NOVEMBER 2015 ISSUE 889

The Pit A Slice of History Twenty Years in the Field with The DLB

With the De La Beche Club’s first centenary now behind us, with toasts now just a memory to Henry Thomas de la Beche (founder of the naonal geological survey, school of mines, and museum) and William Whitehead Was (Head of Department who encouraged two of his youngest staff, Read and Illing, to form a commiee with the students to establish a departmental club: the DLB), now seems a good me to review the Club’s other favourite acvity: field trips.

Portrait photograph of William Whitehead Was when Head of Department, taken in the 1920s and thus a few years aer the De La Beche Club had been founded. © NERC from the Brish Geological Survey Geoarchive, catalogue reference P552075. At the invitaon of the current President, and as a former student and then member of staff, the writer has compiled the following account from his notebooks (yes: I have kept them all!). I, like Was, see fieldwork as an effecve means by which to bond within the Department, very much in the spirit of Read who coined the o-quoted phrase “the best geologist is the one who has seen the most rocks” on being elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1939.

The writer first joined the Department of Geology, forerunner of ESE, five years aer the celebraons for the first half century of the DLB and so, unlike that other great staff supporter of the Club, Doug Shearman, missed out on acquiring the dark blue e embroidered with the silver Club crest that was made for the occasion. Doug proudly wore this e on every appropriate occasion, of which there were many judging by the state it was in during his post-rerement years. Doug had seen acve service on minesweepers during WW2 and was always on the lookout for interesng sedimentary environments, thereaer concentrang on evaporites. His greatest gi was his ability to share his passions and right to the end he encouraged students young and old to pursue their own enthusiasms for geology. The undergraduate geology programme had evolved by the 1960s under Reed’s direcon (by the late 1940s he had become Head of Department) into four streams: Geology (“So” and “Hard” Rock), Mining Geology and Oil Technology (with elements of both petroleum geology and engineering). Each had field trips as an integral part totalling some 70 days of taught fieldwork plus 8 weeks or more for independent mapping or an industrial placement during the summer vacaon prior to the final year, this being the era of 3-year degrees.

With a variety of specialisaons possible in Doug Shearman and John Cosgrove the final year on top of the four streams, the explaining the hydraulic fractures within Mercia Mudstone at Watche DLB provided a much needed bridge in 1998. From the CORDIS Archive. between the disciplines: geology for fun, as hp://cordis.europa.eu/tmr/src/ well as a means of socialising. This was res970312.htm accessed 13 Feb 2015 achieved by lectures about once a month, oen by alumni, social gatherings (ranging from bar nights to dinners), and field trips. This was done with the Department’s blessing and tradionally each year the Head of Department would give permission for lectures to be missed or even cancelled in order to aend two trips a year, one long (from Thursday lunchme to Sunday evening) and one short (from Friday lunchme to Sunday evening). Staff would oen aend as well as students, somemes leading, somemes just for the fun of it.

With a variety of specialisaons possible in the final year on top of the four streams, the DLB provided a much needed bridge between the disciplines: geology for fun, as well as a means of socialising. This was achieved by lectures about once a month, oen by alumni, social gatherings (ranging from bar nights to dinners), and field trips. This was done with the Department’s blessing and tradionally each year the Head of Department would give permission for lectures to be missed or even cancelled in order to aend two trips a year, one long (from Thursday lunchme to Sunday evening) and one short (from Friday lunchme to Sunday evening). Staff would oen aend as well as students, somemes leading, somemes just for the fun of it. Aached is a list of all the DLB field trips which the writer remembers, and shows that at mes the thirst for fieldwork went beyond the two tradional weekends, extending to one-day trips and occasionally longer periods aer the exams.

Transport was usually by coach and accommodaon in a Youth Hostel, with food bought in a local pub. This was supplemented by fish’n’chips and occasionally by communal catering, but on nothing like the scale that the current commiee provides. Keeping the costs low has always been a consideraon, so if a coach could not be filled but drivers were available then a minibus or two would be used. For a while the Department had its own but in due course it became cheaper to hire, oen from ICU.

DLB Malham 1976 – Our coach stuck in the mud!

Trains were used too, especially for the one-day trips, thereby avoiding the headache of organising vehicles. However, to reach the rather more remote areas would mean either walking or, as successfully employed in Boulogne, the use of bicycles.

