list of guides produced by the ga - geologists' …...this guide provides three traverses...

No. GUIDES PRICE FOR MEMBERS2 Geology of the Lake District (1990) £13.006 Geology around the University Towns - Liverpool (1982) £2.007 Geology of the Manchester Area (1991) £11.0010 North Coast of Cornwall - Bude to Tintagel (1970) £4.0026 Geology of the Peak District (1999) £11.0027 Geology of South Shropshire (2002) £11.0031 West Cornwall (2005) 2nd Edition £6.0032 Isle of Arran (1989) 2nd Edition £11.0034 Yorkshire Coast (2000) 3rd Edition £15.0038 The Plymouth Area (1978) £1.0039 Lleyn Peninsula (1981) £4.0040 Anglesey (1981) £4.0041 Jersey (2003) £7.0042 Mallorca (1990) CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT £6.0043 Costa Blanca, Spain (1990) £6.0045 Onny Valley, Shropshire, Geology Teaching Trail (1992) £4.0046 Isle of Man (2007) £11.0047 The Coastal Landforms of West Dorset (1992) £11.0049 Tenerife (2003) £11.0050 Southern Cyprus (1994) £11.0051 Field Guide to the Island of Bute, Scotland (1995) £11.0052 Iceland (1994) £11.0053 Eastern and Central Jamaica (1995) £5.0054 The Aberystwyth District (1995) £11.0055 Early Cretaceous Environments of the Weald (1996) £11.0056 The Castleton Area, Derbyshire (1996) £11.0057 The Chalk of Sussex and Kent (1997) £11.0059 Hadrian's Wall (1997) £11.0060 Isle of Wight (1998) £11.0061 Geology of the Western Front (1999) £11.0062 Geology of Lanzerote, Canary Islands (2000) £6.0063 Geology of the East Midlands (2003) £8.5064 D-Day Landings in Normandy, 1944 (2003) £11.0065 The Origins of Stratigraphy (2004) £6.0066 Watchet and its Neighbourhood, Somerset (2006) £5.0067 The Dalradian of Scotland (2009) £15.00

Dinosaur Stamps of the World by S Baldwin & B Halstead £3.00Rockwatch Guide No. 1 'A Pocket Guide to the London £3.50Clay exposed on the North Shore of the Isle of Sheppey, Kent' by Adrian Rundle

Please add £1.00 postage to orders and send with a cheque made payable to 'The Geologists' Association' to The Geologists' Association, Burlington House, Piccadilly,

London W1J 0DU

List of Guides Produced by the GA

Geologists' Association GuideNo. 67 Published 2010 in the new formatThe Dalradian of ScotlandBy Jack Treagus

The Dalradian Supergroup of mainland Scotland occupies most ofthe area generally known as the Grampian Highlands, geographi-cally bounded by the Great Glen Fault to the north and the HighlandBorder Fault to the south. The Dalradian of Scotland offers thegreatest variety of metamorphic rocks to be found in the BritishIsles. There are sedimentary rocks ranging in composition fromlimestones and mudstones to conglomerates, often with beautiful-ly preserved sedimentary structures providing evidence of thedepositional environments.

A complete range of metamorphic conditions has affected theserocks giving rise to slates, phyllites and schists, quartzites, gneiss-es, amphibolites and marbles. The range of temperature and pres-sure conditions that were involved has induced the growth of por-phyroblasts of a wide range of minerals from chlorite to kyanite andsillimanite. This area provided the earliest descriptions of the con-ditions of growth of metamorphic minerals and their relationship tothe structural history - the well-known Barrovian metamorphiczones.

This guide provides three traverses across the Dalradian rocks, inthe southwest, centre and northeast of Scotland, comprising a totalof 22 separate excursions. The traverses are based on major routes with the exposures on roadside cuttings, stream sec-tions and pleasant coastal areas being reached via quiet minor roads.

The author, Jack Treagus, was a lecturer in Geology at Manchester University. The area of his PhD was in the Dalradianof Perthshire at a time, the early 1960s, when refolding was being rediscovered and he had to disentangle the effects offour episodes of deformation. This led to a life-time's fascination with these rocks and ultimately to the publication of thisGuide. He was recently awarded the Clough Medal by the Edinburgh Geological society for his work on the Dalradian.

ISBN 9780900717857Recommended Retail Price: £19.00 GA Members Price: £15.00

See back page for a complete list of guides

Circular continued.......Shropshire Geological SocietyMarch 10 British earthquakes Dr Ian StimpsonMarch 27 Field trip: Clee Hill, to be led by MichaelRosenbaum. Walking (one mile); some roughground; local cafés should lunch be required.April Field trip: Darwin in Llanymynech, - GordonHillier and Jeanette Bolton April 17 Field trip: Secret Stones (Craven Arms), tobe led by Michael Rosenbaum. Contact KarenWhitaker - [email protected] Sidcup Lapidary and Mineral SocietyMeets every Monday evening at Sidcup Arts Centre.Contact Audrey Tampling 020 8303 9610 Email:[email protected] Mineral and Fossil SocietySeptember 5 Hampshire Mineral & Fossil Show -time: 10:00 to 16:30 Venue: LyndhurstCommunity Centre, High St., Lyndhurst, Hants.Admission: Adults £1, accompanied childrenunder 14 and Rockwatch members freeContact: Gary Morse, 01489 787300 Email:[email protected] Web site: http://members.lycos.co.uk/SMFS/smf-sshow.htmContact Gary Morse 01489 787300.Stamford and District Geological SocietyMarch 10 A.G.M. and members' evening

April 10 Tour of Ketton Cement works and fossilhunt.May 1 & 2 Weekend away to the Edinburgh area -Dr. Ian Sutton.June 12 "Lake Harrison Does it Hold Water?" A lookat the post glacial effects on the Midlands' landscape- Dr. Martyn Bradley. July 17 Bradley Fen. Perhaps a last chance to lookfor Jurassic fossils in this pit which usually producessome interesting finds. Contact: Bill Learoyd on 01780 752915 email: [email protected], [email protected]; Ussher SocietyContact Clive Nicholas 01392 271761.Warwickshire Geological Conservation GroupMarch 24 Speaker to be confirmedContact: Chris Hodgeson 01926 511097.Contact Martyn Bradley 01926 428835. Email:[email protected] Lapidary and Mineral SocietyMarch 9 Club night. Members finds from Barton-on-Sea field trip.April 13 Tenerife geology and scenery - AlanHoliday.May 11 Chalk fossils from Dorset and Devon -Martin Vine.June 8 Cementation Brass and Electroforming - RobDunster.Contact Pat Maxwell 02380 891890 email:[email protected]

Westmorland Geological SocietyJanuary 20 Exploring the geology under Glasgow -Dr Dairmid Campbell.March 17 The Holocene landscape of MorecombeBay - Dr Richard Jones.Contact Brian Kettle email: [email protected] Woolhope Naturalists' Field ClubMarch 26 Two Hundred Years of BritishMetamorphism by Richard Edwards.April 24 The Olchon Valley - Dr Richard Bryant.May 23 Lumps, Bumps, Hollows and Humps -Duncan Hawley.June 19 Aust Cliff and Manor Farm - SimonCarpenter.Contact Sue Hay on 01432 357138 or svh.gab-bros@btinternet .comYorkshire Geological SocietyMarch 27 British Geological Survey, Keyworth,Notts.: Planning for Climate ChangeMay 8 or 9: Yorkshire Geology month excursion toIngleborough - David Turner.June 12 -13: Weekend field meeting in Teesdale:new ideas on mineralization in Teesdale - BrianYoung.Contact Trevor Morse 01833 638893www.yorksgeolsoc.org.uk

GA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010 23

Iain wanted to talk to us about hisnew series, and to use this as a vehi-cle to think about broader issues.Firstly, there are problems with put-ting mainstream geology across toprogramme makers and people; weneed to appreciate what the mediawant from us and what their agendais? Secondly, there are changes,issues, even "what is geology?"

Geoscience programmes beganwith Earth Story a few years ago. Incomparison with biology and othersciences, geology is relatively new ontelevision. Our key point is that geol-ogy describes our planet, which isfantastic, and we can constantly sur-prise people about what it holds.

Iain gave more about the reasonsand the background for the series. Hepresented us with several challenges.Geologists are the people who under-stand the planet best, and shouldtherefore be looking after it. We cando a lot more with the knowledge wehave. We were challenged to be morepositive and forthcoming about theevidence of geoscience. In energy,water, hazards, and climate change,geoscientists have a central role toplay.

Climate change featured promi-nently, as to be expected. A newpoint was the postulation that thepresent interglacial is different fromany other. 5-7,000 years ago both

methane and carbon dioxide began torise; in previous interglacials theyhad started to decrease at this stage.5-7,000 years ago was the beginningof mass deforestation and agricul-ture. In the late 20th century,methane and carbon dioxide haveincreased even more. We are at areally important point in time.

Once the applause died down afterIaian’s talk, questions brought outeven more interesting points, includ-ing the need to reduce growth inthose countries with the highest pop-ulation and carbon footprint - notablythe USA! which has one of the high-est such growths and footprints in the

world. Why do people rebuild inexactly the same places after anearthquake, as they did before - forexample Bam in Iran, a WorldHeritage site? Theeducation of womenis really important;educate women,women then wantfewer children, lateron in their lives.

The Presidentthanked the speakerat length, followedby Alun Thomas whogave a short accountof a Welshman, anEnglishman and aScotsman. In brief, itwas a Welshman(Professor David Williams) who gavethe first lecture on January 23 1960,it was an Englishman (Professor JohnKnill, also then President of the

Geologists' Association) who gave thelecture on the occasion of the Group's25th anniversary celebrations andundoubtedly, with Iain's accent, aScotsman speaking at the Group's50th celebrations on 23 January2010.

The speaker was thanked again,with much applause.

56 members went on to the secondpart of the day's celebrations, lunchat the Park Plaza Hotel. We werejoined by two members of the latefounder Chairman Doug Bassett'sfamily, Menna and Sian. We wereserved an excellent lunch with wine.

After plenty of photos, it was timefor the toast. The President welcomedMenna and Sian in memory of thefounding Chairman Doug Bassett,who had sadly died just two monthspreviously. He presented Iain Stewartwith a bottle of wine as a token ofappreciation of his memorable talk,and presented Programme SecretarySteve Howe with a bottle of wine as atoken of appreciation for all the workhe had done in arranging such a suc-cessful and enjoyable day.

Members, guests and friends then

raised their glasses to toast the nextfifty years of the Group.

L GarfieldGA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 201022

Members celebrating 50 years of the South Wales Group

Alun Thomas

Steve Howe, Programme Secretary

Toasting the next fifty years of the Group

GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010 21

50th Anniversary Meeting - 23 January 2010The fiftieth anniversary celebrations

of the Geologists' Association - SouthWales Group / Cymdeithas yDaearegwyr - Grwp De Cymru wereheld on 23 January 2010, 50 years tothe day after the inaugural meetingon 23 January 1960.

The first part of the celebrationstook place in the Wallace LectureTheatre, Cardiff University. Followingrefreshments, around 200 members,guests and visitors filled the lectureroom to overflowing, whereupon theGroup's President, Nigel McGaw, wel-comed everyone to this historic meet-

ing, a BIG DAY for the Group, with aBIG SPEAKER.

Nigel explained how the Group, aftera couple of preliminary meetings,held its inaugural meeting on 23January 1960. He welcomed our hon-oured guests for the day, two peoplewho had been involved in the actualstarting up of the Group right at thebeginning, Alun Thomas who had sec-onded Doug Bassett as thefirst/founder chairman, and GeorgeAskey the first secretary.

At the inaugural meeting, ProfessorDavid Williams of Imperial College,President of the Geologists'Association (1958-1960) gave thefirst lecture, on mineral exploration.The first AGM was held in April 1960,and the first field meeting soon afteralong the Southerndown coast witharound 80 people.

Nigel said that there was not timeto do justice to all the people involvedand the events that had taken placeover the years, but we are very grate-ful to our founding fathers, those whoset the Group up, the BEDROCK oftoday's Group.

Over the years, membership hasvaried between 150 and 200. Today itis around 180. In recent years, theGroup has undertaken a wider rangeof activities, moving away from sym-posia and conferences towards morefield visits, interpretive leaflets andfield guides (eg Walking the Rocks),and more public events such as theNational Eisteddfod, Cardiff's Out ofthe Woods Festival, the GA reunion(held in Cardiff in 2004) and our ownGeofest in 2008. A poster has beenproduced with a summary of our first50 years activities.

One person has made an outstand-ing contribution over these 50 years.has witnessed all of the 50 years,was there right at the beginning, hasbeen a long-standing member of thecommittee (33 years), including assecretary for (23 years), Chairmanfrom (1990 to 1992), and ViceChairman (from 1988 to 1990), hascontributed in many more ways withlectures, field trips, and publications,and has been an Honorary Member(since 1990). The Group was delight-ed to make a SPECIAL 50-YEARAWARD in recognition of this contri-bution, to our guest Mr. Alun J.Thomas. This will be presented at theforthcoming AGM in March.

The Group was also delighted topresent Honorary Membership to DrGeraint Owen in recognition of hislong and distinguished service to theGroup over the years. The committeehas benefited greatly from his knowl-edge and researches, and we hopethis will continue in the future.Geraint is the Group’s 6th HonoraryMember. The President presented amounted scroll to Geraint:"The Committee and members of theGeologists' Association South WalesGroup have great pleasure in award-

ing Honorary Life Membership of theGroup to: Geraint Owen - in recog-nition of his outstanding support forand contributions to the Group in hiscapacity of Committee Member since1988, Hon Field Secretary (1989-1990), Secretary (1990-2009), co-author of Walking the Rocks andWalks Leaflets and in recognition ofhis many contributions to the inter-pretation and understanding of geolo-gy and the public understanding ofscience."

