Field meetings of morethan 24 hours duration or including accommodation aresubject to the Package Travel Regulations 1992. Theinformation provided does not constitute a brochure underthese Regulations.


CIRCULAR No. 995 June 2013

FIELD MEETINGS IN 2013

We are hoping to arrange additional fossilcollecting opportunities during the year.There may not be time to advertise thesein the Circular so if you would like detailswhen they become available contact SarahStafford at the GA office.

FOR FINALISED DATES AND FORANY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAMMEPLEASE REFER TO OUR WEB SITEwww.geologistsassociation.org.uk

GYPSUM QUARRY VISITLeader: Andrew SwiftSaturday 8th June 2013 In the morning we will visit a quarry nearNewark producing gypsum from theTriassic with additional sections throughthe Lias and Rhaetic. In the afternoon wewill visit another quarry in the area.

Equipment: You must bring a hard hat,high vis jacket and suitable footwear.Packed lunch. Attendees must be capableof dealing with the conditions to be foundin a working quarry.Cost & booking: Numbers will be strictlylimited to 20 (regrettably no children willbe allowed). Further details will beavailable from Sarah Stafford at the GAoffice.

THE GEOLOGY AND CHURCHES OFPEMBROKESHIRELeader: Prof John PotterMonday 10th – Thursday 13th June2013

Four field days in Pembrokeshire based inHaverfordwest. The plan is to mainly visitgeological localities and perhaps twointeresting churches each day to relatethese to rock types seen. Equipment: Hard hat and hi-vis jacket.Appropriate clothing and footwear.

Cost & booking: Further details will beavailable from Sarah Stafford at the GAoffice.

THE YORKSHIRE CHALKLeader: Rory Mortimore Saturday 22nd – Sunday 23rd June2013

The Yorkshire Chalk coastal cliffs fromSpeeton and Buckton in the north, toFlamborough Head and then Sewerby inthe south, offer a great opportunity toinvestigate the geological processes that(i) formed chalk sediments on the marginsof the North Sea Basin, and (ii) createdthe range of tectonic structures presentin many places in the Chalk of NW Europe.Day 1 will concentrate on the sedimentsincluding the origin of marl seams, flintbands, nodular chalks, grey, red and whitechalks and the Black Band and othersedimentary structures seen at NorthLandings, Thornwick Bay and Speeton



Cliffs. Day 2 will focus on the tectonicstructures at Flamborough Head inSelwicks Bay where there is evidence forseveral phases of deformation related toa major fault system (the Flamboroughzone of disturbance or Howardian Hills –Flamborough Fault Belt). This will befollowed by a study of the highest chalkpreserved in the Yorkshire cliffs atSewerby and Danes Dyke.We will be based in Bridlington. Theleader and field meetings secretary hopeto stay at the Revelstoke hotel near tothe seafront. Car sharing will benecessary. If there is sufficient interestwe will arrange a group meal for theSaturday evening.Equipment: You must have a hard hat,appropriate clothing and footwear.Attendees should be capable of dealingwith relatively long walks over rockybeaches. Also there will be at least onesignificant climb up cliff steps.Cost & booking: Numbers will be limitedto 25. Further details will be availablefrom Sarah Stafford at the GA office.Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £10 per person toconfirm your place.

BUCKS GEOLOGYLeader: Jill EyersThursday 4th July 2013 Equipment: Hard hat and hi-vis jacket.Appropriate clothing and footwear.Attendees should be capable of dealingwith the conditions in working quarries.Cost & booking: Numbers will be limitedto 20. Further details will be availablefrom Sarah Stafford at the GA office.Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £5 per person toconfirm your place.

**NEW MEETING ADDED**THE MARBLE OF THE HOTELRUSSELL, RUSSELL SQUARELeader: Ruth SiddallTuesday 9th July 2013 18:00 -20:00The Hotel Russell was built at the end ofthe 19th Century and was famous at thetime for the fine marble work used in itsinterior. The stones used arepredominantly from France and NorthAfrica. They are derived from quarrieswhich were originally operated by Romanstone workers, but many closed after thefall of the Roman Empire and theirlocations were forgotten. However afashion for fine marble interiors grew inthe second half of the 19th Centuryand enterprising marble tradesmen sentexplorers off into the wilds to rediscoverthe quarries. Such expeditions were

successful and many of the ancientquarries were reopened and some continueto operate to this day. The marbles of theHotel Russell therefore represent thegeologies of the French Alps and thePyrenées but are also a record of highadventure in the Victorian era!Equipment: bring a hand lensCost & booking: Numbers may be limited.Further details will be available fromSarah Stafford at the GA office.Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £2 per person toconfirm your place.

WEALDEN EXCURSION - jointmeeting with the Hastings & DistrictGeological SocietyLeaders: Ken Brooks, Peter Austen andEd JarzembowskiSaturday 20th July 2013 Depending on conditions on the day we willbe covering the section from Cliff End,across Fairlight Cove into Covehurst Bay.The cliffs along this section form part ofthe Hastings Group, and together withthe cliffs west to Rock-a-Nore, areregarded as one of the type-sections ofthe lower part of the WealdenSupergroup in south-east England. Theydisplay a succession of intermittentlyfaulted sandstones, siltstones andmudstones that extend from the AshdownFormation (including the plant-bearing‘Fairlight Clays’), through to the lowerpart of the Wadhurst Clay Formation.These units reflect deposition infreshwater conditions and have long beenrenowned for the diverse assemblage ofearly Cretaceous plant and animal fossilsthat they yield. At Cliff End we will seethe massive Cliff End Sandstone at thebase of the Wadhurst Clay, and there willbe an opportunity to examine fallen blocksof the Cliff End Bone Bed, which containfish teeth and scales, reptilian bonefragments and teeth, pterosaur teeth andvery rarely primitive mammal teeth. Clifffalls over the past few years have yieldedremains of Iguanodon (now in MaidstoneMuseum), a complete turtle carapace, andthe snout of the Wealden crocodileGoniopholis. Also, impressions of dinosaurfootprints are often visible along thissection. Sections of the ‘trunk’ of thetree-fern Tempskya can also be found onthe foreshore, and in the cliff face at thetop of the Ashdown Formation we will beable to observe an extensive bed of in situ‘quillworts’ (clubmosses), first discoveredin 1996, as well as other plant remains. Inaddition the section displays manyinteresting geological structures, such asfaults, cross-sections of river channels

and cross-bedding. At the end of theCliff End section as we enter FairlightCove, we will pass Haddock’s ReverseFault. At low tide dinosaur footprints canoften be observed in the foreshoremudstones in Fairlight Cove, and rolleddinosaur bones can sometimes be found –in 2005 the well-preserved braincase andpartial skull of an ankylosaur was foundhere, the first such record from mainlandBritain. At the west end of Fairlight Coveas we reach Covehurst Bay we will observethe Fairlight Cove Reverse Fault markingthe start of the ‘Fairlight Clays’ and aunique Lower Cretaceous flora, visible inextensive foreshore deposits. If timeallows we may also continue on to LeeNess Ledge to look at dinosaur footcastsin fallen blocks of the Lee NessSandstone. Equipment: You must bring a hard hat andsuitable footwear. Packed lunch. We willbe walking along the beach over shingleand some rocks which may be slippery.Care should also be taken to keep awayfrom the base of the cliffs in case ofrock-falls, particularly after wetweather. Total return distance 5–6 km. Cost & booking: Further details will beavailable from Sarah Stafford at the GAoffice. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £5 per person toconfirm your place.

THE BYTHAM RIVER IN EASTANGLIALeaders: Jim Rose and DavidBridglandSaturday 14th – Sunday 15thSeptember 2013Dates are now confirmedThe meeting will examine evidence for theBytham River in East Anglia, and will giveparticular attention to the stratigraphy,the composition of the Bytham Riverdeposits, the sedimentology, andassociated archaeology and evidence ofpast climate and environment. We willvisit sites from Shouldham Thorpe in thenortheast, through Warren Hill to BurySt Edmunds where we will stay the night,then through Fakenham Magna to theFlixton area, ending at Pakefield. Othersites will of course be examined but theability to visit particular sites will dependon access and quality of exposures at thetime.Travel will be by minibus and privatetransport. We will meet an early train outof London at Downham Market – stay atthe Travelodge at Bury St Edmunds onthe Saturday evening and finish in time toallow attendees to catch a sensible trainback home on the Sunday afternoon.



Equipment: You must bring a hard hat, hivis jacket and suitable footwearCost & booking: £10 plus cost of minibus.These will be available from SarahStafford at the GA office. Pleaseregister your interest with Sarah.

DORSET COAST WEEKENDLeader: Prof John C.W. Cope(National Museum of Wales)Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th October2013Following the success of last year’smeeting John has agreed to lead anothertrip, this time looking at the west Dorsetcoast (mainly Lower and Middle Jurassic).We will be based in Bridport and will tryto arrange an introductory talk on theFriday evening and a group dinner onSaturday. We will finish at about 16:00on Sunday.Equipment: Participants should beequipped for very rough beaches andshould have stout footwear with anklesupport. Helmets are essential but HI vis.jackets will not be required. There maywell be some steep ascents (and descents)dependent on the weather.Cost & booking: Numbers will be limitedto 25. Register with Sarah Stafford atthe GA office sending an administrationfee of £10 to confirm your place.

FOSSILFEST VIIILeader: Nev HollingworthSaturday October/November 2013(date to be confirmed)Location(s) have still to be decided butplenty of fossils can be expected.Attendees will need to be sure they cansafely cope with the conditions to befound in working quarries.Equipment: You must have a hard hat, hivis vest and suitable footwear.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limitedto 25. Register with Sarah Stafford atthe GA office sending an administrationfee of £5 to confirm your place.

IN THE PIPELINE (Dates and detailsto be arranged)...........................

THE BUILDING STONES OFTOTTENHAM COURT ROADLeader: Ruth Siddall

OVERSEAS FIELD MEETINGS 2013

ICELAND Land of Volcanoes6th – 17th September 2013Leader: Dr Paul OlverNow Full.

GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION LOCAL GROUPS (LG) ANDAFFILIATED SOCIETIES

Amateur Geological SocietyContact Julia Daniels 020 8346 1056.Field trips: [email protected] Bath Geological SocietyJune 7 Violent birth of the Earth and thecourse of precious metals – Dr MatthiasWillbold.July 5 The Monnow Valley – Landscapeevolution on the Old Red Sandstone –Dave Green.July 17 Field meeting: Geology andLandscape evolution of the Monnow Valley– Dave Green.September 8 Field meeting: Geology andMining in the High Littleton – Camertonarea – Dr David Workman.September 6 Microbialites(stromatolites), tufa and reservoirs –Prof. Maurice Tucker.www.bathgeolsoc.org.uk Belfast Geologists’ SocietyContact Email: [email protected];www.belfastgeologists.org.ukBlack Country Geological SocietyJune 22 Field meeting: The Geology ofDudley and the Black Country from CanalBoat, - Graham Worton (Keeper ofGeology, Dudley Museum and Art Gallery).Indicate your interest in attendingbefore 8th June 2013, to AndrewHarrison 07973 330 706 or email:[email protected] 20 Field meeting: The BuildingStones of Worcester. Details tbc.For information contact Barbara Russell01902 650168. www.bcgs.infoBrighton & Hove Geological SocietyContact John Cooper 01273 292780email: [email protected] Naturalists’ Society Contact 01373 474086Email: [email protected]/Cambridgeshire Geology Club (LG)June 10 ‘The National Geological Model – anew beginning for the geological map?’Dr Andrew S Howard September 9 ‘Geology of Upware’ andviewing of specimens - Dr Simon Kelly.Contact – Ken Rolfe on 01480 496973,mobile 07777 678685.www.cambridgeshiregeologyclub.org.ukCarn Brea Mining SocietyJune 18 ‘My Life in Mining’ by Mike Shipp,former mining surveyor who worked inironstone mining in the Midlands and atWheal Jane, and is partner at RosevaleMine July 16 Field Trip - IndustrialArchaeology of Hayle – Foundry End -Georgina Schofield

September 13 Joint meeting with andarranged by the Trevithick Society, at7.30pm. Talk ‘Jonathan Crouch, Surgeonof Polperro’ -Jeremy Rowett. Contact Lincoln James 01326 311420.Further detailswww.carnbreaminingsociety.co.ukCheltenham Mineral and GeologicalSocietyFor more information on lectures contactAnn Kent 01452 610375For more information on Field tripscontact Kath Vickers 01453 827007http://cmgs.yolasite.com/Cumberland Geological SocietyJune 2 Field meeting: Crazy paving in theCross Fell Inlier at 10:30 - John RodgersJune 12 Field meeting: The WorkingtonShore - David PowellJune 16 Field meeting: Kirkby Stephen -Noel PearsonJune 30 Field meeting: Garsdale Pass -Mike DeweyJuly 10 Field meeting: Slate FellCockermouth - Jim SamsonJuly 20 Field meeting: GlenderatteraValley - Rosemary VidlerAugust 25 Field meeting: EnnerdaleHighlights - David PowellFor details on the activities of theCumberland Geological Societywww.cumberland-geol-soc.org.uk/Cymdeithas Daeaereg Gogledd Cymru:North Wales Geology Association( LG)Contact Jonathan Wilkins 01492 583052Email [email protected]/cdgcCymdeithas Y Daearegwyr Grwp DeCymru -South Wales Group Geologists’Association (LG)June 15 Brecon Beacons Powys – JohnDavies.July 13 Cotswold Water Park – NevilleHollingworth.August 24 Freshwater and West AnglePembrokeshire – John Nudds.Contact Lynda Garfield [email protected] Devonshire Association (GeologySection)Contact Jenny Bennett 01647 24033email Jenny [email protected] Dinosaur Societywww. Dinosaursociety.com. Contact: ProfRichard Moody [email protected] Group of the Geologists’ Association(LG)June 8 Field meeting: Fleet FossilsFerrybridge working north.July 21 Field meeting: Old Harry andAgglestone.August 10 Fossil and Mineral Fair atWimborne.


Contact Doreen Smith 01300 320811 Email: [email protected] Natural History & ArchaeologicalSocietyContact Jenny Crippsemail: [email protected] Science Teachers AssociationFor membership contact: Mike [email protected] 014804 57068ESTA website www.esta-uk.netEast Herts Geology ClubJune 15 Field meeting: West Runton.July 13 September Exhibition of localgeology at Ware Museum.September 6-9 Field meeting:Pembrokeshire – Rosemary Williams.Check website for venue or contact DianaPerkins 01920 463755.www.ehgc.org.uk email: [email protected] Visitors most welcome - £2East Midlands Geological SocietyJune 19 Geology Walk at BGS – DavidBate.July 3 Field meeting: Ticknall – KeithAmbrose.July 21 Field meeting: Building stones inlocal churches – Albert Horton.August 10 Field meeting: Monsal Dale –Peter Gutteridge.www.emgs.org.ukEdinburgh Geological SocietyEmail: [email protected];Web:www.edinburghgeolsoc.orgEssex Rock and Mineral SocietyJune 11 Mars the Next Generation – PaulMoneyJune 23 Field visit to Harkstead, Suffolk-Bill George and Graham WardJuly 9 The Geology of Prisoner of WarEscape tunnels – Prof. Peter Doyle.August 13 Open evening. Bring items ofgeological interest along to discussSeptember 10 The Magic of Diamonds –David Vroobel.Contact Ros [email protected], 01245441201 or see www.erms.orgFarnham Geological Society (LG)June 14 Geology Underlying the Londonbasin – John Cosgrove.July 7 Field meeting: Forest of Dean –Graham Williams.September 1-7 Field meeting: Portugal –Lesley Dunlop.July 12 Members evening.Field Trip Contact – Dr Graham Williamstel: 01483 573802Email [email protected] – Judith Wilson:[email protected]

Friends of the Sedgwick Museum,CambridgeContact: Dr Peter Friend 01223 333400. Geological Society of GlasgowContact Dr Iain Allisonemail: [email protected] Society of NorfolkContact Email: Dr David Waterhouse [email protected] www.norfolkgeology.co.ukHampshire Gem Fossil and MineralSocietyContact Pat Maxwell 02380 891890email: [email protected] Gem, Fossil & MineralSociety (Affiliated Society of the GA)Mr Roger BrownEmail: [email protected] & Hillingdon Geological Society(LG)Jun 12 Tectonic archaeology in Japan –Prof. Gina BarnesJuly 10 Mountains in the Sea – Prof. TonyWatts.August 14 Members evening.September 11 Mineral Fluorescence – DrMichael Doel.Email: [email protected] trip information Allan Wheeler01344 455451www.hhgs.org.uk Hastings and District Geological SocietyContact email: [email protected] http://hastingsgeology.btck.co.uk/Hertfordshire Geological Society (LG)June 13 Ups and downs in the Palaeozoic :Devonian Sea Level change in SouthAmerica – Dr Ian Troth.June/July (tbc) Field meeting: to theJurassic of Oxfordshire.July 11 New ventures Exploration in underexplored regions – Dr Andy Racey.August 10 Summer Avenue.September 12 The structure underlyingthe London Basin – Prof. John Cosgrove.www.hertsgeolsoc.ology.org.ukContact Lesley Extonemail: [email protected] Geological Field Club June 12 Amber – John Cooper, Keeper ofNatural Sciences, Booth Museum.Unless otherwise stated, all the eveningmeetings are held at Forest CommunitySchool, Comptons Lane, Horsham, RH135NW. Contact Mrs Gill Woodhatch01403 250371www.hgfc.uwclub.net/Index.html Hull Geological Society125th Anniversary CelebrationJune 1 Meeting at the University of HullDepartment of Geography. Morning – short talks by members,

posters and displays.Afternoon – lectures about the history ofthe Society and local geology. Tea break – refreshments by members ofthe Society and displays in the Map Room.Evening – Society Dinner in Staff House –price £ 22-50 each. Bar opens at 6 pm;meal is at 7 pm. Talks at the meetinginclude - Dr Derek Gobbett - “Theperiglacial origin of the Wolds landscape”,Mike Horne - “The Stratigraphy of theYorkshire Chalk”, Prof Patrick Boylan -the HGS and the Quaternary, Dr RodgerConnell - new boreholes at Bridlington,Prof Pete Rawson - “Speeton: 50 yearsand still learning”.This event will be followed by special fieldmeetings June 9 Speeton - Jack Doyle, June 15 Kelsey Hill - Stephen WhittakerJune 18 East Riding Boulder Committee atMappleton (evening)June 22 Flamborough - Mike Horne. For Further Details please contact MikeHorne, 28 Salisbury Street, Hull, HU53HA, tel 01482 346784, or [email protected] Jurassic CoastDetails are available on the web site atwww. Jurassiccoast.com. Kent Geologists’ Group of the Geologists’Association (LG)Contact Indoor SecretaryMrs Ann Barrett tel: 01233 623126email: [email protected] information www.kgg.org.uk The Kirkaldy Society (Alumni of QueenMary College) (LG)October AGM and Alumni Day at QueenMary, date to be confirmedContact Mike Howgate 020 8882 2606or email [email protected] [email protected] Group of the Geologists’Association (LG)Contact Secretary Jennifer Rhodes01204 811203 Email:[email protected] Literary & PhilosophicalSociety (Geology)June 19 Evening field meeting: MeashamBrickworks – Albert Benghiat.July 13 Field meeting: Jurassic localitiesin Warwickshire – John Crossling.July 31 Field meeting: Blockley Quarry-Andrew Swift.August 10 Field meeting: Limestonelocalities in Derbyshire – PeterGutteridgeContact Joanne Norris 0116 283 3127email:[email protected]




Leeds Geological AssociationVisitors welcome; tea andbiscuitsDetails : Judith Dawson0113 2781060www.leedsga.org.ukLiverpool Geological SocietyContact: Joe Crossley 0151 426 1324 oremail [email protected]/Manchester Geological AssociationContact email: Sue Plumb 0161 427 5835email [email protected] All meetings in the Williamson Building,University of Manchesterwww.mangeolassoc.org.ukMid Wales Geology Clubwww.midwalesgeology.org.ukContact Bill Bagley 01686 412679Mid Week Geology Club in Yorkshirehttp://mwggyorkshire.webspace.virginmedia.com/;[email protected] Mole Valley Geological Society (LG)June 13 “On the trail of early humans inthe Pleistocene of the Wealden Region” -Dr Matthew Pope September 12 “Geology of the Isle ofWight” - Professor A Gale September 27-29 Field trip to the Isle ofWight. Leader: Professor A GaleFull details on:www.radix.demon.co.uk/mvgsSecretary: Chas [email protected] Newbury Geological Study GroupField Meetings season runs from Octoberto July. Normally meets on the thirdSunday of the month.Details or Mike & Helen Weideli01635 42190. www.ngsg.org.ukNorfolk Mineral & Lapidary SocietyMeetings at St Georges Church Hall,Churchfield Green, Norwich. 19.30hrsevery first Tuesday of the Month exceptAugust. Secretary: Colin LansdellContact: [email protected]://norfolkminandlapsoc.homestead.com/North Eastern Geological SocietyDetails: [email protected];Christine Burridgeemail: [email protected] North Staffordshire Group of theGeologists’ Association (LG)June 21-23 Pembrokeshire July 23 Field meeting: British GeologicalSurvey.September 8 Field meeting: BradgatePark, Charnwood Forest.Contact for details Eileen Fraser01260 271505 www.esci.keele.ac.uk/nsgga/