Le: Boulogne 1979 – The first DLB trip to Boulogne by bicycle, 1979. 3 DLB Presidents: Chris Clayton le (1978-79), Naomi Oreskes 3rd from le (1980-81), Treasurer Julian Singer next right, Secretary Aidan Joy 4th from right, Nonie Ray 2nd from right (1979-80), Mike Rosenbaum’s bike on the right

Right: DLB East Anglia 1981 – Sue Dobson President (1981-82) and Mike Rosenbaum Other kinds of accommodaon were tried: sleeping bags on the floor of friends/ siblings who lived in the field area, occasionally caravans, twice in tents, and once in a windmill (belonging to the family of Sue Dobson, DLB President 1981-82).

There must be many anecdotes that parcipants can recall, some of which were shared at the recent centenary dinner, and the following photos provide a montage of personal memories. Hopefully this account has brought back your own memories which you may like to share with us as a leer to the editor, to appear in a future Pit.

Pembroke 1984 – The late Mike Coward (blue anorak in the centre, poinng, who would later insgate Goomaloomas); Richard Hillis (front le red socks) was DLB President that year (1984-85)

Bude 1988 (either 1) – Kink bands or boom structures? John Cosgrove, with Ma Genge paying aenon (red gaiters) Bude 1988 (or 2) – John Cosgrove, with Ma Genge paying aenon le (white helmet)

Beachy Head 1982 – Misjudging the de below Beachy Head: leader Jake Hancock 2nd from le

Lulworth Cove 1975 with Helen Narass inside the algal structure and an unknown hand appearing from behind. Looking on is Neil Ayres, DLB President the following year, 1976-77.

Anglesey 1989 – Heather Eltringham President centre (light pants), Mark Lavelle Secretary 3 to the le (blue top and hands in pockets), John Cosgrove 3 to the right of Heather (shades), Mike Rosenbaum to John's right (blue anorak) Bath 1980 – DLB trip in sleet to visit the home of William Smith (plaque on house wall) led by John Knill (right), then Head of Department. Nonie Ray President le; Naomi Oreskes future DLB President in red cagoule

DLB Mendips 1978 – Aer a day in the field! Nonie Ray President le (1979-80)

Mike Rosenbaum Geology (UG 1969-72; Geology PG 1974-76; Geology Staff 1977-98) The Geology Medals

Prior to the late 1990s the earth sciences at Imperial College were largely dealt with by the Department of Geology, forerunner of ESE. The writer’s period at the College was within this Department and it seems opportune to say something about the honours which were awarded to students at the me.

Through the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s there were only a handful of awards available to recognise the academic achievements of Geology students: the Murchison Medal, the Was Medal and the Judd Prize. What were these awards for, and where did they come from?

The Murchison Medal has the longest history. It is named in memory of Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, second Director of the Geological Survey and thus of the School of Mines following Sir in 1855. One of the first acts by Murchison was to push the emphasis of the “Metropolitan School of Science Applied to Mining and the Arts” which the original (1851) “Government School of Mines and of Science as Applied to the Arts” had become back towards mining and brought the old name back, changing the name again in 1863 to the “Royal School of Mines” aer the University of refused to accept his students for degrees. This is when the badge of the RSM, the crossed hammers and crown, was introduced and is derived from the buon design of the Geological Survey uniforms, reflecng their common ancestry under De La Beche.

Le: The Royal School of Mines badge commissioned by Murchison in 1863. Photo of the RSM cuff link. Centre and right: The Murchison Medal.

Murchison had begun his professional life in the Army but resigned aer the Bale of Waterloo since he could see no future for a military career. Aer a few years of married life and gentlemanly pursuits his wife persuaded him to develop an interest in geology, helped by an introducon to Sir Humphry Davy in 1823. This led over the next 20 years to him establishing the Silurian, Devonian and Permian Systems, and thereaer administraon as already noted. Murchison came to highly value educaon and in his Will le a sum to recognise those who had contributed significantly to advancement of geology by annually awarding a medal. In Murchison’s Will he states that “I bequeath to the Director and Professors for the me being Officers of the Royal School of Mines … the sum of five hundred pounds, to be invested in the Public funds of Great Britain, the income arising from such investment to be applied annually to purchase books for a prize to be styled ‘The Murchison Prize’, to be accompanied by a cast of the said Murchison Medal … to be awarded annually to the Student who stands highest in the Geological Examinaon and high in any out of the other subjects taught in the Royal School of Mines”. The RSM interpreted this as recognising academic achievement and awarded the medal annually to the person who comes top in the first year geology exams. The College Calendar provides the official rubric: “Awarded annually, with a £30 cash prize, to the Royal School of Mines student who stands highest in the first year Geology examinaons”, and was first awarded in 1871, the year of Murchison’s death. Murchison le a similar sum to the Royal Geographical Society and to the Geological Society of London, which two years later began to award an idencal Murchison Medal to those “who have made a significant contribuon to geology by means of a substanal body of research and for contribuons to 'hard' rock studies”.