Geraint thanked the Group warmly.He said it was a tremendous honour,to joining the Group’s other HonoraryMembers,Alun [Thomas] and Mike

[Bassett]. He felt really honoured andflattered, feeling his main successhad been to devolve his responsibili-ties!!

The President introduced the guestspeaker, Professor Iain Stewart, totalk on ‘How Earth Made Us’. TheGroup was very grateful to Iain forcoming along to help celebrate theday's occasion. Iain has been bringinggeology to people, through television,over the last eight years. His ownresearch is into geological hazards,and their effects on people and onhistory. His latest television seriesHow Earth Made Us started the previ-ous Tuesday. Iain was presented withthe Geologists' Association HalsteadMedal last year, for "work of out-standing merit to further the objectsof the association and to promotegeology".

There followed a most interesting,informative, stunningly illustrated,entertaining and thought-provokingpresentation.

President, Nigel McGaw

Dr. Geraint Owen receiving his award

Professor Iain Stewart

GA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 201020

The Proceedings of the Geologists' Association is amongthe oldest of geological journals, the first volume havingbeen produced in eleven parts over the period 1859-65.This year's volume, of which the first issue is imminent,will be its 120th. Over the years, it has included numer-ous important papers on physical geology and geomor-phology; stratigraphy; palaeontology; petrology; struc-tural geology; the history of geology; and records offield excursions, both in the UK and abroad, many ofwhich are today invaluable as they often record detailsof sites which are either no longer exposed and/oraccessible. The journal's contents over the years wererecently summarised in "The PGA Illustrated", GAMagazine, 7 (4), 7-9, 2008.

Now all this can be at your fingertips, thanks toElsevier, the new publishers of the Proceedings, whohave generously scanned the entire run of the journal,including the "Jubilee Volume," Geology in the field,published in 1910. If you are a GA member then you canbrowse this entire contents, and download articles ofinterest to you, completely free of charge.

To access the articles, all you need to do is tosign up to the GA section of Elsevier's ScienceDirect site,via the internet. This is done as follows:

(1) Go to: https://www.sciencedirect.com/pgeola/act-vate/member (make sure that you type https:// nothttp:// when doing this). This will open a new window.

(2) This asks you to enter your name and your GA mem-bership number. When you input your GA membershipnumber, please put a zero in front of it, e.g. enter XXXXas 0XXXX, etc. (If you unsure of your membership num-ber, please contact Sarah Stafford at the GA office:[email protected]).

(3) Once your name and membership number havebeen entered and verified against our membership data-base by Elsevier's ScienceDirect system, you will bepassed on to a screen which asks you to enter some per-sonal details, such as the type of organisation youwork/ed in, your broad area of interest, your addressand e-mail address; and then to choose a password(when entering this, please do not use special charac-ters, and remember, for future reference, that therecognition of your password by the ScienceDirect sys-tem is case-sensitive). Your chosen password has to beentered twice to ensure that it will be set up correctly.

(4) The system then issues you with a unique username,which you must use in future, together with your chosenpassword, for access to the database of digitised arti-cles. (If you encounter any problems when registering,please note that older browsers may not support SSLencryption, which is required for secure data transmis-sion. Also, cookies must be enabled in your browser tosupport the registration process. For any technicalaccess problems at this stage, e-mail Elsevier'sScienceDirect team for help, naming the Proceedings ofthe Geologists' Association and the fact that you are amember of the Geologists' Association in your commu-nication ([email protected], if you are in Europe,the Middle East or Africa; [email protected], ifyou are in North, Central or South America; [email protected], if you are in Asia (except Japan), thePacific or Australia; or [email protected], if you are inJapan).

(5) To access the database itself, go to the SocietyMember's site:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/pgeola

(note that this is accessed using http:// nothttps://). This will produce the Proceedings of theGeologists' Association homepage.

(6) You now enter your new username and your chosenpassword into the two little boxes in the greyish "AthensLogin" field at the very top right of the screen. You cannow begin searching all the volumes of the PGA to date(including proofs of articles in press). The next page,which will appear automatically, gives you the searchoptions: (i) Quick Search is just on author name or thesearch term you type in; (ii) choosing Advanced Searchenables you to search on terms in the Abstract, title orkeywords; author names; and full text. However, youcan also choose to search on terms which are located inan Article, Short communication, Book review, Reviewarticle, Correspondence, Discussion, or Editorial; or sim-ply enter a specific Volume number (plus Issue and/orPage numbers, if you know them). The search hits arethen displayed for your perusal or downloading as a PDFfile. To navigate back to a previous search page, rightclick on your mouse to obtain the options menu, thenchoose "Back".

Intending PGA authors can find full instructionson the page: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/jour-naldescriptions.cws_home/716553/authorinstructionsor, less tediously, by searching the internet using theterms "sciencedirect" and "proceedings of the geologistsassociation", the Elsevier PGA option should come up atthe top of the list, choosing this will take you to the rightpage.

Enjoy checking out our journal's fascinating con-tents!

Richard HowarthChairman, Publications Committee

Getting the most from the PGA

GA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9,No. 1, 2010 19

The February Lecture

THE HENRY STOPES MEMORIAL LECTURE

Professor Clive GambleRoyal Holloway College

Breaking the time barrier ofHuman antiquity

Dating the past has now becomeso commonplace that one forgetshow recent this development hasbeen and to illustrate this ProfessorGamble took us back to 1859.Technology was advancing withimproved physical (railways) andelectronic (telegraph) communica-tions, but Geology was still con-strained by the rigid idea that theage of Earth was limited to 4004 BC.Geologists knew this could not betrue, especially with regard to thehistory of mankind, but it was diffi-cult to prove otherwise. At this pointtwo businessmen interested in geol-ogy entered the scene. Bothbecame eminent in their own fields,but in 1859 they were still at anearly stage of their careers. Theywere Joseph Prestwich (1812-1896)and John Evans (1823-1908).

The story began in 1858 whenFalconer reported an undisturbedcave site near Brixham to theGeological Society. It was excavatedusing a grant from the Royal Societyoverseen by a committee thatincluded Prestwich and Lyell. A pre-historic fauna and stone tools werefound but the disturbed nature of thecave deposits gave rise to doubtsabout relative ages. So the questionof early Man living contemporane-ously with extinct mammals was stillopen - at least in the minds of thesceptics. In answer to this,Prestwich came up with four criteriathat needed to be satisfied. Thesewere "1. That the flint-implementsare the work of man; 2. That theywere found in undisturbed ground;3. That they are associated with theremains of extinct Mammalia; 4.

That the period was a late geologicalone, and anterior to the surfaceassuming its present outline, so faras some of its minor features areconcerned".

The Frenchman, Boucher dePerthes, had already described simi-lar finds from the Somme valley, buthis work was not being taken seri-ously. Prestwich therefore proposeda Geological Society field trip toinvestigate. In the event only Evansjoined him and their first site visitswere unsuccessful, but after someconfusion, resolved by using the newcommunications technology of trainand telegraph, they arrived at a pitin St Acheul. This provided the nec-essary evidence, with an artefact insitu within a clear stratigraphic set-ting. Remarkably for the time, theexposure was photographed andfully met Prestwich's criteria.Publication was rapid with papers toThe Royal Society (Prestwich - refer-ees Lyell and Murchison), TheSociety of Antiquaries (Evans), TheGeological Society (Flower) and TheBritish Association (Lyell), the latterproviding the final seal of approval(in front of Prince Albert). The dis-covery led to the reappraisal ofBritish finds, especially those fromHoxne (1797), and firmly estab-lished the idea of the Palaeolithic.The year ended with the publicationof On the Origin of Species byDarwin and marked a watershed inthe history of human thought.Amazingly, both the photograph andthe actual stone tool have survived,the latter being found in the collec-tions of the Natural History Museumstill bearing Prestwich's originallabel.

In conclusion, Professor Gamblelooked at some of the social conse-quences of these discoveries. Theinitial reaction had been to useLyell's dictum "the present is the keyto the past" and look around theworld for similar cultures. Thesewere found in outlying places suchas Tasmania where the natives werestill making stone tools very similarto those found in Europe and at thetime that seemed to provide an ade-quate explanation. But modern

advances in dating have greatlylengthened the time scale for theseevents from a few thousand to sev-eral million years and it is now pos-sible to relate changes in technologyto the evolution of hominims. Therewas a rapid increase in brain sizearound 600,000 years ago at whatProfessor Gamble proposed might becalled the "Stopes Line". This pro-duced a paradox because theincrease in brain size had clearlyoutstripped the development oftechnology. Another factor, there-fore, must have been at work, whichcould perhaps have been the devel-opment of a wooden or textile tech-nology that would not have survivedin the geological or archaeologicalrecord. However there was scantevidence for this and the more likelyexplanation seemed to be the impe-tus for the development of language,culture, and the mental skills neededto survive in primate social groupsthat have made Homo sapiens thesingle and most successful homininon the planet.

The text of much of ProfessorGamble's lecture can be found at hisweb site at:http://www.gg.rhul.ac.uk/Gamble/.

Dave Greenwood

SEE PAGE 7 FOR INFORMATION ON THE ANNUAL DINNER

AND PAGE 5 FOR THE SEPTEMBERONE-DAY MEETING

GA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Issue 9, No.1 , 2010 18

The January Lecture byDr Saskia Goes,Imperial College

Sinking slabs - moving plates

Over the past 40 years plate tecton-ics has accounted for many of thestructural features of the earth thatpuzzled earlier workers. However, thequestion of plate movement and whathappens in a subduction zone remainsto be fully explained. This formed thebasis of the talk by Dr Goes who out-lined current thinking on the subject.In 1912 Wegner had envisaged thegranitic continents (SiAl) ploughingthrough the lower basaltic crust (SiMa)- something that had to be ruled out onthe grounds of the strength of basaltsalone. Later, in 1944, Holmes had sug-gested that the continents were "float-ing" on the mantle and were moved byconvection cells in the latter, an ideathat proved to be closer to the truth.

Recent advances in seismology hadgiven us a much clearer idea of whatwas happening and it was now possibleto measure the physical properties ofthe earth from crust to core. This hasshown that the crust and the part ofthe upper mantle that make up thetectonic plates are strong and rigid,and are underlain by the rest of theupper mantle which is much weakerand more plastic. There is a markeddiscontinuity at around 670 km at thetop of the lower mantle which rests onthe outer core at about 2,900 km. Theboundary between the upper and lowermantle was particularly significant andno deep earthquakes had ever beendetected below 700 km.

There are various types of subduc-tion zones and it was stressed that anytheory for their formation would haveto explain both compressional, subduc-tion zones (eg west of South America)and extensional zones (eg Marianas).Compressional subduction zones werecharacterised by very large earth-

quakes, up to magnitude nine (Alaska)and violent vulcanicity (Mount StHelens) along parts of the zone.Extensional zones were quieter interms of seismicity, but had volcanicactivity along their full length. Some ofthese differences appear to be relatedto the type of plate collision i.e.whether a continental plate is overrid-ing a subducting oceanic plate orwhether both plates are oceanic. Inaddition to the type of plates involvedin a collision, other factors are alsothought to affect the resulting stressregimes.

The relative speed of colliding platesalso varied. It has been observed thatin general plates with older rocks attheir margins tended to move fasterthan those with younger material. Thiswas probably because older platematerial, being cooler, denser andmore rigid, sinks into the upper mantlemore rapidly. The correlation was notperfect and there were some anom-alies such as the Farallon Slab in NorthAmerica that did not fit this thesis.

Dr Goes concluded by consideringthe forces involved in plate movement.The Mid-Ocean Ridges, where newcrust is being formed, are higher andhotter than their surroundings. Thisprovides the initial driving force asolder material moves away under theinfluence of gravity. At the same timethe plate cools and becomes morerigid. The second factor was how theplate sank into the mantle once a sub-duction zone had been established.Here it could be shown that the speeddepended on the mass of the descend-ing plate and the viscosity of the man-tle, with the descending section drag-ging the rest of the plate along with it.The descending plate then set up con-vection cells in the mantle, although ithad to be admitted that there was acertain amount of "chicken and egg"involved in this relationship.

The destiny of the descending platevaried, with some plates flattening out

at the upper/ lower mantle boundarywhilst others descend through thelower mantle to the top of the core.The evidence came from computerisedseismic tomography (similar in princi-ple to medical CAT scanning) thatenabled zones within the earth to bemapped in terms of seismic velocitiesthat were related to the relative tem-perature, areas of higher seismicvelocity correlating with colder materi-al. This also provided a snapshot intime as illustrated by two diagramsshowing conditions at 500 km and1325 km into the mantle. The first plotgave evidence of a plate that hadbegun to descend during the last 10-20 Ma, whilst the latter was around100-150 Ma old and revealed the rem-nants of the subduction zone that hadformed during the closure of the TethysOcean.

Overall this was a most stimulatinglecture and produced some lively dis-cussion. Those of us who studied geol-ogy before the mid-1960s must thankDr Goes for explaining some of theremaining mysteries of plate tectonics,but, as so often happens, the resolu-tion of old problems has raised newquestions that need to be answered.However, there is no doubt that, in thefullness of time, they will be solved.