Open University Geological SocietyEvents - listed on http://ougs.org, orcontact [email protected] membership secretary is PhyllisTurkington and can be contacted by e-mailat [email protected] or by phone0289 081 7470Oxford Geology Group (LG)www.oxgg.org.uk or call ProgrammeSecretary 07901 672713Ravensbourne Geological Society (LG)July 9 The Lone Survivor – Chris Stringer.August 13 Chalk, Black Shales, ClimateChange and Sea level change – unravellingLate Cretaceous History – Ian Jarvis.September 10 Geology of Kent WildlifeTrust Reserves – Peter Golding.Contact Carole McCarthy Secretary: 0208127 6104 email: [email protected] Vernon Marks: 020 8460 2354Reading Geological SocietyJune 3 Permian and TriassicMineralisation in the rocks of South-West England – Dr Richard ScrivenerJuly 1 Evening geological walk.August 5 Evening geological walk.September 2 Fossils of SolnhofenLimestones – Dr Chris DuffinHilary Jensen, General Secretary – formore details and general information tel:0118 984 1600email: [email protected]/Contact David Ward - for field trips01344 483563Royal Geological Society of CornwallSeptember 19 Cliff failures at Hell’smouth and Cornish coastline – RichardHockingOctober 17 Memoirs of a globetrottingChina Clay geologist – Prof. Colin BristowNovember 21 The interplay betweenQuaternary volcanics and the Tertiaryfossils beds of South Yemen - Chris BeanContact email: [email protected] 860410The Russell SocietyEmail Frank [email protected] Geological Societywww.shropshiregeology.org.uk Sidcup Lapidary and Mineral SocietyNovember 23 SLMS Annual Fair, 10am -4pm at Emmanuel Church Hall,Hadlow Road, Sidcup DA14 4AAcontact: G. Bell 020 8300 4770Meets every Monday evening at SidcupArts Centre.www.sidcuplapminsoc.org.ukContact Nicola Claxton 01322 227 057 E-mail: [email protected]

Southampton Mineral and Fossil SocietyContact: Gary Morse, 01489 787300Email: [email protected] Website: www.sotonminfoss.org.uk Stamford and District GeologicalSocietyContact: Bill Learoyd on 01780 752915email: [email protected];[email protected] Valley Geological SocietyJune 8 GeoFest Day.July 6 Field meeting: Wren’s Nest.August 10 GeoFest Day.Email: John [email protected] www.geo-village.eyUssher SocietyContact Elaine [email protected] Geological ConservationGroup Contact Frank Wells 01926 512696 email:[email protected] www.wgcg.co.ukWest of England Group of theGeologists’ Association (LG)Contact Bobby Oliver [email protected] West Sussex Geological Society (LG)June 21 Mud, Mites and the Incan Empire;Quaternary palaeo-environments in theAndean Highlands – Dr Mick Fogley.June 25 North Lancing Church – DavidBone.June 30 11 Annual Downland Walk –Anthony Brook.August 17 Newhaven Beach – David Bone.Contact Betty Steel 01903 209140 Email: [email protected] ;www.wsgs.org.ukWestmorland Geological SocietyContact Brian Kettle email:[email protected] Woolhope Naturalists’ Field ClubJune 16 Ercall and the Wrekin,Shropshire - Andrew Jenkinson.July 21 Lickey Hills - Lickey Hills EarthHeritage Champions. August 20 Evening building Stones walkaround Ledbury - Dr Paul Olver.September 21 Geology and landscape onthe edge of the South Wales Coalfield -Dr Tom Sharpe.Contact Sue Hay on 01432 357138 orsvh.gabbros@btinternet .com;www.woolhopeclub.org.ukYorkshire Geological SocietyJune 8 Field meeting: Research on theBoston Spa Permian LimestonesContact Trevor Morse 01833 638893www.yorksgeolsoc.org.uk



ITALY: THE FIVE VOLCANOES 11th – 25th April 2012 (Part 2)

Mon 16th April: Acicastello – pillow

lavas and faults

An early morning thunderstorm didnot delay our journey to Acicastello.The rain had swept black Etna ash inswathes along the sides of the roads –like negative snow! Derek Rust wasintroduced to the group near thepicturesque Castle Rock andimmediately posed two key questions:

Of what is the Castle Rock made, andis it the same as the surroundingmaterial?

What is the nature of the steepcontact between the Castle Rock andthe surrounding rocks?

Close examination by the group ofthe marine platform around the CastleRock revealed pillow lavas with highlyvesiculated cores and glassy(tachylytic) rims set in an altered,yellow-brown clay (palagonite) whichwas formerly its hyaloclastic matrix.Within the marine platform, the groupidentified lava tubes passing through

the pillow lavas which showed radialcolumnar jointing.

It was suggested that the CastleRock was originally contiguous with thehorizontal pillow lavas, but at somepoint had been fractured into a hugeblock that had been rotated throughmore than 80 degrees, by the action ofthe underlying flow of lava. TheMediterranean is micro-tidal, but thesubaerial surface of the pillow lavas isseveral metres lower than the contactbetween the Roman erosion surfaceseen below the 252 AD lava flow in thecliff adjacent to the Castle Rock.

Closer inspection of the currenterosion surface at the base of the cliffrevealed a fault that had dropped theseaward land by approximately 2metres, which is now close to currentsea level.

Lunch was taken at Acitrezza whereIsola Lachea, one of several smallislets formed from a compositelaccolith resulting from a multiplemagma injection into Late Sicilian claysof Quaternary age, could clearly beseen from the promenade.

The east and south eastern edge ofthe Sicilian continental shelf is definedby the Malta Escarpment, strikingNNW-SSE and indicating the boundarywith the oceanic-affinity crust of theIonian Sea. It intercepts the Siciliancoast at the Santa Tedu escarpment.The active Timpe Fault system isassociated with the escarpment and isthe most active system on the easternflank of Etna. From Santa Tedu, a clearview of the eponymous scarp could beseen.

At San Leonardello, after a shortdistraction caused by a green lorrypiled high with yellow lemons against abriefly blue sky, Derek pointed outlarge-scale slickensides reflecting bothdip-slip and right oblique-slipmovements. The whole region is still

under stress by both N – Scompression and E – W extension.

The visit to Taormina was a relaxingend to an intellectually challenging yetvery enjoyable day. From the Romanamphitheatre, the dramatic view ofEtna’s dust plume was a fittingreminder that geology is a very activepart of Italian life.

Tue 17th April: Greek Temples and

“bikini” girls

A motorway coach trip through theunder-populated heartland of Sicilytook us eventually to Agrigento on thesouth coast and the famous Valley ofthe Temples. This is a misnomer as allnine Greek temples, built between thelate 6th Century and late 5th CenturyBC, are strung out on a prominentridge, made of orange-weathering,current bedded calcarenites with theTemple of Juno at its highest point. Itsmain rival is the Temple of Concord,structurally intact for 25 centuries, andone of the best preserved in theHellenic world. Its transformation in596 AD to a church saved it from stonerobbing and later anti-pagandestruction.

After a leisurely lunch at the coast,we moved back inland to the Roman

Villa Casale, close to Piazza Armerina,where 3500 sq. metres of exquisitemosaics rival all others in Italy. Thecentrepiece is a hunting scene withanimated hunters and exotic animalsbut it is the ten bikini-clad womenathletes adorning one of the nearbyrooms that generate all the publicity.

On the way back to Taormina, goodviews of Etna’s active summit craterswere seen from the south set against asnow-capped peak.

Wed 18th April: Ascent towards

Mount Etna

On a bright morning with a cruiseliner moored in the harbour we started

Impressive pillow lavas at Acicastello FO

Castle Rock, Acicastello showing steeply

inclined hyaloclastites FO

Lava of AD 272 in cliff, Acicastello FO.

Temple of Concord, Valley of the Temples,

Agigento FO



on our much-anticipated trip to MtEtna. This is an enormous shieldvolcano, 2280 m high, with its snow-covered summit in the clouds as weleft Taormina. It formed about 200,000BP on a limestone basement and isalkali basaltic. The earliest lavas wereandesitic formed from subducted crustbut later became basaltic suggestingthe underlying subducted crust is nowfractured and magma is rising directly

from the mantle. Formerly a largervolcano had occupied the site but wasdestroyed by catastrophic explosion.

The leader for the day was Dr. DerekRust. The first stop made on thewinding road was at an exposure ofone of the two types of basalt lava, theblocky aa, formed when the lava iscooling, more viscous and slowflowing. Autobrecciation occurs as thelava heaps up on itself. The blockswere quite large, loose andtreacherous underfoot and madecrossing difficult. There were levees,

where lava flows edges had cooled andhardened while the centre keptflowing, showing slickenslides wherethe lava passed through. Red layers ofterracotta colour revealed where a newflow had over lain an older creating abaked margin. There was somemassive columnar jointing and theouter top layers were scoracious wherefast cooling had occurred. There wereseveral pressure ridges as hotter lava

had caught up with slower coolerlayers pushing them ahead and therewas a lava ‘waterfall’ frozen in time.This was part of the 2001 flow and wasstill virtually uncolonised with only twolichen and one moss species found.

From there we carried on passing adwelling overcome by lava with justthe roof and part of the upper storeyshowing. It gave us pause for thought.There were also isolated stands ofwoodland on small knolls where thelava had parted, flowing round eachside. Once above the snow line we sawfine layers of brown ash deposit fromthe current activity and the scenerywas spectacular. At the RefugioSapienza, the start of the cable carroute to the summit, we stoppedagain. From there we walked to Mt.Silvestri, a cinder cone. Mt. Silvestri isone of a group of nested cones, fourlarge and two smaller on one of themany radial fissures on Mt Etna’sflanks. Of the four large cones only thisone produced lava as well as scoria.Ejections were gaseous with smallexplosions and lava bombs, some of

which were sizeable. Dr. Olvercommented that our hard hats wouldnot be much help against those but atleast he would know if it was one of hisgroup underneath. Someone elsecommented that this was gravehumour.

Although sunny there was a bitterwind, which tipped off hard hats andgave us all a buffeting. We found theremains of fumaroles with red stainingfrom oxides and chlorides of irondeposits and some hardy souls slippedand slithered down the loose surface tothe bottom of the crater where theylooked for accidental pyroclasts suchas fragments from the limestonebasement.

After lunch we received unwantednews that due to a very heavyovernight snowfall the cable car wouldnot be running. We could not go to thesummit. This was disappointing as thesouth-east summit crater is currentlyactive. Regretfully we left.

In the grey mist of the cloud line westopped at another lava flow. This waspahoehoe or ropey lava. Hot, fastflowing, low viscosity lava from whichthe gas escapes immediately andforms strange formations with strangerbut descriptive names. Flow directionindicators, entrails, ropes, buddingtoes, pressure ridges that looked likethe rib cage of a huge, grotesquemonster. Lava tubes and amidst it allscorched, abandoned dwellings. It wasa strange place to be!

It seemed that this was a lava flowfrom a parasitic cone on the mountainflank and all the more dangerous as itwas low enough to threaten villages onthe coastal plain before it cooled andcame to a halt.