The Was Medal was first awarded in 1932, to the student who came top in the final year geology exams. The College Calendar provides the official rubric: “Awarded on the final examinaons held in the Department of Geology (Geology or Mining Geology)”. The qualifier is a consequence of these two disciplines having been separated into the and the Royal School of Mines for the period between 1877 (when T.H. Huxley was Dean) and the transfer of Geology back into RSM in 1966.

Portrait of William Whitehead Was painted on his rerement as Head of Department in 1930 by Sir William Rothenstein. © Imperial College Archives. Photo from the archive of the Lapworth Museum, The Was Medal . © Lapworth Museum. The Judd Prize does not have a medal, and is awarded annually to the “best” postgraduate student. How “best” is defined is difficult to establish but generally this award goes to a PhD student who has not only undertaken original research but also contributed to the life of the Department. The College Calendar provides the official rubric: “Value £50 to aid research. For award to a student of not more than five years’ standing from his/her Associateship or first degree, for original work done in the Department of Geology”. The disncon between Associateship and first degree harks back to the me when Imperial College and its constuent colleges like RSM were not degree-awarding instuons. Eventually the College joined the University of London and degrees could be awarded (but by the University, not by the College). Since the College felt its qualificaons were by then of a higher standard, the two awards connued to be made.

John Wesley Judd was Professor of Geology and became Dean of both RCS and RSM in 1885 (the pure science and applied engineering disciplines had been separated under Huxley in 1877 because of the beer scope for research in RCS, spling geology from an administraon point of view. Geology was transferred back from RCS into RSM in 1966. However, they had been co-located within the RSM building since its construcon in 1912). His name was long associated with Room 2.45 in the Geology Department, the First Year classroom during the second half of the 20th Century. However, it was not Judd who donated the award for the prize named aer him but Was, who succeeded him in 1906. This was established at the end of Was tenure as Head of Department and the first award of the Judd Prize was made in 1932, the same year that the Was Medal was first awarded.

The College Archives holds lists of the recipients, for the Murchison Medal from 1871, for the Was Medal and Judd Prize from 1932. Unl the late 1990s the and Petroleum Engineering Departments were separate but there were two Portrait photograph of John Wesley Judd when annual prizes that were shared between Head of Department, taken around 1900. © all of them: for the best mining student Imperial College Archives.

(which included mining geology) and for the best petroleum student (which encompassed oil technology). These were the Clement Le Neve Foster prize, awarded from 1912, and the Illing prize, awarded from 1955 respecvely.

There was lile or no monetary value to any of these awards. The funds were invested and the interest used to pay for casng the medals and inscribing them with the recipient’s name. However, the College agreed to addionally award an Imperial College Scholarship to the holder of the Murchison Medal. Since this included waving the tuion fees it was actually very generous. Unfortunately the other two awards have seen their value eroded by inflaon since they were established but the honour and presge remains.

The Department used to make quite a show of these medals, presenng them to the recipients at a recepon held in the Mining Geology Museum on the 3rd floor of the RSM following the annual degree ceremony in the Albert Hall, “Commemoraon Day”. Parents were invited too and the whole Department would aend. However, this was before the days of digital cameras and so few photographs were ever taken and unfortunately I don’t have any – but perhaps you do, in which case you may like to share them with us through the editor.

Mike Rosenbaum Geology (UG 1969-72; Geology PG 1974-76; Geology Staff 1977-98) Murchison Medal 1970, Was Medal 1972, Judd Prize 1979 DLB Fieldtrips