Dave Greenwood

Albert and Jill Benghiat receving their award for their Derbyshiredisplay from Chris Diamond and Marco Serazzi of ENI

David Leather receiving his award for the exhibition on Island ofWestray from Chris Diamond of Down to Earth, (one of the judges)

The winners of the ENI Geological Challenge for 2009 were present-ed with their awards at the February meeting of the GA. This awardrecognises the achievemenets of individuals or groups in the field of

conservation, interpretation or field geological educaction in the UK. This year there were joint winners which thejudges said “involved presenting geology in a novel way, one through a temporary exhibition on the Orkneyisland of Westray and the other a permanent ‘geological hut’ in a Derbyshire village”.

ENI Presentations 2009w

GA magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010 17

The December Lecture by Dr Karen Hudson-Edwards,Birkbeck College.

Arsenic PollutedGroundwater: Science andSustainable Development.

In a change to the published pro-gramme, Dr Karen Hudson-Edwardsgave an interesting talk, at very shortnotice, about her work in the Indiansub-continent on problems of arsenicpollution.

The change came about becauseKaren's husband, Dr Stephen Edwards,had been taken ill after returning fromfieldwork in Africa.

Dr Hudson-Edwards is currentlyworking in West Bengal, but she beganher lecture with an outline of the workthat had been done in nearbyBangladesh.

Health problems associated with thebacterial and viral contamination ofsurface waters had led to a programmeof shallow well construction resulting inthe sinking of over one million wellsinto Holocene and Pleistocene sedi-ments across the whole country. Thishad solved the immediate problemlinked to pollution, but after a period ofabout ten years there had been a spateof disfiguring skin diseases that werequickly identified as being the result ofarsenic poisoning.

A country-wide survey revealed thatthere was no systematic pattern to thearsenic contamination with adjacentwells having very different levels of theelement, some considerably above thethen accepted limit of 50 µg/l. Suspectwells had been marked by a system ofpainted colour codes but this had notalways solved the problem because thelocal population was still tempted touse the nearest source of "clean" water

Turning to her own work in WestBengal, carried out in collaborationwith Professor John McArthur at UCLand several other colleagues, DrHudson-Edwards said that originallythere was no agreement as to thesource of the arsenic and there weretwo opposing theories. These wereeither that the arsenic was beingreleased into the environment by theatmospheric oxidation of pyrite or itcame about during the reduction ofiron oxides by organic material in thesediments. The evidence was stillinconclusive, but work by her researchteam had shown that there was a clearchange in the colour of the host sand-stones from pale orange to grey overtime, which strongly favoured thereduction hypothesis.

Observations over time also suggest-ed that a reaction front was working itsway through the source rocks aroundthe wells, but the situation was furthercomplicated by the very large season-al variations in the level of the watertable.

The only solutions to the problemappeared to be the installation oftreatment plants to remove the arsenicor to tap aquifers lower in the succes-sion, both of which were being active-ly pursued.

Dr Hudson-Edwards concluded hertalk with a quick review of other formsof arsenic pollution including directinput from volcanic sources; anthro-pogenic sources from past and presentmining activities; and the release ofarsenic from sediments containinginterbedded volcanic ash, a problemthat was particularly prevalent in partsof Argentina.

More research into the problem wasneeded particularly in view of theacceptable level of arsenic in drinkingwater being lowered by the USEnvironmental Protection Agency in2002 from 50 µg/l to 10µg/l. This stan-dard was implemented in 2006 andthere were now proposals to reduce itfurther to as low as 1 µg/l with aMaximum Contaminant Level Goal(MCLG) of zero.

For further information please visitthe London Arsenic Group website athttp://www.es.ucl.ac.uk/research/lag/as/index.htm.

Dave Greenwood.

My First Ammonite continued......

After an initially shaky start, myattention was forever hooked. Whilstmy fossil collection grew, so did myliterary consumption. I moved on tocrumbly fat textbooks, which Ichecked out of the local library, underthe watchful eye of the librarian,who, by a small stroke of luck, hadbeen a palaeontology teacher beforeher retirement three years previous-ly. The print was small and scientific,really much too hard for a child of myage, but I diligently ploughed

through them, lookingup the longer words ina dictionary, and mak-ing a list of all the sci-entific terms and Latinnames I did not under-stand to show to thewoman at the librarywhen I returned.

It wasn't long beforesimply reading the the-ory about the fantasticplaces to find speci-mens wasn't enough.On the way back fromSidmouth, where we

spent our half terms with ancient rel-atives, I'd beg my parents to stop offat Lyme Regis and Charmouth. Whilstmy family sat grumbling in the car, Iwould fight my way through the oftentorrential rain and wind, along thebeach, peering in between hugeboulders and under the top layer ofloose pebbles, for the distinctive greycolourerd limestone nodules, splat-tered with lighter white patches. AtLyme Regis I collected iron pyriteammonites by the dozen, and eachnew one was just as amazing to mein every detail as the previous one. I

found it fascinating that millions ofyears ago, far out in the sea, a crea-ture had died and been pressed intoa fossil. And by chance and luck, thatfossil, through various means, hadarrived on the beach for me to find.

It wasn't without its penaltiesthough. I recall one occasion where arock I was trying to break fell fromthe bank onto my discarded coat,smashing my mobile phone, and sev-eral where I was so engrossed withthe rocks under my feet, I wasn'tlooking where I was going andwalked straight into the sea.

Over the years my collection hasgrown hugely, including many morefrom beaches near to where I foundthat first fossil; Belemnites,Nautilods, Bivalves, theCarboniferous Crinoids that the care-taker so affectionally referred to as"Cuddy's beads". However, that firstammonite will always have a place onthe shelf, despite being surroundedby far superior specimens, as theobject that truly opened my eyes tothe wonders of the fossil world.

GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 201016

"Rocks are records of events thattook place at the time they formed.They are books. They have a differ-ent vocabulary, a different alphabet,but you can learn how to read them."John McPhee

I remember the first time I discov-ered a complete ammonite veryclearly. The images are printed in myhead like a series of photographs,documenting each stage of the dis-covery. As a child I spent manyhappy hours playing in the aban-doned quarries that were scatteredabout the countryside. Despite hav-ing spent years playing pirates,knights and explorers (I despisedprincesses for being such wimps) itwasn't until I was nine that the truebrilliance of the area was revealed tome.

I discovered a strange type of rock,dark grey, but with huge whitesplodges around the top and sides.For no other reason than to satisfymy childish curiosity, I decided tolook inside, and endeavoured tobreak it open. Finding a suitablesized stone to break it wasn't diffi-cult, and I arranged the rock careful-ly on top of the dry mud bank onwhich I had been sitting. I hefted thestone to chest height, and dropped iton the limestone. It cracked downthe centre as easily as if it was madeof butter. One half fell to the dustyground, and there, coiled tightly inthe centre and gleaming as if it hadjust been polished, lay a perfecthelix, about three or four inchesacross. It was an object of suchbreathtaking beauty, perfect in everydetail, that for a second I just sat andstared at it, tracing the little ridgesround with my forefinger. I took ithome, polished it up, and placed it onmy shelf. At that point, although Ifound the object I had discoveredintriguing, I had little compulsion todiscover more. I simply did not think

about how much more there could beto this.

Then, for my ninth birthday Ireceived a book from a well meaningbut completely clueless uncle entitled"Local fossils: how to find them",selected desperately as a presentafter spotting the ammonite in myroom. Being an average nine yearold, such a gift did not interest me inthe slightest, and it wasn't until mybrother began to read it that I didalso, being a competitive child whohated to be outdone by anyone, leastof all my own sibling. The book wasmore of a pamphlet really, worn insome places, as it had passedthrough the hands of several of myolder and less careful cousins first. Itwas tattered and old and damagedand utterly, totally, irrevocablyenthralling. I had had no idea thatsuch things as fossils existed before,and the idea that underneath myunknowing feet, indeed, in my verybedroom, lay the imprinted remainsof creatures that had walked theearth millions of years ago wasalmost too unbelievable to be true.My brother and I had, of course,found several fossils amongst theovergrown weeds and broken rocksleft over in the quarry, tiny partiallyvisible snail shell type things printedin the jagged side of rocks. Notunderstanding what these objectswere, we had taken them to thecaretaker of the site, the man whoran a small shop on the path forwalkers and climbers, who unfortu-nately had little more idea than wedid. As we licked a free Twister (partof the reason we went, truthfully) hetold us his version of how the strangestones had come to be there. In the7th century AD, a woman called StHilda had wanted to build a newabbey in Whitby, the area where welived. Unfortunately, the area wasoverrun with snakes, which hinderedthe building process, because they

kept getting in the wayof the builders.(According to him, theykept coiling up andgoing to sleep in thebuilder's boots, star-tling them, and render-ing them too upset tocontinue the day’swork). In order to clearthe site, and continuebuilding peacefully, StHilda cursed thesnakes, whereuponthey coiled up andturned quietly to stone.In order to ensure they

were indeed dead, St Hilda cut alltheir heads off, which explained, hesaid, why the objects had no visiblehead. This tale inevitably led onto thestories of other Saints, such as StCuthbert, who used stone beads as arosary. Although we enjoyed beingtold stories, they never varied, norwere we particularly interested in theexploits of such people. So, eventual-ly, even the lure of a free ice-creamwas not enough to hold our interest,and we stopped going.

Suddenly now, however, the truthbehind these mysterious objects wasrevealed to me. They wereammonites, of course, and, althoughthe few I had discovered whenyounger had been unimpressive, thespecimen I had discovered a coupleof weeks previously was not. Ireturned to it, and regarded it with anew sense of awe now I knew what itactually was. Its ethereal beauty waseven more stunning, and, now Irealised, mine had been the first eyesto look at it for 200 million years. Iwas the first human being ever tohave seen this fantastic object.

I took accurate measurements of it,and wrote a label for it in my careful,childish handwriting, explaining whatit was, when and where it was found,the type of rock it was in, and thefield number, just as the book hadtold me to. For the latter I wrote,with a considerable sense of pride,and the profound feeling of embark-ing on a long and fascinating journey,number one. It was, I feel, a verylucky discovery: over the years Ihave found many completeammonites in the area, but only inironstone.

Continued on next page...........

The First Ammonite by Gemma Robson Rockwriter for 2009


Thailand is formed of two major tectonic plates which brokeaway from Gondwana in the Palaeozoic, drifted north, andfused in the Triassic. The GA's 2007 field meeting examinedthe history of Sibumasu, the western of these terranes,whereas the 2010 trip is planned to examine the eastern one,the Indochina Block.

The field meeting will take place across eastern Thailand, ascenically varied region of forested mountains and broadplains given over to agriculture, bounded on the north by theMekong River and on the south by the Gulf of Thailand. Thegeology is similarly varied (see map, Fig1).

The pre-Cretaceous rocks throw light on the history of theIndochina plate before its Triassic collision [note that the fos-sil evidence suggests the Jurassic is thin or absent] and weshall examine sedimentary rocks ranging from deep-seaDevonian radiolarian chert up to Triassic lacustrine shale. Thislatter is an important source-rock of the gas fields which havebeen discovered beneath the Khorat Plateau. Igneous rocksinclude Permo-Triassic tuffs and lavas which formed an islandarc in front of the Indochina plate as it faced the advancingSibumasu block, and Triassic granites of two types, someinferred to have been emplaced in the island arc and othersin the subsequent zone of collision between the two plates.

The post-collision rocks comprise a sequence of non-marinerocks generally referred to as the Khorat Group which islargely Cretaceous in age [but may include a thin Jurassicsequence at the base, as mentioned above] and which restsunconformably on the pre-collision sequence (see photo-graph). The Khorat Group occurs in two main areas, theKhorat Plateau and the Nakhon Thai Block (see map). Theformer has yielded some remarkable dinosaur discoveriesover recent decades and the field meeting will visit the excel-lent Sirindhorn Dinosaur Museum near Kalasin.

Between the Khorat Plateau and the Nakhon Thai Block thepre-Cretaceous rocks are deformed in what is known as theLoei-Phetchabun Fold Belt (Figs.1 and 2). It is here, in whatis frequently called the Loei Suture, that we shall examinehighly folded Devonian radiolarian chert and basic igneousrocks which have prompted some to see this as the site (i.ethe suture) of a now-closed Palaeozoic ocean.

The last part of the field meeting will be in the southeast,close to the Cambodian border. Here we shall have opportu-nities to see evidence of an undoubted suture, named the SraKaeo Suture, with outcrops of mélange and pillow lavas.Whether this represents the former ocean which separatedSibumasu and Indochina, or whether it is a closed back-arcbasin, remains a matter of debate. After a night inChanthaburi with its famous gemstone market, we shallspend two nights on the forested island of Ko Chang

(Elephant Island) which is formed of Permo-Triassic acidiclavas and tuffs. As well as the chance to relax on some of themost delightful beaches in Thailand or snorkel among thecoral reefs, we hope to visit by boat some of the smallerislands in this area of the Gulf.

Archaeologically, eastern Thailand is the richest part of thecountry, several of the places to be visited being WorldHeritage Sites. In the course of our travels we shall visit theremains of the 13th and 14th Century city of Sukhothai (50km NW of Phitsanulok), and later that evening we shall beable to join the charming full-moon waterside ceremony ofLoy Kratong on the banks of the Nan River at Phitsanulok. AtBan Chiang, east of Udon Thani, we shall see artefacts andfuneral practices of an agricultural society which flourishedover 5000 years ago. And at Phimai, near NakhonRatchasima, we shall visit the remains of a temple complexwhich was part of the 12th Century Khmer empire based atAngkor Wat.

The provisional itinerary for the trip is: Bangkok, Khao YaiNational Park, Nakhon Sawan, Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Loei,Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sra Kaeo, Chanthaburi, KoChang, Phatthaya, Bangkok. Provisional dates are 18thNovember to 4th December 2010. Further details are in theCircular page 12.