From there still descending we cameto the village of Zafferana where thefirst successful attempt to stop a lavaflow was made in 1992. Bombing theflow and putting in dams took outsufficient energy both to divert andretard the lava. It stopped a fewmetres behind a house on the villageoutskirts.

We ended the day near Milo studyingthe effects of the Pernicana Fault in theValle del Bove. This is part of theextensive flank fault system under MtEtna. It is crossed by a road, which

dropped 47 cm during a recentearthquake. Now repaired, it showstwo to three degrees of rotation in theroad side wall which is now out ofalignment. Right stepping en echelonshearing is clearly visible in thetarmac. Movement on the fault isabout 2 cm per annum. Dr. Rustdemonstrated Riedel shears bydrawing a circle over some of theshears developing into an ellipse asstrain increased.

Thu 19th April: The island of Lipari

We wound our way up from the hotelin Giardini Naxos to the motorwaywhich took us through the

The group at Monte Silvestri, Etna DS

Large volcanic bomb on scoria crater rim,

Etna DS

Group ascent from quick exploration of lava

tunnel, Etna DS

Shear effects on central white line due to

Pernicana Fault, Etna DS



metamorphic Pelitorani mountains tothe port of Milazzo. Here, the groupboarded a hydrofoil for a rapid tripacross to the Aeolian Islands, avolcanic arc set within the southernTyrrhenian Sea.

To the west, the prison island ofFilicudi and the small Alicudi couldclearly be seen before we swept pastthe dark, steep, gloomy slopes of theseaward side of the active volcano ofLa Fossa on Vulcano. The fumarolesseemed particularly active on thecrater rim that morning.

The internal structure of Vulcanelloto the north was also clearly visible asthe sea cut into its easternmost flank.Southern Lipari, with its high cliffs androunded hilltops of its multiple rhyoliticdomes, then swing into view before welanded at the new harbour in Liparitown.

After settling in at the hotel close tothe harbour, a small coach took us ona circular tour of the most highlypopulated island within the group.After passing through the tunnel toCanneto, we could see the youngestvolcano, Monte Pelato, dominating thenorth-east of the island. Major

explosive eruptions from this crater,over 1 km in diameter, produced theUpper Pumice Series, well seen in theformer quarries north of Canneto.Here, steep cliffs of virgin pumice riseup over the former quays from which itwas exported. The slightest windgenerates billowing clouds of fineabrasive pumice and a quick run forsome shelter!

An even younger pyroclastic falldeposit, dated at 1400 years BP,

erupted from the samevents. After the explosivephase, the degassedmagma erupted as a slowmoving obsidian flow, theColata delle Roche Rosse,famous as the LipariObsidian and traded rightacross the Mediterranean.The party all managedcarefully to pick upspecimens within itstwisted flow-banded andflow-folded crags.

The coach continued itstour clinging to thenorthern cliffs withexcellent views of theneighbouring island of Salina, made upof basaltic lavas and tuffs, anddisplaying its fertile, verdant slopes - amarked contrast to the barren, cactus-covered, northern slopes of MontePelato.

Eventually, the coach reached thebest viewing point on the island,Belvedere, situated on a ridge aboveLipari Town, where good views to thesouth and the island of Vulcano arenormally to be had. However, theweather had markedly deteriorated bythis stage and visibility was not good.A quick retreat to the hotel and dinnerwas made.

Fri 20th April: Vulcano – mother of

all volcanoes

Hydrofoil ferry services can be proneto cancellation (our experience) due toweather and sea conditions. However,this morning was sunny and calm andthe crossing from Lipari to Vulcano wascompleted in under fifteen minutes.

The La Fossa Volcano is situatedwithin a caldera represented by lowhills which were once extrusions ofbedded tuffs, breccias, obsidian andrhyolite lavas. Near the small harbourstands a 65 m high rock, a remnant ofthe phase 1 eruption of 6000 years agoand much altered by fumarolic activity.

The footpath to the crater rim is just 1kilometre long, but steep and thegoing slow. Half way up weencountered an expanse of redpyroclastic surge deposit from the1749/50 eruption. Much of this isoverlain with ash deposits from theexplosive 1890 eruption.

Fumarolic activity on the NE rim isvigorous and much increased from 4years ago. Fortunately the strong windwas blowing away from the volcanoallowing a close approach to thefumaroles. Whilst we were theremeasurements of temperature (around150 degrees) and gas emissions werebeing taken by a member of theVulcano monitoring team wearing agas mask. Some auto-monitoringinstruments are located inside thecrater close to the fumaroles.

After a group photograph was takenhalf the party proceeded to the highestpoint of the rim, taking the longerroute upwind of the fumaroles whilethe remainder examined sulphurdeposits and the crater floor from halfway down the crater side where morefumaroles were active.

The group heading for the summitfelt the wind strengthening and whilstall the neighbouring islands could beseen their visibility was poor. Thedistinct layers of the most recent 1890eruption were very clear, the orangesurge deposit being particularlystriking. As we approached the summitthe main crater with its fumaroles setagainst the sea with outlines of otherislands was most attractive althoughby now the wind was starting toimpede progress.

Back at the foot of the volcano wehad hoped to see the obsidian flowfront but it is now obstructed by a newbuilding. There has in fact been a greatdeal of development over the last 40years directly under the weak spot inthe rim where the fumaroles arelocated. An eruption is apparently

Group Photograph on the rim of La Fossa FR

Party members venture at the active

fumaroles of La Fossa, Vulcano DS

Flow banding in Lipari obsidian flow,

Quattropani FO



overdue by some 20-30 years andpresents a dangerous threat to thelocal community and the region as awhole.

Adjacent to the La Fosse Volcano is amuch smaller volcano formed in 183BC and named child of Vulcan,Vulcanello, by the Romans. It is nowconnected by an isthmus to Vulcanoformed by an ash cloud deposit from amid-16th century eruption. Access tothis crater is an easy walk but the finalapproach is over private land and afterthe necessary permissions wereobtained we went up to the crater rim.Vegetation severely restricts the viewinto the crater, however the tunnels ofthe former alum miners are quitedistinct, as are the strata of ash,pyroclastics, brown lava and faultsmarking the most recent breakout oflava through the rim.

Deteriorating weather was forecastand as we waited for our return ferrywe learned that sea conditions wereset to curtail sailings. Our hydrofoilwas rerouted and delayed and to ourdismay the large vehicle ferry made aclose approach but declined to land, ithooted three times before leaving theexpectant trucks and cars stranded onthe beach. We were relieved to see ourhydrofoil eventually approaching.However, instead of a short 15 minutecrossing direct to Lipari, it sped alongin the shelter of Lipari beforeencountering rougher waters and slowprogress as it approached Salinabefore retracing its route to arrive inLipari over an hour later.

Sat 21 April: Gruppo Olver visit

Stromboli

Gruppo Olver walked through thenarrow streets of Lipari town to the OldHarbour where they embarked upon afast launch journey to Panarea withfine views, through the spray, of thelarge pumice quarries of northernLipari and the twin camel-shaped

volcanic cones of neighbouring Salina.Panarea consists of acidic volcaniccentres and domes dating from 13 000ka constructed on the western marginof a much larger and submergedcaldera which exploded close to 65 000ka. The submerged margin of thisolder caldera is formed of picturesquerocks circling the harbour at San Pietroand was viewed from the harbour cafeduring a coffee break. Next Gruppo

Olver proceeded in single file throughthe sunlit narrow streets flanked byboutiques in the harbour area and bythe well-maintained houses and villasof the wealthy, but not currentlyresident, owners. Fresh water is aproblem on Panarea and a ship makesregular deliveries of water during thehigh season when the island populationrises to 2 500 people. Out of theinhabited area the volcanic centre ofPonte Corvo loomed above a desertedsandy beach where a path cut througha huge debris flow consisting ofangular blocks of andesite set in abrown clay derived from devitrifiedglass shards and capped by anandesite lava flow. The group climbedover this debris and lava flow to viewthe Punta Milazzese headland boundedby steep cliffs of lava riddled withsinuous lava tubes and coolingcolumns. The bases of numerousBronze Age hut circles were clusteredon the peak of this sickle-shapedheadland which formed a naturalposition defended by cliffs and with asingle entrance. This was theMilazzese village which was occupiedduring the XV – XII centuries BC. Longstemmed Mycenean-style pottery hasbeen found at this site, now in theMuseo Aeolie at Lipari. The group atetheir packed lunches seated on thestones of the ruined houses with a fineview to the north of Stromboli’s cloud-shrouded cone before returning to theharbour.

A fast journey in the launch throughchoppy seas deposited Gruppo Olver inthe late afternoon on Stromboli whichrises to a total height of 2400 m abovethe sea floor, but with only the top 924m protruding above the sea. A shortwalk took us to the headquarters of‘Magmatrek’ Stromboli guides.Magmaman Mario gave an ultra-cautionary presentation on the hazardsof climbing Stromboli and descendingfrom the crater area in darkness, andhanded out indemnity forms. Onlythree members of the group includingDr Derek Rust volunteered for theascent to the craters. They signed theirforms, were issued with climbinghelmets, hired torches and weredespatched vertically up the mountain(average slope 33 degrees) with a

Magmaman guide. About a third of thegroup elected to stay in the village andport area, where they examined thetsunami early-warning system ofklaxons and signed escape routes,installed after the 2002 tsunami. Thebulk of the party led by Dr Paul Olver,opted for the 400 m soft-climb toabove the tree line, and after hiringtorches, were led off by Mario alongthe coast path across the scoria andlavas of the ‘intermediate (calc-alkaline) complex’ as exposed in thebeach area, towards the L’Osservatorio

bar-pizzeria at the north of the island.

A winding path in the lava flows andscoria of the ‘young shoshonitic(alkaline) volcanics’ led upwardsthrough bamboo-infested terraces ofthe former vineyards which had notbeen replanted after a phylloxia

infestation killed the vines. Ominousdeep rumbles from the interior of thevolcano punctuated the climb up thepath. The party consolidated at anobservation site constructed on lavasabove the tree-line from which thedistant volcanic islands of Filicudi andAlicudi could be seen to emerge everyso often from their cloud caps. Thenorth-western side of Stromboli isformed by the steeply dipping giantflank collapse structure of the Sciara

del Fuoco, or ‘Stairway of Fire’, whichchannels all the current volcanicavalanches and lava flows towards thesea. These debris-avalanche and lavadeposits all derived out of the currentlyactive north-western crater ofStromboli. The massive (originally hot)debris avalanche deposit of 2002 formsan ominous steep black unvegetatedscree slope of scoria and lava blocksand the sudden entry into the sea ofthis huge hot smoking avalanchegenerated the tsunami which affectedthe north-east coast of Stromboli. Thenorth-eastern margin of the Sciara del

Fuoco was seen to be formed ofTsunami warning sign at Stromboli DS

Fire fountaining at Stromboli –

painting done in the field DS



intertwined lava flows of a previouseruption. Looking upwards towards thesummit crater intermittently activefumaroles were spotted as the cloudbegan to lift.