Date Duration (days) Mode of transport Place Localities Feb-72 3 - short w/e Coach Dorset Jurassic, Bridport, Portland, Lulworth (joint with Geologists' Association) Nov-72 4 - long w/e Coach Cornwall Geevor, Botallack, Mullion, Kennack Mar-73 3 - short w/e Coach Somerset Nov-73 4 - long w/e Coach Devon Dartmoor Feb-74 3 - short w/e Coach Derbyshire Nov-74 4 - long w/e Coach + Minibus Edmundbyers Stanhope, Ireshopeburn, Burtreeford Disturbance Feb-75 3 - short w/e Coach Dorset Lulworth, Portland Jun-75 4 Minibus North Llandrindod Wells, Elan Valley, Anglesey, Tryfan Nov-75 4 - long w/e Coach North Devon Widemouth, Sandymouth, Ilfracombe, Combe Martin, Croyde Feb-76 3 - short w/e Coach Malham Ingleton, Malham, Grassington Nov-76 4 - long w/e Coach North Wales Snowdonia Feb-77 3 - short w/e Coach Peak District Nov-77 4 - long w/e Coach North Wales Anglesey, Snowdon Feb-78 1 Minibus Mendips May-78 1 Train Hastings Jun-78 1 Train + Bicycle Petersfield Nov-78 4 - long w/e Coach Edmundbyers Kilhope, Nenthead, Whitley Bay, Eastgate, Raisby Hill Jan-79 1 Minibus West Berks Boxford Jan-79 1 Minibus Bath Feb-79 1 Minibus Sheppey Sheerness, Warden Point Feb-79 3 - short w/e Coach North Devon Aust Cliff, Hartland, Sandymouth, Milhook, Ilfracombe, Combe Martin, Baggy Mar-79 1 Minibus Essex Walton London Clay May-79 4 - long w/e Train + Bicycle Boulogne Beaulieu, Cap Gris Nez May-79 1 Minibus Worthing Storrington, Thakeham, Hardham, Fittleworth, Little Bognor, Kithurst Hill Jun-79 3 Minibus North Wales Titterstone Clee, Llandridnod Wells, Anglesey Chinnor, Horshay, Wroxton, Edge Hill, Temple Mills, Sharps Hill, Great Oct-79 1 Minibus Oxford Rollright, Rollright Stones, Oakham, Churchill (monument to William Smith) Nov-79 4 - long w/e Coach + Minibus Southern Uplands Girvan, Loch Doon, Leadhills, Dobbs Linn Nov-79 3 - short w/e Minibus Derbyshire Castleton, Edale (joint with IC Mountaineering Club) Dec-79 1 Train East Sussex Seaford Feb-80 1 Train Surrey Clandon Feb-80 3 - short w/e Coach Pembroke Pembroke, Gower May-80 4 Minibus North Wales Oct-80 1 Train Folkestone Old Channel Tunnel Oct-80 4 - long w/e Coach Lake District Mungrisedale, Carrock, Hilton, Shap Wells, Coniston Nov-80 3 Minibus Malvern Nov-80 4 Minibus x 2 Lake District Wasdale, Ennerdale Jan-81 3 Minibus Penrhos, Towy Valley Feb-81 3 - short w/e Coach Dorset Maiden Castle, Barton, Osmington, Portland, Lulworth, Kimmeridge Oct-81 4 - long w/e Coach Ingleton Thornton Force, Giggleswick, Settle, Malham, Skipton Dec-81 3 Minibus Norfolk Caistor St Edmund, Bramerton, Norwich, Hillington, Hockwold cum Wilton Feb-82 3 - short w/e Coach Snowdonia Capel Curig, Ogewn Bridge, Tal-y-llyn Jun-82 3 Train + Bicycle Boulogne Ferques, Cap Gris Nez, Wissant, Wimereux Alnwick, Cullernose Point, Weardale, St Mary's Island, Scremerston, Raisby Nov-82 4 - long w/e Coach Newcastle Hill Feb-83 4 - long w/e Coach South Wales , Caer Caradoc, Cressage, Cardington, Stretton, Onny River, Apr-83 3 Minibus x 2 Ironbridge, Besom Farm, Wren's Nest, Dudley Oct-83 1 Train Folkestone Nov-83 4 - long w/e Coach South Wales Ammanford, Gower, Ogofau, Ogmore Feb-84 3 - short w/e Coach Mendips Oct-84 1 Train Folkestone Pembroke (led by Prof Mike Coward, the instigator of Goomaloomas of Nov-84 4 - long w/e Coach West Wales which the first was on Friday 19 Oct 1984) Feb-85 4 - long w/e Coach Peak District Oct-85 1 Coach Hastings Dryhill, Hastings, Eastbourne Nov-85 4 - long w/e Coach Forest of Dean Mar-86 3 - short w/e Coach North Wales Tremadog, Beddgelert, Llanberis, Llechwedd Nov-86 4 - long w/e Coach + Minibus Lake District Coniston, Carrock Nov-86 1 Minibus Stoke Chatterley Whitfield coal mining museum Mar-87 4 - long w/e Coach Dorset Nov-87 4 - long w/e Minibus x 2 Shropshire Stiperstones, Shelve, Onny Valley, Caer Caradoc, Wenlock Mar-88 3 - short w/e Coach Cornwall Bude Oct-88 1 Train Folkestone Nov-88 4 - long w/e Coach Snowdonia Nov-89 1 Train Folkestone Nov-89 3 - short w/e Coach Anglesey Jan-90 1 Minibus Marlborough Downs Stonehenge, Clatford Bottom, Fyfield Down, Avebury Mar-90 3 - short w/e Train + Ferry Boulogne Nov-90 4 - long w/e Coach North Devon