Mike Ridd

Thailand Field Meeting, 2010

Figure 1 Simplified geological map of eastern Thailand showing the areato be traversed by the 2010 field meeting. Most of the area covered by

the map is part of the Indochina Block. However the Permo-Triassicisland arc (the Sukhothai Arc) occupies a convex-to-the-west belt fromthe NW corner of the map, beneath the central plain, and trending SE

through the Chanthaburi and Ko Chang area.

'Distant view of flat-lying Mesozoic sandstone of the Nakhon ThaiBlock overlying forest-covered pre-collision rocks of the Loei-

Phetchabun Fold Belt.


Graham WortonMarch 29 Brymbo and the Clwydian Range area - DrJacqui Malpas.April 24 Field meeting: Cotswolds - Dave Owen.April 26 Lapworth Museum.June 19 Field meeting Buxton Volcanics - ChrisArkwright.For information contact Barbara Russell 01902650168. www.bcgs.infoBrighton & Hove Geological SocietyContact John Cooper 01273 292780 email: [email protected] Naturalists' SocietyContact 01373 474086Email: [email protected] Brea Mining SocietyMarch 16 Mining in the Northern Pennines byColin Short.April 20 AGM Followed by The East CornwallMineral Railway - Vic Harman.May 18 The Effect of Mineral Extraction on theCornish Landscape - Ieuin Marris.June 15 Audio Memories - Chris Bount.June 20 Field trip at Wheal Martin led by local his-torian Colin Bristow.Contact Lincoln James 01326 311420Cheltenham Mineral and Geological SocietyFor more information on lectures contact Ann Kent01452 610375For more information on Field trips contact KathVickers 01453 827007Craven & Pendle Geological SocietyMarch 12 Redevelopment of the Rotunda Museum -180 years in the making - Will Watts.April 16 Members evening Paul Kabrna, MikeSquirrell.May 7 Rhyolite glaciovolcanism at ÖraefajökullVolcano, SE Iceland: a window on Quaternary cli-mate change - Angela WalkerContact: [email protected] orwww.cpgs.org.ukCumberland Geological SocietyMarch 10 AGM and Presidential Address.Contact Susan Beale 016974 [email protected]. www.cumberland-geol-soc-org.uk.The Devonshire Association (Geology Section)March 20 The Brendan Moore Lecture: MagmaInjection as a trigger for dome collapse of TheSoufriere Hills volcano, Montserrat - Dr BenWilliamson.April 10 Field meeting: North Cornwall - Dr TedFeshney.Contact Jenny Bennett 01647 24033 [email protected] Dinosaur Societywww. Dinosaursociety.com. Contact: Prof RichardMoody [email protected] Natural History & Archaeology SocietyContact Jenny Cripps email:[email protected] Geological SocietyMarch 10 Joint lecture with Mining Institute ofScotland (7pm, Murchison House) BoreholeSurveying in mining, quarrying and oil exploration -Dr James TweedieMarch 24 Taking the plunge into deep time - land-scape evolution comes of age - Professor TimAtkinson April 8 Joint Celebrity Lecture with the GeologicalSociety of Glasgow (in Glasgow) Leiden University,Netherlands Earth - from global menaces to planetaryhope - Peter Westbroek,www.edinburghgeolsoc.orgEarth Science Teachers AssociationFor membership contact: Mike Tuke [email protected] tel 01480457068ESTA website www.esta-uk.netEast Herts Geology ClubCheck website for venue or contact Diana Perkins

01920 463755.www.ehgc.org.uk email: [email protected] Visitors most welcome - £2East Midlands Geological SocietyMarch 13 AGM April 24 The Forensic use of Micropalaeontology -Dr. Haydon BaileyContact Secretary Janet Slater [email protected] Geological SocietyMarch 10 Borehole Surveying in mining, quarryingand oil exploration - Dr James Tweedie.March 24 Taking the plunge into deep time - land-scape evolution come of age - Prof. Tim Atkinson.April 8 Joint celebrity lecture with the GeologicalSociety of Glasgow . Earth - from Global menaces toPlanetary hope - Peter Westbroek.www.edinburghgeolsoc.org.Essex Rock and Mineral SocietyMarch 3 Field trip: Herne Bay, Kent - Marlin RaynerMarch 9 The Volcanoes of Costa Rica - Gerald Lucyand David Turner.March 14 Field trip: Evolution of Romney Marshand Dungeness - Dr Peter Allen April 3 -4 Field meeting: Yorkshire Coast - BobHiggins and Derek Glover April 13 Amber - Dr Chris Duffin. April 18 Field trip: Warden Point, Sheppey - DavidTurner.April 25 Field trip: The Naze, Walton, Essex - GeraldLucy. May 11 The Geology of Tendring and itsImplications for Planning by Dr Peter Allen. May 29- 30 Field trip: Dorset Coast - Tony Holmes. June 8 Neptunea - Bob Markham.July 13 Jade - Ian Mercer.June 19 Field trip: Kensworth, Bedfordshlre - DavidTurner.Graham Ward for Lectures 01277 218473.www.erms.orgFriends of the Sedgwick Museum, CambridgeContact: Dr Peter Friend 01223-333400. Geological Society of GlasgowContact Dr Iain Allison email:[email protected] Society of NorfolkContact Email: [email protected] and District Geological SocietyContact Diana Williams email: [email protected] www.hastingsgeolsoc.org.ukHertfordshire Geological SocietyMarch 4 AGM.April 8 Percy Evans Lecture: Radioactive Particles inseabed sediments off Scotland - a legacy of Britain'snuclear industry -Prof Tim Atkinson.April 17 Field visit to Mimram Valley and ChilternScarp West of Hitchin - Mike Howgate.May 6 talk.May 8-15 Field trip to N. Ireland - Dr Phil Doughty.www.hertsgeolsoc.ology.org.ukContact Linda Hamling 01279 423815.Horsham Geological Field ClubMarch 10 The Life and Death of a Woolly Rhino - DrDanielle Schreve.April 14 Carboniferous Fossil Forests - Dr HowardFalcon - Lang.May 12 AGM.June 9 Zeolites and other Minerals of NorthernIreland - Dr Norman Moles.Contact Mrs Gill Woodhatch 01403 250371Hull Geological SocietyContact Mike Horne 01482 346784Email:[email protected] website http://go.to/hullgeolsocThe Jurassic CoastDetails are available on the web site at www.Jurassiccoast.com. Leicester Literary & Philosophical Society(Geology)

March 10 Arsenic mining: Environmental monitoringusing earthworms, toenails and a simulated stomach -Dr Michael Watts.March 13 The Earth's Crazy Paving: a 21st centuryperspective on Plate Tectonics.March 24 AGM and Chairman's Address. Managingour flood defences for the Future - Dr Joanne Norris.Contact Andrew Swift 0116 2523646; Email: [email protected] Geological AssociationMarch 11 Where did all the ice go? Ice sheet fluctu-ations in Yorkshire during the Last Glacial Maximum- Dr Mark Bateman.April 22 The Assembly of the West Africa Craton:evidence from the BGS Survey of NorthernMauritania - Dr David Schofied.May 6 The Earth after us - Dr Jan Zalasievicz.Enquiries email [email protected] Geological SocietyMarch 16 Distinguished Visitor's Address: Rivers,Floods and Climate Change - Lynn Frostick.April 16-23 150th Anniversary field meeting to NWScotland - Joe Crossley and Hazel Clark.May 2 Field meeting: Geology around St Helens -Phil Firth.June 12 Field meeting: Charnwood Forest - MauriceHandley.July 23 The Iceland Reunion trip - Chris Hunt.Contact: Joe Crossley: 0151 426 1324 or [email protected] Geological AssociationMarch 10 The Sichuan Earthquake Disaster - Prof.David Petley.April 17 Field trip: Salford - Tony Adams.May 23 Field trip: Llangollen - Jaqui Malpas.May 28-June 3 Field trip: Germany - John Nudds.July 4 Field trip: Quarry Bank Mill Styal CountryPark Open Day - Fred Owen.Contact email: Jane Michael, email [email protected] 07917 434598.All meetings in the Williamson Building, Universityof Manchester. Mid Wales Minerals, Fossils and Geology ClubContact Bill Bagley 01686 412679.Norfolk Mineral & Lapidary SocietyMeetings at St Georges Church Hall ChurchfieldGreen, Norwich. 19.30hrs every first Tuesday of theMonth except [email protected] Eastern Geological SocietyMarch 16 Holocene volcanism in Iceland - eruptionhistory, styles and magnitudes - Dr ThorvaldurThordanson.www.northeast-geolsoc.50megs.com Email: [email protected] or 01207 545907www.dur.ac.uk/g.r.foulger/NEGS.htmlOpen University Geological SocietyEvents - listed on http://ougs.org, or contact ChristineArkwright [email protected] 01772 335316Membership - contact Stuart [email protected] 01244 676865Reading Geological SocietyMarch 1 Geophysics, Geology and AppliedArchaeology - Rev T. AstinApril 12 Igneous Rocks - Mr. M.F. OsmantonMay 10 Members Evening Two short talks byMembersJune 7 Evening Ramble Marlow - D. RileyJuly 5 Research Topic Student from Royal HollowayAugust 2 Evening Ramble - Dr. B. Skillerne deBristoweContact Christine Hooper- for lectures 0118 9471597 email: [email protected] David Ward - for field trips 01344 483563The Russell SocietyEmail Frank Ince [email protected] on page 23...............Shropshire Geological SocietyMarch 10 British earthquakes Dr Ian Stimpson

13GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010

Tuesday, 30th November 2010Depart Ko Chang and take ferry to the mainland.Then drive to Phatthaya, examining Permo-Triassicredbeds, Quaternary basalt, Permian deep-watercherts, Triassic granite and Lower Palaeozoic lime-stone on the way. Overnight at All Seasons Hotel,Phatthaya. www.all-seasons-hotels.comWednesday, 1st December 2010Depart Phatthaya for Bangkok and check in atBossotel Inn. www.bossotelinn.com Thursday, 2nd December 2010At leisure or sightseeing for half day or full day tour.Members can book in advance or after they havearrived in Thailand. Payment can be made locally.Friday, 3rd December 2010At leisure or optional sightseeing. Check out of hotelat 12 noon.Transfer to Suvarnabhumi Airport for flight toLondon on Thai Airways TG916 at 12:25 (approxmidnight).

There will be places for 15 members and on thatbasis the cost is expected to be £1490 per person,assuming double occupancy of hotel rooms; (that fig-ure could change if airport taxes and other supple-mentary charges increase before bookings are con-firmed). Single occupancy supplement will be £249.The price includes economy-class flights, minibustravel, accommodation, breakfast, ferries, tolls, hoteltransfers and speedboat hire. It does not includeadmission fees to historical or other sites of interest,lunches, dinners (Thai meals are remarkably inex-pensive), and optional tours in Khao Yai NationalPark and Bangkok.

Places on this trip will be limited for logistical rea-sons and, in the event the trip is over-subscribed, pri-ority will be given to members who register theirinterest early with the Office.

COPENHAGEN MUSEUM VISITOrganised by David Bone, Alan Lord, RogerDixon Saturday 23rd - Monday 25th October 2010This trip is now full but waiting list enquiries wel-come.

JAPAN, November 2011Plans are at an early stage for a field meeting in

Japan, provisionally in November when the typhoonseason is likely to be over and the maple and gingkotrees are at their most colourful. The plan is to exam-ine a transect of the country from the Japan Sea to thePacific, examining the different terranes of Honshuand Shikoku islands. Some of Japan's finest castles,shrines and temples will be visited and, provisional-ly, we shall include Kyoto, Kobe, Mount Fuji andTokyo in the itinerary. The leader will be Dr FrancisHirsch (Naruto University of Education, Shikoku),assisted by Mike and Mikiko Ridd, as well as localstaff from geological museums and academic insti-tutes. Travel in Japan will be by coach and bullettrain. Further details will appear in the Circular, butmeanwhile members are invited to advise Sarah atthe GA office.