A swift descent to the L’Osservatorio

reunited the party who viewed fromthe patio area the cloud-free profile ofStromboli in which white smoke couldbe seen billowing from the crater areaassociated with distant rumbles. As thetwilight merged into darkness theparty were treated to a fireworksdisplay of dramatic short-lived, redspouts or fountains of incandescentash and lava, some rising to 100 m ormore above the crater rim, andaccompanied by white and blacksmoke, explosions and detonations,made more dramatic as the sun setand darkness fell. This dramaticvolcanic activity is caused by thedepressurisation of the bubbles ofmolten rock which steadily move upthe volcanic conduits to explode whenthey reach the surface, shattering themolten rock into mini-fragments,which cause the impressive display.The party next proceeded back to theharbour, a 40 minute walk lit bytorches, of which the final stretchthrough the village was spent pinnedagainst walls dodging numerous three-wheel ‘Ape’ vehicles. The torch lights ofthe summit party could be seenmoving rapidly down the side of thevolcano, but the intrepid trio, who hadbeen treated to a close-up view of thelava and ash fountains, travelled backto Lipari on a separate launch. The seajourney was swift on a relatively calmsea and the Gruppo was reunited in aLipari harbour restaurant for a plate ofpasta before returning to their beds inthe hotel around midnight.

Sun 22nd April: Back to Naples

A jostling crowd greeted us all at thenew harbour in Lipari Town as, ladenwith luggage and the odd rock

specimen, Gruppo Olver attempted toboard the hydrofoil to Milazzo. Thishaving been achieved we relaxed andenjoyed a last look at Vulcano, ourintermediate port of call, before wereached the Sicilian coast. Here acoach swept us towards Palermo, thecapital of Sicily, and a date with ourship bound overnight for Naples.

Several parties of schoolchildrenwere amongst the groups booked onthat evening, but there were orderlyqueues which made the exercise a littleless hazardous. After a pleasant dinnerand an unsuccessful attempt to viewStromboli as we passed through theTyrrhenian Sea, we retired to ourcabins. Vesuvius, our last majorvolcano, awaited us the next morning.

Mon 23rd April: Vesuvius at last!

After a rapid breakfast, wedisembarked for our second attempt atscaling Mount Vesuvius. Weather wasbetter and we were spared thecontinuous rain but low cloud washovering close to the mountain and

around Monte Somma in thebackground.

Taking the road up from Torre delGreco, across the 1794, 1858 and1895 flows, all of which showedexcellent pahoehoe structures, weeventually reached the raw,unvegetated 1944 flow in the Atrio delCavallo before a short ascent up to themain car park. Here we met the millingcrowds all hoping to ascend Vesuvius.Our guide, Giuliana Alessio, from theOsservatorio del Vesuvio, immediatelystarted negotiating with the picket lineand managed to persuade them to letour party through after payment of theappropriate dues. The weather wasimproving at this stage and the craterrim was clear of cloud.

Porphyritic tephrites, anundersaturated basalt, arecharacteristic of the recent highlyvesicular lavas. The pyroclastic falldeposits of the 1944 eruption are the

best source for euhedral dark brownaugites and smaller glassy fragmentsof green olivine. Prior to 1944, thecrater had been filled to the brim withlavas and pyroclastics from previouseruptions. All this infilling wasdramatically expelled in 1944 to revealthe deep, shear-sided crater seentoday. An offshoot of the picket linewas camped out inside the crater itselfon a precarious ledge still active withseveral fumaroles. Negotiations withthe striking guides was obviously stillat a delicate stage.

The party moved on, lookingcarefully for evidence of Triassiclimestone xenoliths ripped up from 12km below Vesuvius, and now contactmetamorphosed. The characteristicgreen vesuvianite, now called idocrase,is typical of these fragments. Giulianacarefully explained the features of thecrater and its recent history beforeleading the party off the mountain byanother route. This was byarrangement, so that we did not haveto cross the picket line twice. Now thelow cloud which had been threateningall morning descended and a ratherdamp and misty end to our visitensued.

Our afternoon motorway trip took uspast the high promontory ofMontecassino guarding the route toRome as it did so famously in WWII.The Appian Way then provided us withthe ideal entry route into the city.

Tue 24th April: A free day in Rome

From our hotel in Via Cavour, partymembers could easily reach the RomanForum, the Colosseum and of coursethe Vatican City across the River Tiber.Some ventured further to Ostia,Rome’s ancient seaport, or to Villad’Este (Tivoli Gardens) and Hadrian’sVilla to the east of the city.

Wed 25th April: The end of an Italian

odyssey

We flew back to Gatwick after anextra half day in Rome and time to seea few more of the capital’s sights.Despite foul weather, strikes, cancelledsailings and closed funiculars, we hadvisited all five major volcanoes and hadobserved two in eruption.

(PO) Paul Olver

(DR) Derek Rust

(NE) Nikki Edwards

(FO) Frank Ogilvy

(DS) Daniel Stedman

(JW) Joy Winyard

(JW) John Winyard

(AW) Allan Wood

(FR) Frank Rozelaar

(NC) Nuala Crow

(MC) Michael Crow

Initials of photographer in italicsA dyke in La Somma’s crater wall FO

Main crater at Vesuvius DS



The saga of kite surfers versus fossils collectors at Bracklesham, WestSussex, draws to a close. My final comments a year ago (GA Magazine No.2, 2012) recorded that Chichester District Council were going to impose akite surfing zone, effectively restricting access to an area of the foreshoreused for fossil collecting. However, all was not lost. The local ResidentsAssociation mounted a legal challenge against the Council in March 2012,resulting in a rapid withdrawal of the Council’s decision. Since then, theproposal by Natural England and the GA for a mutually agreed Code ofConduct has been in development and will be published by the time thisarticle is in press. It will be available as leaflets and via the Council’s web

Draft front cover of Code of Conduct leaflet

© Chichester District Council

Obituary -

Bryan Alistair Cozens 1932 - 2013

Code of Conduct for Bracklesham

site at www.chichester.gov.uk/foreshore.The GA will also provide a link on its website.

The Code of Conduct has 4 sections –General Foreshore, Kitesurfing, Horseriders,and Fossil Collectors with a list of Do andDon’t activities in each section. The Generalpoints are common sense. Fossil collectorsonly have a few Do items listed, relatingmainly to group events and reflecting thelow risk nature of fossil collecting at thislocation.

These are:

• remind parties of the need for care andconsideration and be supported byadequate assistance

• complete a risk assessment for organisedgroups taking into account all the otherbeach activities

• have public liability insurance fororganised groups

• check tide times as fossil collecting isgenerally best within 2 hours either sideof low tide.

So, a sensible conclusion to an often heatedexchange. The focus is now correctly onencouraging mutual awareness of otheractivities on this family-friendly beachwithout restricting access. I am verygrateful for the support provided by the GA,Natural England and many individuals who Irepresented in achieving this outcome.

David Bone

Chichester

John Crocker writes......

Bryan died suddenly at the end of February2013. After a distinguished career in BritishTelecoms, on retirement, Bryan opted to devotehis considerable energy to the benefit of others.He was actively involved with his local church,and with the local hospice (he organised all thetransport and also participated in the week-longextended sponsored walks) and the local groupof the GA – Harrow and Hillingdon GeologicalSociety (HHGS). Here he organised field trips,many of them overseas to such places as Alsace,he became secretary for many years and finallybecame Chairman for several years. His friendly, welcoming personality was ideal forsuch aposition.

He was also elected onto the GA Council from 1992 to 1996 where he extensivelyredesigned the membership leaflert and was responsible for a very successfulrecruitment campaign. His interest in geology was shared with his wife Jean, who was afounder member of HHGS, a society which developed out a WEA class run by BobSymes, an ex President of the GA. Bryan and Jean were regular attenders at the FridayLectures. Bryan was always cheerful, friendly, energetic – he skied well into his 70s –,always willing to lend a hand. He will be sadly missed

Dick Moody

writes……

I first met Bryan when Igave a talk to his belovedHarrow and HillingdonGeology Society which wasone of the ‘star’ localgroups and many memberscame along to BurlingtonHouse for GA meetings.Bryan was always thereand I enjoyed speaking tohim and his dear wife Jean.Over the years Bryan andJean came on several ofmy trips for the GA but dueto illness Jean was not onmy last but one trip acrossthe Libyan Sahara. Bryanand Bob Maurer also ofHarrow and Hillingdon weresuperb ‘desert rats’ andBryan turned out to be afine photographer. Hiscontribution to localgeology and the GA isconsiderable and I will misshim very much.

Photo

St. L

uke’s

Hospic

e



Our First PresidentScan the early years of the Association,

and the name Joshua Toulmin Smith standsout. In fact he was our first President,bringing to that office many qualities whichwe might accept as appropriate to that role.For example, he was invited to stand andyou get the feeling that, like G BGreenough and the Geological Society, hewas appointed to the position of President inhis absence and he may have been‘persuaded’ without his fullest agreement.As the Dictionary of National Biographyrecords:

“beyond delivering his inaugural address(11th Jan 1859) he took little active partin its ( the GAs )proceedings”However, that address, is a prime example of the founding

principles which we value about our Association. Entitled “TheFinding of True Facts “ it commends the active search which mostgeologists would put into research into new ground or in thedescription of fossils. In this, he was reflecting the groundingwhich he had in Greek science, contrasting speculation withfactual interpretation. This is the approach that he himself hadadopted in the study of Chalk sponges, which culminated in amonograph on the Ventriculidae published in Annals & Magazine

(1848) accomplished with the use of thin sections.He had been called to the Bar in 1849 and such was the

diversity of his interests that he engaged in the defence ofKossuth during the Hungarian revolution (1849) and in local self-government in Highgate, where he lived, (an almost present dayprotest against central government ).

Declining invitations to stand for parliament, he undertook topublish a weekly record of parliamentary proceedings, a kind of‘One-man-Hansard’, with comments, intended to clarify thetechnical language of Westminster for the general public. HisParliamentary Remembrancer ran from 1857 to 1865, when theburden of work took its toll on his health but without actuallystemming his range of activities. 1867 saw the publication of afourth edition of his main legal work - The Law of Nuiscances.

What influence the last work may have had upon theAssociation, The Finding of True Facts shines through manyearly papers when the Association fulfilled an early ambition andbegan to publish lectures as bound Proceedings, indeed, it maybe regarded as a readable and practical statement of thepurposes of the Association opening up the geological sciencesfor the interested amateur.

Ever the practical man, his address included sound advicefor the beginner setting out to collect in the field:

“It may not , therefore, be out of place if, besidesoffering a warning against failing down in worship beforethe barbarisms of modern so-called science, I make a few

remarks as to the material methods thatmay be best adopted in the collection ofspecimens. I shall speak of nothingwhich I have not myself found, as acollector in the field to be the mostuseful.

