The Russell Society

Topographical mineralogy, the conservation of minerals and the preservation of mineralogical sites

GA Virtual Festival of Geology 7th – 8th November

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The Geologist’s Association annual Festival of Geology is being held as a virtual event this year on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2020.  It will be a great weekend of talks, interactive discussion, exhibits, virtual field trips, activities for children, opportunities to shop and more.

A special website will go live on the morning of Saturday 7 November http://festivalofgeology.org.uk/

Meanwhile you can find out more about the programme and find links to book your place for the talks (and geological walk if you are in London) here https://geologistsassociation.org.uk/festival/

You will need to register, individually, in advance for each individual talk and event.  The links on the GA website will take you to the Eventbrite website https://www.eventbrite.com/e/geologists-association-virtual-festival-of-geology-and-public-lectures-tickets-125443182937

Free Public Talks

10.30 – 11.30 am Dr Emma Liu, University College London. Above and Beyond: Drones are changing the way we monitor volcanoes.

11.30 – 12.30 pm Dr Tim Newman from Tideway, London. The Geology of the Thames Tideway Tunnel.

2.00 – 3.00 pm Professor John Marshall, University of Southampton. UV-B radiation was the terrestrial killer at the Devonian-Carboniferous boundary.

3.00 – 4.00 pm Professor Philip Manning, University of Manchester. The Day the Dinosaurs Died.

General Admission Free

Break Out Room 1 General GA Meeting Room

Break Out Room 2 Fossil Identification

Break Out Room 3 Geoconservation issues, Quaternary Research and Earth Heritage

Break Out Room 4 Students Room

Break Out Room 5 School Rocks !

 

There are also both self guided and guided walks available on Sunday 8th November. Details and the link to book the guided walks can be found here:  https://geologistsassociation.org.uk/festival/#vfogwalks

Self-guided walk 1 – Building Stone Walk in Central London

Self-guided walk 2 – Urban Geology in Walthamstow Forest

Guided walk 3 – Kensal Green Cemetery: in search of famous Geologists and Engineers (Available on Sunday 8th November at 11.15am again at 1.30pm – Cost £5 per person)

 

On the Saturday there will be a full range of supporting activities, shopping opportunities, videos, photo competition etc. etc. via the special VFoG website. Please check back and take a look – see you there! http://festivalofgeology.org.uk/

Field trip programme to restart on 4th July

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Council has further considered the matter of field trips and indoor meetings, and has decided that, in line with government relaxing of social distancing rules for outdoor activities, it is now appropriate to restart the field trip programme in England on 4th July 2020. Field trips in Wales and Scotland are still not possible although, hopefully, guidance in these countries will be relaxed soon. Indoor meetings in all countries are not permitted.
The full announcement can be downloaded as a PDF document here.

Field trips cancelled until the end of June

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Council has been considering the matter of field trips and indoor meetings, and has decided that it will be in the best interests of our members to suspend the field trip programme for the next three months, starting with immediate effect, and to be reviewed in time for a decision to recommence field trips on 30th June 2020.

The full announcement can be downloaded as a PDF document here.

Museums & Collections Symposium cancelled

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Unfortunately, and in response to the public health crisis, it has been necessary to cancel the one-day symposium on UK Museums and their Mineral Collections in the 21st Century that was planned for 21 March 2020 at Woodhouse, near Leicester.

 

Casting light on Florence Nightingale’s minerals?

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We have been asked by Dr Mike Howe, Chief Curator and Head of the National Geological Repository for help in locating rocks, minerals and fossils owned by Florence Nightingale. This is Mike’s message and request for help:

I have recently heard from Jane Middleton-Smith, Archive manager for John Smedley Ltd, Lea Mills, Lea Bridge, Matlock, Derbyshire. She is trying to locate a collection of rocks, minerals and fossils donated by Florence Nightingale to Lea School (Derbyshire) in 1881. (The Nightingale Family was a prominent family in the local area; 2020 is the bicentenary of Florence’s birth.)

The fine quality specimens were purchased from a ‘Mr Butler’ (possibly Francis H Butler?) and sent to Mr Burton, the Schoolmaster. Apparently, Burton had a case made and gave lectures on geology to the children and to the local Institute.

The collection has disappeared – almost certainly prior to the 1960s. The present staff of the school have never heard of it. Jane has contacted all of the obvious places: Buxton and Derby Museums and the Derbyshire Record Office and drawn a blank. Can anyone help?

If you can help Mike, please contact him by email at: mhowe@bgs.ac.uk.

Symposium on UK Museum Mineral Collections

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Members and non-members are invited to a one-day symposium that will explore perspectives on UK Museums and their Mineral Collections in the 21st Century. The event takes place on 21 March 2020 at Woodhouse, near Leicester.

Points of view on this important topic will be discussed by several influential speakers including Mike Rumsey of the Natural History Museum, and Tom Cotterell from the National Museum of Wales.

More details about the event and how to book your place are here.

Book now for the Southern Branch Symposium

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A symposium dedicated to the mineralogy, minerals and geology of the Mendips will take place on 8 February 2020 in the heart of the Mendips at Stoke St. Michael, near Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

This fascinating and entertaining day of presentations about the mines, miners and minerals of the Mendips is organised by the Southern Branch, with coordination by Chris Finch.

Full details about the day, and how to reserve your place are in this pdf document here.

 

Book now for ASM 2020

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The Annual Society Meeting (ASM) is a great combination of social events, field trips, visits and presentations.

The 2020 ASM will be held from Friday 3rd April to Sunday 5th April 2020 at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel, Brockworth, Gloucestershire. Full details of the ASM weekend and a booking form are provided here:

Full details can be downloaded as a pdf file here.

The ASM booking form is found in pdf format here.

Gloucester mineral event on 10 October

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The Russell Society and the Cheltenham Mineral & Geological Society have a fascinating event of geological talks and displays organised for  Sunday 10 October 2019. There’s even the opportunity to bring along mineral samples and fossils for identification.

This special day is being held at  Shurdington Millenium Hall, Gloucestershire – and more details are in the pdf document here.