GEOLOGISTS' ASSOCIATION LOCAL GROUPS

Cambridgeshire Geology ClubContact - Alan Murphy on 07768 821385 Email: [email protected] Dorset Local GroupContact Doreen Smith 01300 320811. Email: [email protected] GroupMarch 3 Discovery of New Minerals - Dr ChrisStanley.April 7 Intruders in the Landscape - Ken Newman.May 5 Aspects of Geology in Construction - Mike

Eden.June 2 Asteroids - Professor Hilary Downes.Contact Dr Trevor Greensmith 01268 785404Farnham Geological SocietyMarch 19 Palaeontological Association BaldwinLecture: Carboniferous Coal Forests - HowardFalcon-Lang.April 9 Santorini super-volcano: the cause and thedevastating effect in the Aegean - Dr Fred Witham.April 10-12 Field trip: East Midlands.April 25-May 2 Field trip: Madeira.May 14 Geology & Disease - Dr Gerry Slavin.June 6 Field trip: Isle of Portland.June 11 Dolerite emplacement in Antarctica - DrDonny Hutton.Contact - Mrs Shirley Stephens tel: 01252 680215Field Trip Contact - Dr Graham Williams tel: 01483573802 Email [email protected]:farnhamgeosoc.org.uk. Harrow & Hillingdon Geological SocietyMarch 10 'Catastrophic Flooding: How BritainBecame an Island' - Dr Jenny Collier (Imperial)April 14 Caring for the Chilterns - the role of theGeological Advisor - Dr Haydon Bailey.May 12 AGM followed by Glaciers and the Icesheetin Chile and Argentina - Jo Crocker.June 9 Diamonds Through Time - Prof. Andy Fleet.June 19-26 Field meeting: Western Ireland - JohnArthurs.July 14 Scelidosaurus - the Dorset Dinosaur - Dr Tim Ewin.Contact: Jean Sippy 020 8422 1859 Email: [email protected] Field trip infor-mation Allan Wheeler 01344 455451.www.hhgs.org.uk Kent Geologists GroupMarch 16 AGM & Aspects of the Carboniferous - Dr Ed Jarzembowski.April 20 Geology and scenery of South Harris - Dr Alan Heyes.May 18 Benjamin Harrison and the Search forAncient Kentish Man - Nick Baker.June 15 Geology and Dust - Dr Brian Marker.July 20 Volcanic Hazards - Dr Anne Padfield.Contact Indoor Secretary Mrs Ann Barrett Tel:01233 623126 email: [email protected] information www.kgg.org.ukThe Kirkaldy Society (Alumni of Queen MaryCollege)April 9 Annual dinner in London.May 2 Day excursion to Codicote, Hertfordshire -Mike Howgate.May 18-27 Field trip to Bornholm, Denmark - Dr Richard Bromley.July 2-4 Field trip to Scarborough - Professor PeterRawson.October 2 AGM at University of London.Contact David Greenwood 020 8449 6614email:[email protected] Acting Secretary Jennifer Rhodes 01204811203 Email:[email protected] Valley Geological SocietyMarch 11 Super continent - our once and future world- Dr Ted Nield.April 8 Chalk - the record of life and death in a hot-house ocean - Professor Ian Jarvis May 13 The folklore of fossils - Dr Paul Taylor June 10 Snowball Earth - Professor Philip Allen www.dendron.net/mvgs. Email: Chas Cowie:[email protected] Staffordshire GroupMarch 4 AGM and Chairman's Address: Dr Ian Stimpson.April 17 Field meeting: Ecton Hills and the EctonHills Field Studies Association - Peter Kennett &Peter Lane.May 15-16 Field weekend: North Wales - RichardWaller.

Contact for details Eileen Fraser 01260 271505Contact Field trips: Gerard Ford 01630 673409.Oxford Geology Group March 18 Preservation of the Mineral Diversity inCornwall and Zimbabwe - Kevin Walsh.April 15 Natural Hazards Dangerous Earth -Professor John Dewey.May 20 Archaean Agmatites and Intrusion Breccias:a smashing story - Dr Peter Hall.www.oum.ox.ac.uk/ogg.htm. or call programme sec-retary 01865 272960.Ravensbourne Geological SocietyMarch 9 The Driest Place on Earth - Chris CarltonApril 13 Surrey Landscape Mystery - MauriceRogers.May 11 London's Foundations - Di Clements.June 8 Diamonds Through Time - Andrew Fleet.July 13 Ice Age - Barbara Silva.Contact Carole McCarthy Secretary: 020 8854 9138email: [email protected] or Vernon Marks: 0208460 2354.Cymdeithas Daeaereg Gogledd Cymru: NorthWales GeologyMarch 10 Women and Geology in Wales - Prof.Cynthia Burek.April 14 Parys Mine Underground Tour.May 5 The Welsh Basin - a Window on Deep TimeClimate Change - Dr. Jeremy Davies. May 15 Parys Mountain Copper Mine Surface Tour. Contact Jonathan Wilkins 01492 583052 [email protected] www.ampyx.org.uk/cdgcSouth Wales Group - Cymdeithas Y DaearegwyrGrwp De Cymru-March 13 AGM and Presidential address:Geoconservation: Serious Fun! - Nigel McGaw.April 17 & 18 Field weekend to Pembrokeshire -Brian Williams.Full details to follow. Contact Lynda Garfield at [email protected] of EnglandMarch 9 South Wales Coalfield - Peter Brabham.April 20 AGM.Contact Graeme Churchard 0117 967 1066.www.wega.org.uk West Sussex Geological SocietyMarch 19 Utilising low cost G.I.S. and RemoteSensing to aid disaster risk Assessment - Dr NaomiMorris.March 28 Field trip: The geology of Brackleshamand Selsey - David Bone.April 16 Giant foraminifera of the Eocene; the lifeand times of Nummulites.May 21 Water on Mars - Dr Peter Grindrod.June 3 A local church walk - David Bone.June 18 Island Britain; Formation of the EnglishChannel - Dr Sanjeev Gupta.June 27 Annual Downland walk - Tony Brook.Contact Betty Steel 01903 209140 Email: [email protected]

AFFILIATED SOCIETIES

Amateur Geological SocietyEnquiries: Julia Daniels 020 8346 1056. Bath Geological SocietyMarch 4 The Joggins Fossil Cliffs of Nova Scotia -Dr. Howard Falcon-Lang.May 6 Where Plates Go - Prof. Tim Elliot.Contact Elizabeth Devon: Email:[email protected] Belfast Geologists' SocietyMarch 15 Scottish Granites and their GeothermalPotential - Dr Ed Stephens.April 9 AGM.Contact Peter Millar 9064 2886, email: [email protected] Country Geological SocietyMarch 21 Field meeting: Compton, Wolverhampton -

GA Magazine of the Geologists’Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 201012

THE GEOLOGY ALONG THE MIMRAM VAL-LEY AND THE CHILTERNS AROUNDHITCHINLeader: Mike HowgateSunday 13th June 2010 10:30

In the morning we will be looking at the evidencefor the Anglian Ice margin including Kames and flu-vio-glacial deposits, the diversion of the Mimram bythe ice sheet and wells feeding the local watercressindustry. In the afternoon we will look for the sourceof the Mimram, then ascend Deacon Hill for the viewand visit Pirton church to see gigantic ammonites andhear the story of the missing fossil fish.

Equipment: There will be four to five miles ofwalking including two quite steep climbs so boots areessential together with clothing appropriate to theweather conditions.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 20.Register with Sarah Stafford at the GA office sendingan administration fee of £5 to confirm your place.

WEALDEN EXCURSIONLeaders: Pete Austen, Richard Agar, Dr EdJarzembowski and Geoff ToyeJuly (date to be confirmed) 2010

This trip continues the popular annual excursion toworking pits in the Weald Clay of south-eastEngland, where the GA has already participated insome superb fossil finds. The venue(s) will be con-firmed later so as to take advantage of conditions atthe time. Numbers may be limited.

Equipment: You must have suitable footwear, ahigh visibility jacket and hard hat.

Cost & booking: Further details will be availablefrom Sarah Stafford at the GA office. Register withSarah sending an administration fee of £5 per personto confirm your place.

WRABNESS AND HARWICHLeaders: Graham Ward and Bill GeorgeSaturday 4th September 2010

We will examine the lithology of the London Clayat Wrabness including seams of altered volcanic ashand then move on to collect fossil sharks teeth fromthe foreshore at Harwich.

It will be possible to collect participants fromWrabness station (09.18 train from London LiverpoolStreet arriving 10.35). Trains from Harwich Town areabout one per hour, on the hour back to London.

Equipment: Boots, waterproofs and a packedlunch.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 20.Further details will be available from Sarah Staffordat the GA office. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £5 per person to confirm yourplace.

TAVISTOCK QUARRIES title tbcLeaders: Eddie Bailey and Sam RhodesSaturday 11th - Sunday 12th Sept. 2010

We will spend the first day in and around GreystoneQuarry near Tavistock. We will look at the geology(dolerite sill intruded into the Greystone Formationwhich is an abyssal siltstone - a stretch of hornfelsedsiltsone is clearly visible in the quarry). We may alsobe able to find one or two outcrops nearby that helpexpand the local geology being introduced. We willalso introduce the quarry workings. The followingday we will visit Meldon Quarry famous for its vol-canics, hornfels and slates and complex structure,which has recently had to find a new purpose! Thetraditional rail ballast contract has been withdrawndue to the recession but investigations found that thequarry had materials that could be worked competi-tively into the bulk fill market. This will help keepMeldon going until the ballast market resumes.Boreholes were also recently drilled to help elucidatethe geology to the south of the current excavations -the first boreholes for years. Althought the cores may

not be available for inspection next Sept (they willhave been crushed and tested) they give an opportu-nity to unravel the enigmatic thrusting and foldingthat characterises Meldon. We will also introduce theGeodiversity plans AI have for Meldon and havelunch at our new rock park!

Equipment: Hard hats and hi-vis jacketsCost and booking: Numbers will be limited to 30.

Further details will be available from Sarah Staffordat the GA office. Please note the GA will not bearranging accommodation. Register with Sarah send-ing an administration fee of £5 per person to confirmyour place.

MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE PRE-GLACIAL ANDGLACIAL DEPOSITS OF NORTH NORFOLKLeaders: Dr Jonathan Lee and Dr Emrys Phillips(BGS)Saturday 18th September 2010

This excursion will examine pre-glacial and glacialdeposits at one of the most famous Pleistocene sitesin Britain. During the trip we will have the opportu-nity to examine three Pleistocene units: the WestRunton Freshwater Bed - temperate stage (CromerianComplex) fluvial deposits of the Cromer Forest-bedFormation; shallow marine sands and gravels of theWroxham Crag and finally a highly deformed glacialsuccession including multiple tills, evidence for largescale thrusting and the formation of extensional out-wash basins.

Equipment: Bring a hard hat and stout footwear asthe trip will involve standing adjacent to high cliffsand walking along stony beaches. Packed or beachcafe lunch.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 25.Further details will be available from Sarah Staffordat the GA office. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £10 per person to confirm yourplace.

LONG WEEKEND ON THE ISLE OF WIGHTLeader: Prof Andy GaleOctober (date to be confirmed) 2010

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited. Furtherdetails will be available from Sarah Stafford at theGA office. Please note that the GA will not be book-ing accommodation. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £10 per person to confirm yourplace.

FOSSILFEST VILeader: Nev HollingworthOctober (date to be confirmed) 2010

Location(s) have still to be decided but plenty offossils can be expected.

Equipment: You must have a hard hat, hi vis vestand suitable footwear.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 25.Register with Sarah Stafford at the GA office sendingan administration fee of £5 to confirm your place.

OVERSEAS FIELD TRIPS 2010

FIELD MEETING IN EASTERN THAILAND,18th November - 3rd December 2010

Thailand is formed of two major tectonic blockswhich drifted into position and fused together in theTriassic. The GA's 2007 field meeting examined thehistory of the western of these terranes; the 2010 tripis planned to examine the eastern one, the IndochinaBlock. The leader will be Michael F. Ridd and it ishoped that Dr Assanee Meesook and Dr John Booth,geologists based in Bangkok, will accompany us forpart of the trip.

As well as fossiliferous Palaeozoic and Mesozoicsedimentary rocks and igneous rocks of varying ages,eastern Thailand boasts important archaeologicalsites including Bronze Age burial sites and thousand-year old temple complexes which were part of theKhmer empire. It is planned to visit these as well as

the excellent Dinosaur Museum near Kalasin housingsome of the spectacular finds that have been made onthe Khorat Plateau.The group will fly from London to Bangkok and thentravel by small coach, stopping at comfortable air-conditioned hotels. Toward the end of the trip weshall take the ferry to the Thai island of Ko Chang,near the Cambodian coast, where there will be oppor-tunities to explore the other islands of this group orsimply to relax. The trip will end in Bangkok withtime for sight-seeing before flying back to London.The provisional programme is:Thursday, 18th November 2010 Depart London Heathrow for Bangkok on ThaiAirways TG911 departing at 12:30 p.m.Friday, 19th November 2010Arrive Suvarnabhumi Airport at 06:05 and transferby minibus to the Juldis Khao Yai Resort and Spa onthe edge of the Khao Yai National Park. www.juld-iskhaoyai.com/juldis.htmlOptional: Night Safari in Khao Yai National Parkarranged by the forestry staff. Saturday, 20th November 2010Depart Khao Yai. Examine the Carboniferous-Permian carbonate rocks and Triassic lacustrine rocksin the Pak Chong area. Arrive at Country Lake NatureLodge, Nakhon Sawan. www.countrylake.netSunday, 21st November 2010Travel to Sukhothai Historical Park, site of the 13thand 14th Century capital of the Sukhothai kingdom.Then on to Phitsanulok and stay overnight at GrandRiverside Hotel. www.tgrhotel.comWitness the full-moon festival of Loy Krathong onthe banks of the Nan River.Monday, 22nd November 2010Depart Phitsanulok for Loei, travelling through theforested uplands of the Nakhon ThaiBlock, stopping at Chat Trakarn and other localitiesto examine non-marine Mesozoic red-beds on theway. Stay at Loei Palace Hotel. www.amari.comTuesday, 23rd November 2010Study the Devonian to Triassic rocks of the Loei foldbelt, site of a possible suture between the Indochinaand Nakhon Thai blocks. Return to Loei PalaceHotel.Wednesday, 24th November 2010Depart Loei and travel to Udon Thani, stopping toexamine Permian to Cretaceous rocks on the way.Overnight at Charoen Hotel. www.charoenhotel.comThursday, 25th November 2010Morning visit to Ban Chiang archaeological museumof Bronze Age discoveries. Then drive south acrossthe Khorat Plateau to Sirinthorn Dinosaur Museum,north of Kalasin. Stay at Sima Thani Hotel in NakhonRatchasima (Khorat). www.simathani.comFriday, 26th November 2010Depart Nakhon Ratchasima to visit the historical siteat Pimai, formerly part of the Khmer empire based atAngkor Wat. Then travel south through the Jurassic-Cretaceous redbeds forming the southern edge of theKhorat Plateau to Sra Kaeo. Overnight at TippuraHotel. http://www.tippurahotel.com/room.htmlSaturday, 27th November 2010Travel to Chanthaburi, stopping to examine pillowlavas and mélange of the Sra Kaeo Suture and over-lying Triassic turbidites. In Chanthaburi visit thebusy gemstone market for which this area is famous.Stay overnight at the KP Grand Hotel. www.kpgrand-hotel.comSunday, 28th November 2010Depart Chanthaburi and examine Triassic deep-watercherts and shales, before taking the ferry to the islandof Ko Chang. Transfer by minibus to Ramayana KohChang Resort and Spa. www.ramayana.co.thMonday, 29th November 2010At leisure, or examine the Permo-Triassic acidic tuffsand lavas of which Ko Chang is composed.Speedboat to visit reefs and islets for snorkeling andexamining Triassic granite and volcanic rocks in theKo Chang group.


PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR FIELDMEETINGS

ENQUIRIES & BOOKINGS Geoff Swann organises day and week-end meetings in the UK. Michael Ridd is responsible for overseas andlonger excursions. Sarah Stafford at the GA office is responsible forbookings, payments and general administration.

You must book through the GA office to confirm attendance. Pleasedo not contact the field meeting leader directly. Meeting times andlocations will be confirmed on booking. These are not normally adver-tised in advance, as there have been problems with members turning upwithout booking or paying and maximum numbers being exceeded. Fieldmeetings are open to non-members although attendance by non-mem-bers is subject to a £5 surcharge on top of the normal administrationfee. Some meetings may have restrictions on age (especially for under16s) or be physically demanding. If you are uncertain, please ask.

PAYMENTS for day and weekend meetings must be made beforeattending any field meeting. Cheques should be made out to Geologists'Association. A stamped addressed envelope is appreciated. Please givea contact telephone number and, if possible, an email address and pro-vide the names of any other persons that you are including in your book-ing. PLEASE ALSO PROVIDE AN EMERGENCY CONTACT NAMEAND TELEPHONE NUMBER AT THE TIME OF BOOKING.

There are separate arrangements for overseas meetings.TRANSPORT is normally via private car unless otherwise advertised.

If you are a rail traveller, it may be possible for the GA office toarrange for another member to provide a lift or collect you from thenearest railway station. This service cannot be guaranteed, but please

ask before booking.PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE for field meetings is provided but

personal accident cover remains the responsibility of the participant.Further details are available on request from the GA office.

SAFETY is taken very seriously. Should you be unsure about eitherthe risks involved or your ability to participate, you must seek advicefrom the GA office before booking. Please make sure that you studythe risk assessment prepared for all GA field meetings and that youhave all the safety equipment specified. You must declare, at the timeof booking, any disabilities or medical conditions that may affect yourability to attend a field meeting safely. You may be asked to providefurther information on any prescription drugs etc that you may usewhilst attending a field meeting. In order to ensure the safety of allparticipants, the GA reserves the right to limit or refuse attendance atfield meetings.

EMERGENCY CONTACT: If you are lost or late for the start of ameeting, an emergency contact is available during UK field meetings bycalling the GA mobile phone (07724 133290). PLEASE NOTE THISNEW NUMBER. The mobile phone will only be switched on just beforeand during field meetings. For routine enquiries please call the GAoffice on the usual number.

TRAVEL REGULATIONS are observed. The GA acts as a retail agentfor ATOL holders in respect of air flights included in field meetings. Allflights are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (see GACircular No. 942, October 2000 for further details). Field meetings ofmore than 24 hours duration or including accommodation are subject tothe Package Travel Regulations 1992. The information provided doesnot constitute a brochure under these Regulations.

CIRCULAR No. 982 March 2010

FIELD MEETINGS IN 2010We are hoping to arrange additional fossil collectingopportunities during the year. There may not be timeto advertise these in the Circular so if you would likedetails when they become available contact SarahStafford at the GA office.

PLEASE ALSO REFER TO OUR WEB SITE(http://www.geologists.org.uk/events_fieldtrips.html) FOR CHANGES TO THE PROGRAMMEAND FOR FINALISED DATES

RETURN TO NEWHAVENLeader: Geoff ToyeSaturday 27th March 2010Another opportunity to collect from the chalk of the

Newhaven area with plenty of fossils in prospect.Equipment: Hard hats are advisable.

Cost and booking: Further details will be availablefrom Sarah Stafford at the GA office. Register withSarah sending an administration fee of £5 to confirmyour place.

A LONG WEEKEND ON THE YORKSHIRECOASTLeader: John HudsonFriday - Monday 16th - 19th April 2010

Itinerary details are still to be confirmed but will inpart be weather dependent. We will be based inScarborough and the trip will provide an opportunityto study the world famous sections exposed on theYorkshire coast and inland. There will be ampleopportunities for fossil collecting.

Equipment: You will need a hard hat. There maybe some fairly strenuous walking involved.

Cost and booking: Numbers will be limited to 20.Further details will be available from Sarah Staffordat the GA office. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £10 to confirm your place.Please note the GA will not be booking accommoda-tion. We will arrange a group dinner on the Saturdayevening if there is sufficient interest.

RADSTOCK - COAL MEASURES ANDAMMONITESLeaders: Simon Carpenter and Alan BentleySaturday 24th April 2010

The day starts at Radstock Museum where the story

of coal mining in Somerset is told. The museum alsocontains spectacular fossil displays. Following themuseum visit, several local geological sites will bevisited including disused Lower Lias quarries and anold coal measures tip. Fossil collecting is permittedat some sites so don't forget your hammers and gog-gles. Packed lunch or cafe stop.

Equipment: Please make sure you have a hard hatand hi vis jacket.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 20.Further details will be available from Sarah Staffordat the GA office. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £5 to confirm your place.

FOSSILS AND EARLY CHURCHES IN THEWELSH BORDERLANDLeader: Prof John PotterSaturday and Sunday 8th and 9th May 2010

The annual churches trip will on this occasionexplore both the fabric of early churches and theirpossible source rocks from the Lower Palaeozoic ofthe Welsh Borderland. Using car transport, Saturday(commencing 10.30am) will view localities in theShrewsbury, Much Wenlock, Craven Arms areas.Sunday (commencing 10am) will move southtowards Ludlow, Leominster, and terminate nearHereford - thus for most accommodation will be nec-essary. No, you will not be permitted to collect fos-sils from the churches! Equipment: No hammers but bring a quality lensand binoculars. Packed or pub lunches.Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 25 andcar sharing will be necessary. Further details will beavailable from Sarah Stafford at the GA office.Please note the GA will not be arranging accommo-dation. Register with Sarah sending an administra-tion fee of £15 per person to confirm your place.

BYTHAM RIVER DEPOSITS OF LIN-COLNSHIRESaturday 15th May Leaders: Professor Jim Rose and Jenni Turner

We will be looking at sediments of the ancientBytham river (pre MIS 12 age) and at evidence fororganic deposits between Tills (MIS 12 and 10 age).Start at 10.30 hrs at the Castle Bytham site. We willstart at 10:30, packed lunch or local hostelry, expect-ing to end about 16:00.

Equipment: You will need a hard hat and hi-visjacket.

Cost and Booking: Numbers may be limited.Further details will be available from Sarah Staffordat the GA office. Register with Sarah sending anadministration fee of £5 per person to confirm yourplace.

A DAY ON THE BAWDSEY PENINSULALeaders: Roger Dixon and Bob MarkhamSaturday 22nd May 2010

A guided tour of the unique 'Pliocene Island' atSutton Knoll, Suffolk, an island of Coralline Crag inthe Red Crag sea. This is a flagship site and we willalso visit the 'Pliocene Forest' planted and maintainedby Geosuffolk and funded by the GA's Curry Fund.We will then visit two Red Crag pits (good for col-lecting) not previously visited by the GA. We willend the day at East Lane Bawdsey to examine theLondon Clay/Red Crag junction with good cliffexposure of the basal Red Crag phosphatic pebblebed and new coastal defenses. The itinerary is tidedependent.

Equipment: Suitable footwear and clothing. Atrowel and sieve would be useful. Bring a packedlunch.

Cost & booking: Numbers will be limited to 20and car sharing will be necessary. Further details willbe available from Sarah Stafford at the GA office.Register with Sarah sending an administration fee of£5 per person to confirm your place.

THE GAULT CLAY OF FOLKESTONE - JOINTMEETING WITH THE PALAEONTOLOGI-CAL ASSOCIATIONLeader: Professor Andy galeSaturday June 5 2010Meet 10.30 at the car park by the East Pavilion.

This meeting celebrates the forthcoming publica-tion of the Palaeontological Association's book"Fossils of the Gault Clay".

Equipment: Stout shoes, hammer, trowel/knifeand a copy of the Pal. Assn Guide to the GaultFossils. Bring a packed lunch

Cost and booking: Numbers will be limited.Register with Sarah Stafford at the GA office sendingan administration fee of £5 to confirm your place.


Book Reviews by Rockwatchers"Creatures of the Deep" published by the NaturalHistory Museum.

Author John Woodward.Price £14.99. ISBN: 978 0565 09246 7

'Creatures of the deep' is a fantasticbook telling you about how humans dis-covered the deep sea as well as thecreatures that live there. It is veryinformative and easy to read. I lovedthe 3D pop-ups, flaps and the clearlylabelled, colourful pictures, althoughsome of them may scare youngerchilden. The fascinating information

explains about the weirdly-shaped crea-tures and their methods for hunting inthe pitch black as well as the history ofhow we discovered the oceans. It evengives a detailed explanation of theocean floor and how the plates of theEarth's crust can change it. It givesinformation on three separate zones ofthe ocean and creatures that live there(e.g. the sunlit and twilight zones) notjust the dark zone. It would be usefulas an information book but would alsobe a nice book for reading just for fun.

Rockwatcher Mia Brown

"Dinosaurs" published by the NaturalHistory Museum.

Author Dougal Dixon. Price£14.99. Aimed at childrenages 8+. ISBN: 978 0 56509245 0

I really enjoyed this book because pop-up books are usually babyish, but this oneholds a lot of factual information. It isvery easy to read and has pages aboutflying reptiles, swimming reptiles andmuch, much more. The life-like illustra-tions help you to grasp the amazinginsights into dinosaur behaviour andanatomy. There is a time-line that showswhat people thought the iguanodon

looked like. My favourite pages are 22-23 which are all about marine reptiles. Ithas pictures of what marine reptiles mayhave looked like, and catchy sub-head-ings like 'Floating food' and 'Speedy andstreamlined'. Another good page is page28 which has the survival rates of dif-ferent animal families. On every pagethis book has a key finds section, whichtells you about finds or discoveries thatlink with that page. The worst thing isthat the writing is white on a black back-ground which makes it harder to read.Apart from that, this is a brilliant bookthat is a really good buy, and I would rec-ommend this to people of all ages.

Rockwatcher Philip Vixseboxse

Fossil Fun for Kidsis an Educational Workshop that is trav-elling the length and breadth of theJurassic Coast to bring geology, historyand art to children visiting this WorldHeritage Site. The workshop is based on

anatomically correct fossil drawingswhich are then sandblasted into stone tomake tactile works of art which are usedto make latex moulds. At the start ofthe workshop children look at thesedesigns and they learn about ammonites,gryphea, icthyosaurs, dapedium and manyother fossils found along the JurassicCoast as well as trilobites. Plastermoulds are then made in front of thechildren and one by one they peel off thelatex mould revealing the fossil whichthey can paint and take home with them.They are totally absorbed and come upwith some beautiful colours.

The workshop is available for all pri-mary schools and you can find about it onthe DepARTure data base for schools orby contacting philipanslow @hotmail

.com, or phoning 07776461117. Theworkshop is available for festivals, fairsand private parties and Philip’s artworkcan be viewed at various galleries alongthe Jurassic Coast.


This is the time of year to take stock,to look at events of the past year, toconsider plans for the forthcomingyear and of course, as ever, to seekfunding and support!

As you will have seen from theDecember 2009 issue of this maga-zine, Rockwatch activities were in fullswing until early November androunded off with a splendid winterissue of the magazine. Our pro-gramme for the early part of 2010 isalready looking busy with a week atBGS in Keyworth talking to localschool children for Science Week, cul-minating in a now regular Family Day,which has visitors waiting to rush inwhen the doors open at 10.00 a.m. Infact, such is the rush, that entry timesare now staggered! Later in March, wewill be exploring the Cotswold WaterPark and have high hopes of greatfossil finds again. Haslemere Museumhas asked us to do a Family Day inApril and later that month we'll belooking at churches and quarries inSuffolk. A train journey to Leamingtonhas been organised, exploring thegeology en route - always fun from atrain - and we will try out the newLeamington Town Trail, funded by theCurry Fund, when we arrive.

Another new venture for Rockwatch,in partnership with BGS, is a weekendevent at Papplewick Pumping Stationin Nottinghamshire. This is a wonder-fully ornate Victorian building and willhave lots of activities for families aswell as tours around the building.

Looking towards some of the "earlybird" activities scheduled for later inthe year, our annual residential weekin Dorset, a firm favourite, is set forthe last week in July. Not only havemany families joined us every year(we are now on our 7th or possibly8th visit!) but some, whose member-ship lapsed, had rejoined after sever-

al years so they can once again learnmore about the geology of this fan-tastic coastline.

Rockwatch has been invited to co-convene a meeting with theMineralogical Society on "Nature'sTreasures" at the end of the year,which is really exciting and quite anew opportunity. Last year, rather latein the year, Rockwatch members wereinvited to join a similar meeting andthe youngsters and their parents whowent (and were paid for by theMin.Soc.) were fulsome in their praisefor the event. Their emails later saidhow much they had learnt and howpleased they were to have been giventhat opportunity. So, we have highhopes for the meeting this year, whenRockwatch will be able to play a big-ger role.