The hammers which I have found thebest in use are those manufactured byMessrs Knight of Foster Lane, in the Cityof London. There is one of these inparticular, which I take to be the mosthandy and useful hammer yet devised.Messrs Knight know it, I believe, asPercival Johnson’s hammer. It combinesin one convenient shape, the pick, thehatchet, and the hammer. For the Chalkthis hammer is invaluable, of course, inworking harder and more massive beds,

the simple hammer and chisel must be usedIn packing fossils, a mistake is often made, which has

spoiled many a good specimen. I allude to the use ofcotton wool. There cannot be a greater mistake. If youcannot get both sides, still avoid cotton-wool as youwould the plague. It sticks to the damp fossil, and cannever be entirely removed..In all other cases take a pieceof paper - Hugh Miller used to say that there was nothinglike a Conservative Newspaper to wrap fossils in.”There follows a further three pages of advice, including

warnings about dealers and workmen: who might pass offspecimens which are ‘improved’ .

All of this advice is as valid today as it was in 1859. Itremains a mystery why Toulmin Smith failed to continuewith the Association when it got up and running, more orless on the lines intended, with that service for the beginnernot offered by the professional Society from which theywere excluded. However, his end, was dramatic. Hedrowned when swimming in the sea off Lancing in Sussexand is buried in Hornsey Old Church, North London. He liesbeneath a fiat limestone slab close to the south wall of thechurchyard on Temple Road, with an inscription which Icould only read by adopting brass rubbing techniques.

The Friends of Hornsey Old Church are well aware ofToulmin Smith as one of their local worthies - so much sothat they consider transferring his gravestone (at least) to amore prominent position within the ruin of the church andclose to the tower. They promise to keep the Associationinformed if their plans progress. Perhaps we might considera reprint of that inaugural address?

Eric Robinson

In the March edition of the GA Magazine Ellis’s name was

inadvertently deleted from his obituary. Instead of Frederick Owen in

the title and in the first sentence they should have read Ellis Frederick

Owen. We wish to apologise profusely to Ellis’s friends and family for

the error.

Ellis Frederick Owen

Obituary - Correction



GA Excursion to Vienna: 27-31 October, 2012The latest in the popular biennial

programme of GA geology museumcity excursions was toNaturhistorisches Wien last year.Expertly organised by David andAnne Bone and Alan Lord, it includeda guided tour of the museum’ssplendid geology galleries and‘behind the scenes’ and a full day’sfield excursion, both to be describedin a future GA Magazine. Two guidedcity walks, also part of the packedprogramme are described here. 22members attended the excursion,staying at the Hotel Alpha; as usualon these trips, members dined enfamille at local restaurants in theevenings, making such tripsimportant social occasions as well aseducational.

Sunday October 28th

Guided city walks have become aregular feature of the GA’s ‘behindthe scenes’ museum field excursions.So, although an ‘optional extra’,many of the group members met upwith historian Dr. BrigitteTimmermann, a pioneer of guidedwalks in Vienna and with 25 yearsexperience in the tourism sector anda special interest in the GrahamGreene novel, “The Third Man” (healso wrote the screen-play for thefilm). It is the small print of thecity’s history that fascinates her, thestories behind the story that bringsthe city to life. And certainly herenthusiasm was infectious.

Our first stop, just around thecorner from our hotel, was theRathaus (City Hall), an impressiveneo-Gothic masterpiece by Friederichvon Schmidt, completed in 1883 andwith a spire reaching 102m inheight. By contrast, although alsocompleted in 1883, the adjacentParliament building by Theophil vonHansen is very much neo-classical,with a splendid Athena fountaindominating the front. We thenmoved on towards the city centre,via the Temple of Theseus in theVolksgarten to admire the LapisLazuli fountain by sculptor HansMuhri in Bruno-Kreiskygasse. Said tobe the largest lapis lazuli monolithever mined, from the Chilean Andes,with a gross weight of 18.3 tons, itwas first displayed at the World’s Fairin 1998. It was then a short step tothe Gothic Minoritenkirche, started in1276 and completed in 1350. Insidewe saw displayed a magnificent life-size mosaic copy, commissioned byNapoleon in 1809, of Leonardo daVinci’s ‘The Last Supper’; it is said toweigh 22 tonnes!

A short-cut through the shoppingarcade of Palais Ferstel, with itsSalzburg marble, elaborate fountainand staircase took us to Bank Austria

Kunstforum and a view of the ‘housewithout eyebrows’, the controversialArt Deco building designed by AdolfLoos. Here we were enlightenedabout the Roman layout of the cityand the importance of river terracesin the city’s development. It is easyto forget that Roman London andVienna were the same size. Welearned that many of the imposingbuildings have deep cellar systems,cut out of the river gravels.Accordingly, we walked along the topof the once-Roman wall, now NaglerStrasse, and dived into the EsterházyKeller. This wine tavern, serving winesince 1683 and once the cellar forthe influential Esterházy family, liesdeep down by the side of the Romanwall, the top-most of three cellars;the lower two are now infilled withconcrete to stabilise the building,especially needed as theunderground system runs close by.Joseph Haydn, who worked for theEsterházy’s for some 30 years, oftenfrequented this tavern. Needless tosay, the group returned the followingevening to sample the very best ofViennese food and drink in this‘traditional’ hostelry!

Finally, we entered the Graben,the heart of the city, once theRoman city moat, but filled in byLeopold V in 1192 to build adefensive city wall, financed by theransom of Richard the Lionheart.Now it is an elegant, broad,pedestrianised piazza of upmarketshops punctuated with cafésdisplaying to-die-for cakes. Westopped to admire the magnificentPestäule (Plague Column), a Baroquememorial to the disastrous plague of1679 erected by Emperor Leopold I,and one of the most prominentpieces of sculpture in the city. Ourlast stop was in front of St.Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna’s Gothicmasterpiece. Badly damaged by afire in 1945, the roof, comprisingsome 26,000 coloured tiles, wasrebuilt by public subscription.

At this point, Brigitte took herleave, having been heartily thankedby all for her most educational andinformative tour – an extremelyentertaining two hours. Some ninegroup members, continuing theireducation, rushed the few metres upKärntner Strasse to Café Sacher tosample the original Sacher Torte,said to be a favourite of EmperorFranz Josef. It was in the ‘Red Room’of The Hotel Sacher (featured in thefilm), of which the Café is a part,that Graham Greene gleaned hisCold War information prior to writing“The Third Man”. The room is now aplush restaurant, but still with redwall coverings.

Fig. 1. Local guide Brigitte Timmerman briefing

group outside the Parliament building, by the

Athena fountain.

Fig. 2. Muhri’s lapis lazuli fountain.

Fig. 3. The magnificent Pestäule in the

Graben.

Fig. 4. St. Stephen’s Cathedral across

Stephansplatz – note the patterned tiles on the roof.



Monday October 29th, afternoon

In the afternoon we were fortunateto have the inspiring Dr HerbertSummesberger as our leader and guidefor his ‘steinwanderwege’, a buildingstone geo-walk taking us from themuseum to St Stephan’s Cathedral.Herbert Summesberger gained hisUniversity of Vienna PhD researchingthe structural geology, stratigraphy andpalaeontology in the NorthernCalcareous Alps. He has organizedseveral international symposia and hasbeen the leader of the Working Groupon Geosciences, Education and PublicRelations of the Austrian GeologicalSociety. Retired since 2004, he is now amember of the Board of the Friends ofthe Museum of Natural History, andorganizes exhibitions and seminars. Hehas also written a Vienna city guide forbuilding and decorative stones, and wasawarded the Union Service Award in2011.

Our group met for an introduction toDr. Summesberger in the museumentrance hall, where we were shownthe black and white marble (genuine)floor contrasting it with the marble(man-made) pilasters, which wereremarkably life-like and made to a now-lost formula. We were ushered outsidefor a briefing, by a bronze elephantcreated by sculptor Gottfried Kumpf.The neo-Renaissance museum,completed in 1898, was opened byEmperor Franz Joseph I. The frontage isof calcareous Eggenburg Sandstone,shallow Neogene (Lower Miocene,c.20Ma) marine molasse from the areaaround Eggenburg, north-west ofVienna. So much of this stone has beenused in palaces and government,municipal and other buildings thatsupply is now exhausted. Somemembers of the Eggenburg Group yieldan extremely rich mollusc fauna.

From there we walked to the KarlRenner Ring subway, the entrance towhich was clad in Polish granodiorite,and on to the Neue Hofburg, part of thecomplex, now museums, accreted instages since the 13th Century andhome to the Habsburgs for some 600years. The façade is of UpperCretaceous Marzana Limestone, fromPula, on the Istrian Peninsula, an areanoted for its amazing Karst scenery. Thebasement stone, however, is fromAlmás, in Hungary. We made our wayaround to the rear of the Neue Burg toexamine a terrace of creamy finegrained ‘Fior di Mare’, a shallow marineCretaceous limestone from Aurisina,near Trieste. Quarried since Romantimes, this Radiolites/Hippurites-richrudist limestone forms “the largest reefin Vienna”! Dr. Summesberger pointedout differences in weathering along theterrace, attributed to snow-clearing andsalting of pathways across it during thewinter months.

We retraced our steps to theHeldenplatz, where there are equestrianstatues of Prince Eugene of Savoy and

Archduke Karl. The plinths were ofcreamy Untersberg Marble, abioturbated Turonian-Senonianconglomerate containing JurassicPlassen limestone pebbles, often boredby Lithophaga bivalves, oysters andHippuritid rudists. The rudists thrived inthe shallow, littoral waters of theTethyan Gosau Sea, often forming greatreef structures. The stone has beenquarried for over 2,000 years, with aRenaissance boom that resulted in itsuse in many fine buildings, and is stillused today.

Passing through the Hofburg, acrossan inner court-yard of granite fromUpper Austria, to the Inner Gate weretwo imposing Renaissance statues ofHercules. The plinths were of Neogenebryozoan limestone from Zogelsdorf,north of Vienna. In Michaelerplatz, ourguide pointed out ruins of the originalRoman township, Vindolbona, some 2-3m below present street level. Acrossthe square we examined the“Looshaus”, “the house withouteyebrows”, Adolf Loos’ most famousbuilding and, at the time, his mostcontroversial. One of the first modernoffice buildings in Vienna, completed1911, it is now a bank. Rich, greenCipollino marble is used to clad thelower front facade, controversialbecause of the bareness of theundecorated white facade of the higherstories. Construction was even stoppedin 1910 in reaction to the simplicity ofthese floors; the addition of 10 windowboxes was a compromise to resolve thedispute. Cipollino marble (literally“onion-stone”) is a variety of decorativestone used since Greek times, quarriedfrom the Greek island of Evvia. Some ofthe ancient quarries survive, withquarry faces of over 100m. It hascontrasting white and green bands ofalternating chloritic greenschist andwhite marble, originally bands ofvolcanic ash and marly limestone. Thequarries yielding it became RomanImperial property and Cipollino marblebecame common throughout the RomanEmpire.

From here we were led alongKohlmarkt, past the enticing Demelchocolatiers and pâtissiers, establishedover 200 years ago, where “a countwould never be mistaken for a duke”,and into the Graben. En route weexamined numerous decorative stone-clad shop fronts, from the white CarraraMarble and Hungarian Red JurassicLimestone of Artariahaus, Freytag &Berndt (Cartographers) to RapakiwiGranite of Kornmesser (Jewelers), theUntersberg Marble of the Pestäule,Palaeozoic crinoid limestone socle ofH&M, Bank Austria Ukrainian red graniteand many, many more.

Finally, we entered St Stephan’sCathedral, much of it built of localNeogene stone, to observe the floortiles of red Untersberg Marble andyellow sandstone, the late Gothic(C15th) pulpit of BreitenbrunnSandstone from the Neogene of

Burgenland and the Adnet Limestonesarcophagous of Emperor Friedrich III.Unfortunately, lighting levels were solow that good examination was notpossible.

Outside once more, we expressedour thanks and appreciation to Dr.Summesberger. It had been a realpleasure to see building and decorativestones rarely seen in the UK, and tolearn something about them and theiruses, often with stories to tell! By thistime, the biting cold had seeped to ourvery bones and we dispersed, most ofus in search of coffee and cake, someto Demel!

Roger Dixon

Fig. 4a. “The house without eyebrows” with

Cipollino Marble detail (Fig. 4b).

[photo: J Henry]

Fig. 3. The main

entrance to the

Hofburg with its

bryozoan limestone

Hercules statues.

[photo: J Henry]

Fig. 2. Group briefing, with the Kumpf bronze

elephant and Dr. Summesberger (centre photo,

facing, with green fleece). [photo: RAD]

Fig. 1. Group assembling in The Natural History

Museum entrance hall, with contrasting black

and white marble floor tiles – compare with the

artificial marble of the pilasters. [photo: RAD]



DORKING MUSEUM REOPENS WITH AMAZING FOSSIL DISPLAY

Dorking Museum is justly famous for the Cubitt fossilcollection. This is one of the most outstanding ensembles ofCretaceous and Ice Age fossils in the country. Founded in1976 Dorking Museum once had the Dickensian ambienceof The Old Curiosity Shop curated by Steptoe & Son. Itemswere randomly displayed with no chronology and noattempt to present the history of Dorking geological,archaeological and historical. The museum’s superbcollection of fossils were collected from adjacent quarriesowned by Thomas Cubitt and his son George Cubitt, FirstLord Ashcombe. Some fossils were on public display,notably the tail of an Iguanodon and the type specimen ofthe pliosaur Polyptychon interruptus. This was found in anearby Chalk quarry by George Cubitt (or his labourers)and described by Sir Richard Owen in a paper presented tothe Geological Society of London in 1860. The bones usedto be displayed reverentially with minimal explanatory textin a case reminiscent of the reliquary of a medieval saint.

Sadly the major part of the Cubitt collection was storedaway in the museum loft. For many years a notorious localgeologist would lead groups of intrepid geologists from thePetroleum Exploration Society of GB, the GA, various GALocal Groups and assorted nervous Brownies, Cubs, Guidesand even Scouts, up the creaking stairs to the loft. Onarrival they would stare in wonderment at drawer afterdrawer of carefully labelled and curated fossils. The

collection isparticularly rich inChalk fish andreptile teeth andassortedcrustaceans. Italso includesPleistocenevertebrate fossilsfrom the gravels ofthe River Mole.

The museum ishoused in an oldiron foundryowned by theDorking andDistrictPreservationSociety. Themuseum has neverreceived fundingfrom the localcouncil and hasnever had anypermanent staff. Itis funded purely byvoluntary

donations and run entirely by volunteers. Several years agothe museum received a large legacy. This has been used,after many vicissitudes, to refurbish the museum, make thebuilding watertight and install appropriate climate control.

Donations from the Petroleum Exploration Society of GB,the Geologists’ Association Curry Fund and the Mole ValleyGeological Society have been used to mount aprofessionally organised and described suite of drawers andillustrative posters. Polychromatic geophantasmogramsdisplay the geological evolution of Dorking and thelandscape of the Mole Valley. Selected fossils are nowclearly identified and labelled in a suite of glass-toppeddrawers. Pride of place is given to the type specimen of theCretaceous sea monster Polyptychodon interruptus with anaccompanying illustration of this denizen of the Cretaceoussea. Nearby the Iguanodon tail, a local dinosaur fossilfamiliar to generations of museum visitors is now displayedwith explanatory text. The Mole Valley Geological Societyhas presented a suite of local fossils to the museum thatare robust enough to be handled without being damaged byclumsy children of all ages. Details of the Dorking Museumwill be found on www.dorkingmuseum.org.uk and of theMole Valley Geological Society onwww.radix.demon.co.uk/mvgs.

Clare HillPress & Publicity Officer. Mole Valley Geological Society

Formerly the type specimen of Polyptychodon interruptus (Owen) was

displayed like the bones of a medieval saint in a reliquary.

Thanks to a donation from the GA’s Curry Fund

this denizen of the Cretaceous seas is

displayed in such a manner that it can frighten

small children and enliven a visit to Dorking

Museum no end.

Don’t forget to look at the back of your address wrapper

to find your application form for

the Durham Conference



GA Guide No. 22. Geology of theDorset Coast.

John. W. Cope

The Geologists’ Association has a longtradition of producing excellent fieldguides from the famous centenaryseries of 1958 onwards. Currentlythere are many guides being producedto a very high scientific, literary andillustrative standard. Professor Copehas researched the geology of theDorset coast for over 40 years and isthus well qualified to write a guide ofthe area. ‘The Geology of the DorsetCoast’ is a fitting addition to the GAlist. The Dorset Coast, now a ‘UNESCOWorld Heretic Site’ (sic) as one pieceof local tourist information termed it,has over the years been documentedin many guide books that deal withdifferent aspects of its geology, fromthe cerebrally stratigraphic, such asthe earlier guides from the GACentenary series by Professor Houseonwards. There are also several guidesto the habitat of petroleum, to itsgeomorphology and Ian Wests’ catholicand regularly updated website(www.angelfire.com/wy.westian).

The ‘Geology of the Dorset Coast’begins with an Introduction thatcontains some serious health andsafety remarks that must beremembered by people intent ongetting up close and personal to thecliffs of Dorset. There are alsowarnings of hazards scattered atvarious appropriate places throughout

the guide. The Introduction is followedby sections on the stratigraphicsequence of the Dorset coast from theTriassic to the Quaternary, on itsstructural evolution and a brief sectionon the habitat of petroleum. Thenfollows the field guide proper. Thisbegins with lowest Lias at Pinhay Bayin the west, and concludes 164 pagesand 82 figures later with the EoceneBoscombe Sand at Friars Cliff,Mudeford, in the east. The text is verydetailed, with descriptions of the rocksequence and its contained fossils, andfor the most part fully referenced.Indeed in some places the guide is sodetailed that the reader is takenalmost step by step, with appropriatesafety warnings as and when required.The coloured illustrations include manyfield photographs and topographic andgeological maps produced to a veryhigh standard.

The book concludes with a list ofreferences and a helpful index. Incommon with the recent run of GAGuides, the volume is spirally boundand the cover shower proof. Thus theguide book can be opened out toprovide a useful rain hat, though this isnot a good look.

There are some minor ‘blind spots’ inthe guide. Curiously enough there isno reference to the cyclicity of theJurassic sequence, a feature that hasfascinated geologists from Arkellonwards, and has led some geologiststo use the Jurassic coast as a templatefor sequence stratigraphy, despite theevidence for syn-depositional structuralgrowth from Permian to Recent times.Professor Cope joins Arkell (he is ingood company) in omitting discussion

of the significance of the ‘rollover’ ofthe Broken beds at Bacon Hole as theyslid down the hanging wall of thePurbeck fault – one of the mostconvincing pieces of evidence for syn-sedimentary tectonics in the whole ofthe Dorset coast. The westerly originof the Wealden sands at Mupe Bay wasdescribed in the literature beforeHesselbo’s (1988) paper. Theseremarks are however, minor nit picksakin to pointing out that the Venus deMilo is armless. Professor Cope hasproduced an excellent field guide tothe geology of the Dorset Coast thatwill be invaluable for both amateur andprofessional geologists for years tocome.

Dick Selley

Guide Review Other Guides published by the Geologists’ Association:

Guide No. 2 Geology of the Lake District 6 Geology around the University Towns - Liverpool 7 Geology of the Manchester Area 10 North Coast of Cornwall - Bude to Tintagel 26 Geology of the Peak District 27 Geology of South Shropshire 31 West Cornwall 32 Isle of Arran 38 The Plymouth Area 40 Anglesey 41 Jersey 43 Costa Blanca, Spain 45 Onny Valley, Shropshire, Geology Teaching Trail 46 Isle of Man 47 The Coastal Landforms of West Dorset 49 Tenerife 50 Southern Cyprus 51 Field Guide to the Island of Bute, Scotland 52 Iceland 53 Eastern and Central Jamaica 54 The Aberystwyth District 55 Early Cretaceous Environments of the Weald 56 The Castleton Area, Derbyshire 57 The Chalk of Sussex and Kent 59 Hadrian’s Wall 60 Isle of Wight 61 Geology of the Western Front 62 Geology of Lanzarote, Canary Islands 63 Geology of the East Midlands 64 D-Day Landings in Normandy, 1944 65 The Origins of Stratigraphy 66 Watchet and its Neighbourhood, Somerset 67 The Dalradian of Scotland 68 Geology of London 69 The Roadside Geology of Wales 70 Barcelona: an urban excursion guide

Rockwatch Guide No. 1 ‘A Pocket Guide to the London Clay exposed on the North Shore of the Isle of Sheppey, Kent’

Additional guides and current prices are available from:The Executive Secretary,Geologists’ Association,

Burlington House, Piccadilly,London W1J 0DU

Telephone: 020 7434 9298E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.geologistsassociation.org.uk

Geologists’ Association Guide No. 22

Geology of the Dorset Coast

John C. W. Cope

Geology of the D

orset Coast

John C

. W. C

ope

9 780900 717611

ISBN 978-0900717-61-1

THE CURRY FUND

New Zealand 2014

Preliminary planning is under way for a GA trip to New Zealand in November 2014. We shall look at the

geology and natural history of both North and South Islands, travelling by coach, starting at Auckland and

finishing at Christchurch. The leader will be Mike Ridd who has lived and worked in New Zealand and who

carried out research there for a PhD.