If any of our Local Groups andAffiliated Societies are interested inhosting a Rockwatch field trip to theirarea, please do get in touch with meand we'll see what we can do to bringthat to fruition.

I've frequently thought thatRockwatch appeals to all ages and thiswas brought home to me at a party atChristmas. I was talking to a man whotold me that, although his grandchild'sinterest had moved on, he (the grand-father) would keep the membershipup because he so enjoyed theRockwatch magazine. He was not ageologist, but had more than a pass-ing interest in the subject, and themagazine gave him an excellent intro-duction to the field and thenceenabled him to further his knowledgeon his own. I was delighted!

I'm pleased to say that Rockwatchgoes from strength to strength. Weare fortunate to have lots of wonder-ful people who are willing and able tohelp us, with the magazine, with fieldtrips and generally. So thank you all.And of course, we are extremelygrateful to those who support us inother ways and this year we'vealready had commitments fromStatoil and the Geological Society tothis effect.

Susan Brown Chairman

ROCKWATCH NEWS

Rory explains the finer points of the stratigraphyof the Chalk

Emily’s first trilobite, South Wales weekend

Festival of Geology 2009

Fossil detectives at Lyme Regis

Fitting up for the mine at Auderley Edge

8 GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010

The 15th of October saw the launch ofLondon's Foundations. This is an initia-tive of the London GeodiversityPartnership aimed at local planners aspart of the London Plan ImplementationReport which will help to protect andvalue geodiversity in the capital. It iden-tifies features of geological value andprovides a base for developing a GreaterLondon Geodiversity Action Plan.

The main aim of the day was to informLocal Authority planners. The actuallaunch of London's Foundations tookplace in Charlton House with talks firston geodiversity in general from IainStewart followed by an overview of

London's geodiversity from JonathanLarwood. After refreshments the partywas led down the hill to Gilbert's Pitwhere Jackie Skipper showed them

round, explaining the importance of suchexposures for planners, engineers, edu-cation and research.Gilbert's Pit is an SSSI for the LambethGroup and Blackheath Beds and is thesite chosen by the London Geodiversity

Partnership as a case study for promot-ing London's geology. A class of Year 6children from the local ThorntreePrimary School were invited to partici-pate in three geological activities organ-ised for the occasion. While one group

were escorted on a tour of the pit, look-ing at the exposures with Kate Mitchellfrom Natural England expertly assistedby Steve Tracey, a second group dis-cussed the past environments ofCharlton with Diana Clements with theaid of representative fossils and recon-struction pictures. A third group tookpart in a sieving activity developed byDave Ward for the Lyme Regis Festival.This used material from Abbey Wood andwas master-minded by Pip Brewer, JillDarrell and Noel Morris from the NaturalHistory Museum and assisted by IsabelAssaly and Emily Dresner of NaturalEngland. As the Early EoceneBlackheath Beds at the top of the pit arethe same age as the Lessness Shell Bedat Abbey Wood it seemed appropriatematerial to work with and the childrenwere delighted to go home with a shark's

tooth or two and many fossil shells. Theevent was fortuitously held in the weekfollowing the excavation and extractionof material in Abbey Wood by JerryHooker and the Tertiary Research Groupand Steve Tracey was able to bring overfresh bag-loads for sieving. The objectof the annual dig at Abbey Wood is tolook for mammal material from thisimportant site but, unfortunately, from

Jerry's point of view, no mammal mate-rial was found in this batch.

Prior to the launch Jonathan Larwoodand Adam Ellwell from Natural Englandhad visited the school to talk about thehistory of Gilbert's Pit and had initiatedan art competition for the class. Thepaintings were displayed in the gazeboerected on site and Iain Stewart, pre-senter of the TV series Earth, was invit-ed to award prizes to the winners. Itwas rewarding to see how much the chil-dren had taken in and some of themwere clearly very interested in the rocksand fossils. The winner, MuaazChowdhury, had made an interestingpainting including a block diagram. Heand several others brought in specimens

to look at.The activities at Gilbert's Pit attracted

some press coverage. In particular apresenter, Sally Rourke from ITN LondonTonight came with a camera and organ-ised the children to introduce the fossilsthey had been looking at or sieving.There were some general shots of theactivities and she also filmed JonathanLarwood talking about the section. Ashort piece went out on the 6 o'clocknews the same day and the local paperalso covered the story.

It was a glorious October day and,although the planners were a bit thin onthe ground, the occasion was muchenjoyed by the many members of thegeological community who attended.

London's Foundations can be accessedelectronically on: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/plan-ning/geodiversity.jspThere is also a summary document,commissioned by Natural England andincluding a case study on Gilbert's Pit,available from:http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/londonfoundationsummary_tcm6-11934.pdfThese documents contain useful infor-mation on the London exposures and willform the basis for the Action Plan. I rep-resent the Geologists' Association on theLondon Geodiversity Partnership andwould be pleased to pass on any com-ments.

Diana ClementsAll photographs taken by David HarlandPhotography for Natural England

Launch of London's Foundations

Iain Stewart setting the scene at CharltonHouse with a talk on links between geology,

places and people.

Jonathan Larwood (Natural England) pres-ents London's Foundations.

Jackie Skipper takes the adult attendees on atour of Gilbert's Pit.

Class 6 from Thorntree Primary School siev-ing Abbey Wood material at the launch of

London's Foundations in Gilbert's Pit.

Diana Clements talking to Class 6 about pastenvironments of Charlton. Iain Stewart is

being televised in the background.

The winning picture painted by MuaazChowdhury on the environments of Gilbert's


'A splendid adventure'GA visit to Walton-on-the-Naze, EssexA Festival Field Trip - Sunday November 1 2009

As I sat in my car in the Naze car park, I looked out ofthe window into the gloom and driving rain, wonderingwhether I could even leave the car without having thedoor torn off by the wind, and whether anyone else wouldhave made the effort to come out on a day like this. Wellthey did. Slowly, other cars appeared, and before longthere was a group of us standing in the lee of the lockedNaze café wondering what to do next. But we were lucky.The nearby Naze tower, an 18th century historic land-mark, had just opened its doors on the last day of theseason, and we were soon inside, huddled togetherclutching mugs of hot coffee and discussing the geologyof this remarkable part of the Essex coast. We decidedthat as we had all come this far we would not to be beat-en by the weather.

Refreshed, the party set off down the concrete stepsand, with a lot of sliding about in the mud, made our wayon to a safe part of the cliffs where there was an expo-sure of Red Crag sand full of fossil shells which appealedto the fossil collectors in the party. The Red Crag is a curi-ous geological formation, laid down as shelly dunes on thesea bed about 2 million years ago during a temperateperiod at the very beginning of the Ice Age, and staineda rich red by iron oxide. Later, as the tide went out, wemade our way down to the beach and searched for sharksteeth and other fossils washed out of the 50 million yearold London Clay that forms the base of the cliffs.

In the middle of the afternoon the rain stopped but itwas too late; the temptation of tea and chocolate cake inthe warm Naze Tower was too much and we made ourway back. Amazingly, 14 people turned up and, despite

the weather, everyone seemed to enjoy the day. We wereall cold, wet and muddy at the end of it all but no-oneseemed to mind. One of the members said later that itwas 'a splendid adventure'. A day to remember, certain-ly.

Gerald Lucy

On the cliffs at The Naze, with the Naze tower in the background (photo provided by Eric Monk)

The Geologists’Association Annual DinnerFriday May 7 2010

Cavendish HotelJermyn Street London SW1

The Cavendish Hotel proved a very popular venue for our Annual Dinner last year, so wedecided to book it again this year.

It is conveniently located very near Burlington House, a short walk after our AGM and thePresidential Address. It is an excellent opportunity to meet up with old friends and the

Awards winners and we extend a warm welcome to new members.

The 3 course meal including coffee is £36.50. To book, send your cheque, payable to ‘The Geologists’ Association’, to Sarah Stafford at the GA Office

and please state if you have any special dietary requirements.

Please do join us for a great evening!

GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No 1, 20106

FESTIVAL FIELD TRIP - Sunday November 1 2009A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT GEOLOGICAL WALK

For the Festival of Geology , which wemust now call the Reunion, mild walkingdifficulties on the part of the leader, gavea rather modified character to the walkadvertised for the Sunday morning ofthe 1st of November.

Meeting at Lambeth North Tube stationof the Metropolitan of 1906, there wasthe chance to draw attention to the dis-tinctive cherry red glazed ceramic blockswhich identify the stations of the line,the brainchild of the architect LeslieGreen. The blocks appealed to theEdwardian enthusiasm for self-cleaningsurfaces of promised hard wearing qual-ity. Could they have been fired byDouitons in South London? There is onlyso much that you can say about glazedtiles. The torrential rain delayed our ven-turing across Bridge Road to puzzle overChrist Church and Upton Chapel and itsdominant spire. This was one of theparish churches, part funded by the coal

trade into the Port of London, aimed toserve the growing suburb of Lambeth.Usually, these churches are of KentishRagstone walling with dressings of yel-low Bath Stone, but in this, ChristChurch begs to differ. On examination,the dressings turned out to be whitePortland Stone, but later repairs towartime damage turned out to be thereconstituted Portland Stone dust mar-keted as Reformite, notably lacking thefossil fragments of the natural stone.The tower and capping spire are all that

survive of the original church. Whatwould have been the body of the churchis now office floors for renting, while atan angle to the road, a modern concreteannexe serves the congregation asUpton Chapel.

The Kennington Road provided theusual range of granite kerbstones, main-ly Scottish, but with a few of Shap

Granite alongside the large LambethPolice Station. The best granite howeverwas seen in a wall of The Three StagsEdwardian pub at the corner of LambethRoad. This was pink Peterhead Granitewith its customary, rather square ortho-clase feldspars , and one or two dark'heathen' inclusions (xenoliths) provingits hot intrusive origin into GrampianDalradian schists

More kerbstones and cobbles caughtthe eye in the side streets headingtowards the Morley College on StGeorge's Road.

Crossing into the park-style grounds of

the Imperial War Museum, Geology tooka novel turn when we began to take aninterest in trees and saplings and shortposts alongside them. Limes, poplars,and several different species of easy-to-recognise birches have been planted bya group called Trees for London whohave chosen to plant what might becalled the pioneer trees recolonisingBritain after the end of the last phase ofthe Pleistocene Ice ( ca 10,000 ). Eachtree is given an approximate date forarrival, and a few brief remarks aboutposition in the changing ecology of atundra-becoming-taiga tree cover(TAIGA - a BIOME characterised byconiferous forests). At the time of ourvisit (early November) it was the bircheswhich caught the eye for the colourrange of leaves, although the bright yel-low of a Wych Elm was striking amongst

the greens of the majority of the associ-ates.

Effectively, this planting gives sub-stance to the familiar pollen spectrumdiagrams which we have become accus-tomed to seeing in accounts of peat bogprofiles documenting interglacial periodsin botanical accounts by Professor HarryGodwin and the Cambridge BotanySchool. As an idea of giving substance tothe geological record, our party came toLambeth from the Festival having seenthe same kind of initiative from theFriends of the Pliocene ( Geo Suffolk )who, with the support of the Curry Fund,have planted trees and shrubs whichwould have flourished in the Pleistoceneon the local Crag at Sutton Knoll, nearWoodbridge. We must find out moreabout Trees for London.

As we were close to the 9th ofNovember and the breaching of theBerlin Wall, it was appropriate that our

walk ended with a close-up scrutiny ofthe section of the Wall which now standsclose to the grand portico to the Imperialwar Museum. This monument is com-posed of flinty gravels (of a kind spreadthickly over the North German Plain),reinforced by steel rods. It must catchthe notice of many of the numerous vis-itors who stream towards this popular

muesum . Wemight drawtheir attentionto the geology.

25 peoplebraved theweather.

ERICROBINSON


THE GEOLOGISTS' ASSOCIATION ONE-DAY MEETING 2010

WARM CLIMATES: LINKING THE PAST AND PRESENT

Organisers: Dr Danielle Schreve and Dr Ian CandyDepartment of Geography, Royal Holloway, University of London.

In the face of current concerns over climate change and greenhouse gas emissions,our geological record can offer important lessons concerning the impacts of past

global warming on the environment and their relevance to today's trends.

This one-day Scientific Meeting of the Geologists' Association, sponsored byElsevier and the Department of Environment and Climate Change focuses on periods

in Earth's history when the climate was warmer than today, taking in a broadchronological sweep from over 300 million years ago to the present day.

A series of invited lectures will examine how we measure and model the evidence forelevated temperatures, drawing on a range of data including flora, fauna, ice-sheet,deep ocean and sea level records, and examining how past landscapes and environ-

ments responded and adapted to these periods of exceptional warmth.

Confirmed keynote speakers include:Professor Mike Benton (University of Bristol), Professor Margaret Collinson (RoyalHolloway, University of London), Dr Alan Haywood (University of Leeds), Dr GregPrice (University of Plymouth) and Dr Ian Candy (Royal Holloway, University of

London).

Date: Thursday 9th September 2010

Venue: Lecture theatre of the Geological Society of London, Burlington HouseTime: 9.30am registration for 10.00am start

Price: £17 per person for GA members, £20 for non-members, to include abstractbook, lunch and all refreshments. Please make cheques payable to ‘Geologists’

Association’ and mark them on the reverse 'GA Warm Climates'

Booking is essential so please register your interest with Sarah Stafford in the GAoffice as soon as possible (020 7434 9298, [email protected]). We look

forward to seeing you at what promises to be an excellent meeting!