Over about an 18 day tour we shall see Maori culture and look at the hot springs and geysers of Rotorua;

travel to Gisborne to see mud diapirs and Cenozoic flysch sequences; visit the Morere Hot Springs and travel on

to Napier and Hastings to see its art nouveau architecture and collect fossils; then look at the amazing gannet

colony at Cape Kidnappers; travel south through the Pinot Noir Martinborough vinyards to Wellington; cross the

Cook Strait by ferry to Picton and on to Blenheim; then over to the West Coast of South Island to look at the

Alpine Fault, metamorphic basement rocks, the ‘pancake rocks’ and a couple of glaciers; on to Queenstown; and

finally across the spectacular braided rivers of the Canterbury Plain to Christchurch where we can examine some

of the effects of the February 2011 earthquake as well as the extinct volcano of Banks Peninsula.

The provisional cost of the trip is £3800 per person, based on B&B accommodation in comfortable

hotels (double occupancy - there will be a single-occupancy supplement), including ferry crossing, airport pick-

up and drop-off, and a geological guidebook.

Would members who might wish to take part please give your names to Sarah at the Office? There will

be a limit of 20 participants.

Further information can be obtained from Mike Ridd at [email protected]


GA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 12, No. 2, 2013 29

This, the beginning of the field tripseason, is, perhaps the most exciting inthe Rockwatch calendar, since it opensthe way for all sorts of excitingdiscoveries by our budding geologists!But, this year, as with so manyactivities, the weather curtailed ourearly trips. The visit to Tegg’s NoseCountry Park in Macclesfield, Cheshire,in early March had to be cancelledthanks to snow drifts closing all roads inthe vicinity! The event was to be a jointfield trip with Cheshire East CountyCouncil, the Country Park RangerService, the GA Curry Fund (whosegrant enabled the new geotrail leafletaround the park to be published) andRockwatch, but fortunately, we havebeen able to reschedule the launch ofthe new leaflet in early June when, Ihope, there will be little likelihood ofsnow!

An early, members only, indoor eventat the National Museum of Wales inCardiff was, thankfully, not affected bythe weather and we had a marvellousday “behind the scenes” thanks to thesupport of the Museum staff in thegeology department and with theadditional support of the South WalesGeologists’ Association. The childrenexplored specimens from the Museum’sstore and made their own fossil replicasunder the expert eye of Caroline Butler,conservator at the Museum, having firstbeen shown the importance of replicasas well as genuine fossils in a collection.The “star turn” of the day though, wasEmily Frankish, our Rockstar 2012, whogave a splendid talk on her “Journeywith Rockwatch”. In the afternoon, TomSharpe brought some of the Museum’sfossil plants for the group get “up closeand personal with”, which is a greatprivilege as such specimens aregenerally ensconced in glass cases, onlyto look at and not to touch!

We have managed one verysuccessful field trip so far this year, onan unseasonably sunny day in mid-April, to Box Rock Circus in Wiltshire,when it was hot, sunny and very much“shirt sleeve” weather, with a realdanger of sunburn! The Rock Circus wasthe brain-child of Elizabeth Devon, aretired geology teacher who is brilliantat engaging children (and the not soyoung!) in the fun of discovering thesecrets of the rocks. For those of youwith children who are close enough tovisit the site, I would urge you to do so,perhaps looking at the website beforesetting off as this will make the visit somuch more worthwhile(www.boxrockcircus.org.uk). After abusy morning studying the Rock Circus,answering Elizabeth’s searching “20Questions” and a picnic lunch at thesite, we all bundled into our cars to findBrown’s Folly, a nearby Jurassic SSSIwhere, much to our astonishment, weencountered a wedding in full swing,which answered our question as to why

it was difficult to find parking spaces atthis usually quiet spot! Once again, theyoungsters on the trip were brilliant atanswering Elizabeth’s questions andfinding fossils, most left in situ, butthere were a few spots where thechildren could legally collect, which theydid with great enthusiasm and skill.

We have plenty more exciting tripsplanned for the forthcoming months,including favourites like quarries in theCotswold Water Park area, our annualweekend in South Wales, the JurassicCoast residential course and quarries inthe Mendips, as well as new sites inShropshire and Cheshire to explore.

Our public events have been in full-swing and so far, have not beendisrupted by inclement weather. Ourannual Science Week in mid-March withour partner BGS, was spent talking tomore than 900 local school childrentrying to raise their awareness of thebreadth of geological input to thecreature comforts of their lives with ouractivity “Geology in your ShoppingBasket”. This always raises theircuriosity and, I hope, their awareness,of how geology underpins almosteverything that is bought and used.This is quite a revolution to children andoften to their teachers, given thefeedback I get after each session. Theweek ended with our now annual FamilyDay with BGS and even the constantsnowfall throughout the day did notdeter the punters, other than causing asomewhat slower start than in previousyears. We were fortunate to haveRockwatch members and their familieshelping us at the event which is alwaysa bonus and a great pleasure, enablingus to really keep in touch with themembership.

A first this year was a Family Day atthe Museum of Somerset in Taunton inmid-April. The Museum has recentlyreopened after undergoing a completerefurbishment and is well worth a visit ifyou are in the area. The Mineheadplesiosaur has a welcome “pride ofplace” in a sunken space in the mainexhibition hall. The Curry Fund gave agrant to the Museum towards theconservation of this marine reptile, sothe day was in part to celebrate its finalresting place and to enjoy the splendidfacilities of the updated Museum. Abonus was the arrival of Eric Robinsonto help with the Rockwatch activitiesand to enthuse the visitors with hisgeo-stories and experiences. In spite ofthe almost ceaseless rain, we had lotsof excited visitors during the day in theeducation room, which we shared witha number of local groups and Museumstaff, running a range of non-stopactivities.

Our final public event of this sessionwas the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival overthe early May Bank Holiday weekend.The weather was kind, very sunny, acool wind, but bright and cheerful with

Rockwatch News

Elizabeth explaining the site at Box

Emily’s RW talk in Cardiff

Getting down to it at Box Rock circus

John Ludden, BGS Director, working on a

Jurassic diaorama

Rockwatchers helping at BGS Family Day


lots of visitors. The Friday was PrimarySchools’ Day with virtually non-stopclasses throughout the day. We werefortunate with our helpers - GA membersrunning hands-on activities with mainlylocal fossils which the youngstersenjoyed, especially as they were allowedto touch them. The public days, Saturdayand Sunday, we continued with thehands-on local fossils and added Jurassicdioramas, wax fossil rubbing and makingeurypterids – all great favourites andkeeping everyone extremely busy. Wewere fortunate to have former andcurrent Rockwatch members asadditional and much needed helpers forthe last two days, including one currentPhD student (a former RockhoundChallenge winner, now superceded by ourannual Rockstar competition) with whomwe had temporarily lost touch and arenow reunited!

So, for a relatively “quiet period” in theRockwatch calendar, we have had a busyfew months. Our young Rockwatchersare truly privileged. I and they, arereally grateful to all those wonderfulcolleagues who give their time andexpertise so generously to support theseyoung people throughout the range ofRockwatch activities. Their enthusiasmand professional expertise is second tonon. A number of our current memberswill be the professional geologists andteachers of the future and they areindeed fortunate to get such a good starton their way up the ladder. My thanks toall of you for your generous help andsupport.

Susan Brown

Rockwatch Chair


Rockwatchers at Brown’s Folly near Box

Tom Sharpe and the fabulous fossil plants

Curry Fund ReportThe Committee received six new

applications at its March meeting of which

four were awarded grants, one refused and

one pending. Geoconservation Staffordshire

was offered a grant of £1,000 towards the cost

of updating and reprinting its Hamps &

Manifold Geotrail leaflet, which has proved

most popular since it was first published some

years ago with a major launch at the site. The

Powysland Museum requested £1, 862.50 to

develop its Fossil Display and a workshop

“Fossils as Therapy” for adults using fossils

that have been in their store for more than 50

years and have interesting historical

connections. After some discussion the full

grant was offered. The Department of Earth

Sciences at Bristol University requested

£3,000 towards the cost of its display at the

Royal Society’s Summer Exhibition

highlighting current research into the fossil

record of colours of fossil insects and feathers.

The applicant has agreed to give a talk at this

year’s Festival of Geology (FoG), put on a

display at the FoG and write a short article for

the GA Magazine, all of which she has agreed

to do. She was warded £1,000. The organiser

of the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival requested

£2,000 towards supporting the production of

the Festival programme and website. It was

agreed to offer £1,500 with the Curry Fund

logo required to be displayed on the website

and programme.

A request from the Sperrins Gateway

Geodiversity Project – Spurs of Rock - for

£6,000 to develop a geodiversity booklet, trail

and educational resources was refused. After

considerable discussion, it was suggested the

applicants reapply when they have more

clearly defined ideas for the project and which

should include a significant geological

component. In the meantime, they were given

details of local geologists who might be able

to help them with the development and

inclusion of more geology. The University of

the West Indies requested £2,874.28 for

storage facilities for its Cretaceous

Biostratigraphic Collections so they can be

more effectively used in teaching and

research. Members of the Committee had

hoped to garner support from other

organisations towards the cost of housing this

important collection, but to date this has not

proved feasible. The application will now go

back to the Committee for further

consideration.

There were a number of “matters arising”

from previous minutes including the Ellie

Ness information boards. The applicant and

designer are working on the final drafts so the

project can be signed off by the Committee

shortly. The Tegg’s Nose Rocks leaflet

highlighting a geotrail around Tegg’s Nose

Country Park in Macclesfield Cheshire has

been published and was to be launched jointly

with the Curry Fund, Rockwatch, Cheshire

East Council and the Countryside Park Ranger

service in late March, but unfortunately was

cancelled because all local roads were closed

by snow! The launch has now been

rescheduled for early June when it is hoped all

risk of snow has gone! The booklets produced

by the Scarborough Museums Trust on the

Rotunda Museum and the William Smith trail

have now been printed as has the Abberley &

Malvern Hills Geopark leaflet. In mid May, I

was invited to the official inauguration of the

Box Rock Circus. This project was the

brainchild of Elizabeth Devon (see my

Rockwatch report on page 29 of this issue).

Professor Iain Stewart of Plymouth University

performed the official ceremony which was

attended by lots of people and, as far as I

could tell, all the local school children, in

spite of the cold, wet rain, a far cry from the

beautiful weather a few weeks previously

when I took a Rockwatch group to explore it.

Once again we’ve had an interesting mix of

projects to which we’ve given support. Our

Guidelines for Applicants and an application

form are on the GA website, and the

Committee meets four times a year in March,

June, September and December. Applications

should be in the office by 20th of the month

preceding each meeting. We look forward to

your application!

Susan Brown

Curry Fund Secretary

Elizabeth, Iain, the BBC and some of the

many children at Box Rock Circus

Iain Stewart and Elizabeth Devon before the

rain really started

Side of rubbing block, note CF logo



Completed crosswords be sent to: Sarah Stafford¸

The Geologists Association, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0DU

or scanned and emailed to: [email protected]

before 30th June 2013.

Prize for the first correct crossword to pulled from the hat: GA Guide of your choice.

Please send your email address and telephone so we can contact you quickly

if you are the lucky winner!

Crossword Puzzle by ‘Longshanks’



Documents

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