GA Magazine of the Geologists’ Association Vol. 9, No 1, 20104

Preserving the unpreserv-able: a lost world rediscov-ered at Christian Malford,Wilts

Dr. Phil Wilby,British Geological Survey

Friday 9 April 2010Geological Society, Burlington House,Piccadily, W1V 0JUat 6.00 pm, tea at 5.30 pm.

The animal fossil record is heavilybiased towards hard parts, despite thefact that soft-bodied organisms domi-nate most modern ecosystems and like-ly did so in the past. The Jurassic

Oxford ClayFormation at ChristianMalford, Wiltsincludes an unusualinterval that pre-serves the soft partsof vast numbers ofsquid-like coleoids,fish and crustaceans.Curiously, many ofthe coleoids occur inpairs apparentlyclasping one another.Their soft parts,including their inksac, muscle and skinare preserved withremarkable 3D (cellu-lar) precision. Re-excavation of the locality by BGS in2007, after having been lost for 150years, is helping to better understandthe processes leading to such excep-

tional preservation and the cause of thecoleoid mass killings.

April Meeting

Belemnotheutis

May Meeting - The Annual General MeetingCaves and cannibals: aMendip perspective

Dr. Danielle Schreve,Royal Holloway College

Friday 7 May 2010Geological Society, Burlington House,Piccadily, W1V 0JUat 6.00 pm, tea at 5.30 pm.

The area of the Mendip Hills inSomerset contains some of the mostimportant Pleistocene cave sites inwestern Europe in terms of their verte-brate assemblages, Palaeolithic archae-ological finds and early human remains.

These sites span the period from c. 500000 years ago until the end of thePleistocene, c.10 000 years ago andprovide a unique insight into changingclimates and patterns of animal andhuman movement and behaviour. Thislecture reviews some of the classiclocalities, such as Westbury-sub-Mendipand Gough's Cave, focussing on theinferred age and palaeoenvironmentalsignatures of the fossil faunas, thetaphonomic origins of the deposits andthe significance of the archaeologicalassemblages. In addition, new researchfrom a previously unexplored cave con-taining a rich terminal Pleistocene faunawill also be presented.

Opening the amber windowonto early life: remarkablepreservation from theWealden of Sussex

Martin Brasier, Professor of Palaeobiology, Oxford

Friday 4 June 2010Geological Society, Burlington House,Piccadily, W1V 0JUat 6.00 pm, tea at 5.30 pm.

Although the history of terrestrial vege-tation is now being traced back into theMiddle Proterozoic some 1000 Ma back,and conifers with resins were presentby the Carboniferous, the amber win-dow did not open fully until the end ofthe Mesozoic. The reasons for this delay

are intriguing but as yetuncertain. This talk willreport on several horizonsyielding amber resin inclu-sions from the earlyCretaceous dinosaur bedsof East Sussex.Preliminary studies revealplentiful organic inclu-sions, including vasculartissues, tracheid cells andputative resin ducts of theparent coniferous trees, aswell as preserved soilmicrobes, fungal andcyanobacterial filaments,and, of course, the earliestexamples of spider silk webs. The latterinclude threads that are twisted, pairedand coated with sticky fluid droplets,comparable with those of araneoid spi-der webs studied by us in modern cher-ry tree resins. New material is yieldingmore exciting discoveries, including asyet unpublished silk cocoons.Remarkable preservation is also being

unearthed in associated beds contain-ing silicified vegetation, and evenremarkably preserved dinosaur soft tis-sues without parallel in the fossilrecord. This is just the beginning. TheWealden of Sussex is yielding up itshidden treasures.

June Meeting

Spider 16x

This meeting willbe followed by the

Annual Dinner -see page 7 for

details

THE ASSOCIATION


Report from CouncilThis report covers the Council

Meetings of December and February,there being no meeting in January.

There was much discussion aboutthe GA library which is housed withinthe library at University College. Anew agreement is being negotiatedto replace the original one made atthe beginning of the 20th century.The problem of the disposal of booksraised a number of questions and thenature of the agreements of othersocieties, who have their librarieshoused within the University Collegelibrary, with UCL is being sought.

One of the major topics of discus-sion at both meetings was howCouncil should organise itself to actmost efficiently. A previous meetinghad discussed the various roles thatare required of Council and how bestthese could be implemented. It wasagreed that there was a need for amember of Council responsible foreach of the following: Publicity,Membership and Awards, since atpresent, no-one is directly responsi-ble for these tasks. It has furtherbeen decided to set up small 'workingparties' of Council members and (ifrequired) of co-opted others fromwithin the wider membership in orderto focus on progressing specificissues, namely Membership,Meetings, Science & Awards andPublicity.

Council thanked the Editor of thePGA for making the transition to thenew publisher go so smoothly.

The Field Guide editor reported thata new field guide on the Dalradianhas just been produced in the newformat. Council agreed that the newformat was a major advance in thepresentation of the guides. It ishoped that the new London Guide,which is nearly complete, will beavailable in time for the Festival.

On 9th September 2010, there willbe a one day meeting on "WarmClimates: Linking the Past andPresent", supported by Elsevier andthe Department of Environment andClimate Change, organised by thePresident and Dr Ian Candy. The pro-gramme, is well advanced - seepage 5 for details.

Although November seems a longway away, the committee organisingthe Festival of Geology have met andbegun organising lecturers andevents.

John CrockerGeneral Secretary

Curry Fund Report

At its December meeting, the lastof 2009, the Curry Fund Committeereceived 13 new applications and dis-cussed one from the previous meet-ing which awaited clarification.

Wiltshire Geology Group wasoffered an interest-free loan of £2000repayable within two years towardsthe cost of producing laminatedleaflet guides for sale, on the"Landscape & Geology to the Vale ofWardour". The HertfordshireGeological Society was also offeredan interest-free loan of £2000repayable within two years, towardsproducing its book on "Geology &Landscape of Hertfordshire". A grantof £552 was agreed for SEARCHMuseum in Gosport towards the costof geo-workshops for local children.One of the grant conditions was ashort write-up, with photographs, ofthe activities for the GA Magazine.Radstock Museum was awarded agrant of £1,800 towards a new dis-play and mineral acquisition. Thecommittee also required a shortwrite-up and photographs for the GAMagazine for this project. £800"leverage" funding for a much largerproject for interpretation and conser-vation of the Kenilworth Sandstonealong a former railway track wasrequested by WarwickshireGeological Conservation Group. Thiswas agreed, subject to the majorfunding being awarded. Dr. PeterHoare received a grant of £328 tocover the cost of sample collection forOSL dating.

A rather different request camefrom Geoheritage Fife, who request-ed a grant of £2,328 towards produc-ing a cast of a giant fossil arthropodfootway, in situ, near St. Andrews,Fife. This was agreed. The Committeealso specifically requested that a castof the Curry Fund plaque be incorpo-rated into this fossil pathway cast(agreed with the casting company)and a comprehensive photographicrecord and write-up of the project besent for our archive and the GA mag-azine. The work is likely to be carriedout during the early summer of 2010.The Geologists' Association request-

ed grants for the cost of reprintingthe following field guides: £1,925 forits Yorkshire Coast Guide; £1,987 forreprinting its Mallorca Guide; £334for reprinting its Anglesey Guide;£355 for reprinting its Salt Hill QuarryGuide; £337 for reprinting its ErcallQuarry Guide and £1,000 for pur-chase of copies of its East MidlandsGuide from the East Midlands

Geological Society, the original part-ner funder of the Guide. All of theserequests for grants were agreed.

2009 proved to be an interestingyear for Curry Fund applications. TheCommittee is delighted that the sup-port from the Fund, to such a wideand varied number of projects, isreaching out to the wider public in somany different ways. Initiatives thatare unlikely to get funding from theacademic funding bodies do, mostoften, get Curry Fund support, eventhough the awards are highly com-petitive. The Fund is, in the widestsense, highly active in supporting theaims and objectives of theAssociation. The Committee looksforward to supporting many moreinteresting and worthwhile projectsduring 2010.

Susan Brown Curry Fund Secretary

Library Notes

At the time of my last notes youcould only contact me through theOffice but with the New Year thingshave moved on so that I am now con-tactable directly. My e-mail address isas follows: [email protected]. Asthe 2010 field season is looming, Iam looking forward to your queries.

In 2009 Europe was the most pop-ular destination. Denmark, Swedenand Finland led on to theSt.Petersburg area, even penetratingto the Kola Peninsula in the far northof Russia. France, Italy, Spain andPortugal were also requested, thoughnot the eastern Mediterranean for achange. Switzerland came up for thefirst time in ages. (It should figurethis year too as I am going there ona field trip myself later). South-westEngland and the Scilly Isles wereasked for and much further away. Sowere the Great Plains and RockyMountains of the United States.Africa was represented by Moroccowhile the antipodes only by NewZealand. Intrepid members are con-tinuing to travel to Svalbard and even further, braving the southern ocean,to Antarctica.

Given enough notice I can alwaystry to get coverage for you where agap in our collection appears.

Enjoy your trips wherever you go. Ilook forward to helping you make themost of them.

Elaine BimpsonLibrarian

Published by theGeologists’ Association.Four issues per year.ISSN 1476-7600Production team: JOHN CROCKER,Paula Carey, John Cosgrove,Vanessa Harley, Bill French

Printed by City Print, Milton Keynes

The GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATIONdoes not accept any responsibility forviews and opinions expressed by indi-vidual authors in this magazine.

The Geologists’Association

The Association, founded in 1858, exists tofoster the progress and diffusion of the sci-ence of geology, and to encourageresearch and the development of newmethods. It holds meetings for the readingof papers and the delivery of lectures,organises museum demonstrations, pub-lishes Proceedings and Guides, and con-ducts field meetings. Annual Subscriptions for 2009 are £40.00,Associates £30.00, Joint Members £58.00,Students £18.00.For forms of Proposal for Membership andfurther information, apply to the ExecutiveSecretary, The Geologists’ Association,Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J0DU. E-mail [email protected] Telephone 020 7434 9298 Fax 020 7287 0280Website: http://www.geologistsassocia-tion.org.uk

President: Danielle SchreveExecutive Secretary: SarahStafford

With all the recent snow and tempera-tures dropping below 20ºC in Scotland,you would have been legitimately forgiv-en for thinking we were back in the lastIce Age! A few days of inconvenience formost of us but it does make one thinkabout how much more robust our imme-diate ancestors were, without the benefitsof modern comforts. The arrival of deepsnow in my village in Surrey caused a fairamount of discussion about the knottyquestion of climate change, with manypeople taking the inclement conditions asevidence that 'global warming' is a myth.This raises the important point that short-term weather and long-term climatechange are different matters - we forgetvery rapidly about some of the extremesof temperature we have experienced inour own lifetimes but it is only by taking along-term perspective that we can accu-rately measure real trends and potential-ly predict what may lie ahead.

On this very topic, please make a note inyour diaries of Thursday 9th September,when the GA will be holding a one-dayScience Meeting, sponsored by Elsevier(publishers of the Proceedings) and theDepartment of Environment and ClimateChange, entitled "Warm Climates: Linkingthe Past and Present". The meeting willcover a broad sweep of topics, includingpalaeoclimate modelling, flora, fauna,deep ocean and sea level records toexamine how past landscapes, biotas andenvironments responded and adapted toperiods of exceptional warmth, therebyproviding a context for understanding thelikely impacts of modern anthropogenicglobal warming. Further details and infor-mation on how to book are given on page5 in this issue of the Magazine. Themeeting offers an excellent opportunity tohear some of the leading researchers inaction and emphasises the important rolethat the GA plays in promoting scientificdebate on contentious topics of relevanceto society today. I look forward to seeingyou there!

Danielle Schreve

Magazine of the Geologists’ AssociationVolume 9 No. 1, 2010

© The Geologists’ Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publi-cation may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system or transmitted, in any

form or by means, without the prior per-mission in writing of the author and the

Geologists’ Association.

LAST Copy dates for theCircular & Magazine

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September Issue July 22 December Issue October 21

Items should be submitted as soon aspossible and not targeted on these

dates. We welcome contributions fromMembers and others.

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Quarter Page £100Other sizes by arrangement.


CONTENTS3. The Association 4. Future Lectures5. September one-day meeting6. Festival Field trips7. Annual Dinner Notice8. London’s Foundations9. Rockwatch

10. Book Reviews byRockwatchers

11. CIRCULAR 98115. Thailand Field Meeting16. Rockwriter for 200917. Past Lectures - December/

January/ February18. ENI Presentations20. Getting the best from the PGA21. South Wales 50th Anniversary23. New Field Guide/

Circular continued

Cover picture:Small Nacreous Ammonites -photograph by Gerald Lucy. On the front of one of the post-cards available from GAEnterprises.

ADVERTISEMENTSWhile precautions are taken to ensure thevalidity of advertisements the Associationis not responsible for the items offered, forany loss arising or for their compliance withregulations.

From the President

Curry Fund Dates for 2010

Applications to Committee to be received by Date

February 20 March 12May 20 June 11August 20 September 17November 20 December 10

The Association Future LecturesSeptember one-day meetingFestival Field tripsAnnual Dinner NoticeLondon’s FoundationsRockwatch

. Book Reviews by RockwatchersCIRCULAR 982Thailand Field MeetingRockwriter for 2009Past Lectures - December/

January/ FebruaryENI Presentations

Getting the best from the PGASouth Wales 50th AnniversaryNew Field Guide

MAGAZINE OF THE MAGAZINE OF THE GEOLOGISTS’GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIAASSOCIATIONTION

VVolume 9 No.1 March 2010olume 9 No.1 March 2010

list of guides produced by the ga - geologists' …...this guide provides three traverses...

Documents