The Journal of Gemmology
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Volume 22 No. 6. April 1991 The Journal of Gemmology THE GEMMOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION AND GEM TESTING LABORATORY OF GREAT BRITAIN OFFICERS AND COUNCIL Past Presidents: Sir Henry Miers, MA, D.Sc, FRS Sir William Bragg, OM, KBE, FRS Dr. G.E Herbert Smith, CBE, MA, D.Sc. Sir Lawrence Bragg, CH, OBE, MC, B.Sc, FRS Sir Frank Claringbull, Ph.D., Elnst.E, FGS Vice-President: R. K. Mitchell, FGA Council of Management D.J. Callaghan, FGA N.WDeeks,FGA N.B. Israel, FGA E.A. Jobbins, B.Sc, C.Eng., FIMM, FGA I. Thomson, FGA V.E Watson, FGA K. Scarratt, FGA : Chief Executive R.R. Harding, B.Sc, D.Phil., FGA : Director of Gemmology Members' Council A. J.Allnutt,M.Sc, D. Inkersole, FGA PG. Read, C.Eng., Ph.D., FGA B. Jackson, FGA MIEE, MIERE, FGA C. R. Cavey, FGA G.H. Jones, B.Sc, Ph.D., FGA I. Roberts, FGA R J. E.Daly, B.Sc, FGA H. Levy, M.Sc,BA, FGA E.A. Thomson, T. Davidson, FGA J. Kessler Hon. FGA R. Fuller, FGA G. Monnickendam R. Velden J.A.W Hodgkinson, L. Music D. Warren FGA J.B. Nelson, Ph.D., FRMS, CH. Winter, FGA FInst.P, FGA Branch Chairmen: Midlands Branch: D.M. Larcher, FBHI, FGA North-West Branch: W Franks, FGA Examiners: A. J. Allnutt, M.Sc, Ph.D., FGA D. G. Kent, FGA E. M. Bruton, FGA P Sadler, B.Sc, FGS, FGA C. R. Cavey, FGA K. Scarratt, FGA A. E. Farn, FGA E. Stern, FGA R. R. Harding, B.Sc, D.Phil., FGA M. Virkkunen, M.Phil., FGA E. A. Jobbins, B.Sc, C. Eng., FIMM, FGA C.Woodward, B.Sc, FGA G. H. Jones, B.Sc, Ph.D., FGA Editor: E. A. Jobbins, B.Sc, C.Eng., FIMM, FGA Editorial Assistant: Mary A. Burland Curator: C. R. Cavey, FGA The Gemmological Association and Gem Testing Laboratory of Great Britain 27 Greville Street, London EC1N 8SU Telephone: 071-404 3334 Fax: 071-404 8843 """Journal of G^nmology VOLUME 22 NUMBER SIX APRIL 1991 Cover Picture A crystal of emerald on calcite from Muzo, Colombia, from The Mineral Collection, Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, presented and photographed by Dr E. Giibelin of Meggan, Switzerland. ISSN: 0022-1252 330 J. Gemm., 1991,22,6 Sir Frank Claringbull 1911-1990 was well equipped for the rapid analysis of minerals and rocks. X-ray diffraction was followed by X-ray fluorescence and with great prescience he sent one of his staff to Cambridge to collaborate in the development of the electron-microprobe for use on minute mineral grains. In many of his scientific papers Claringbull worked with Dr M.H. Hey, the Museum expert on microchemical analyses; he also collaborated with B.W. Anderson and C.J. Payne of the Gem Testing Laboratory. In 1951 this quartet elucidated the nature of the spinel-like mineral, taaffeite, which had been found as a gemstone by Count Taaffe in a jeweller's junk box in Dublin. In 1952 Claringbull and Hey announced the discovery of the new mineral, smhalite, which had previously lurked as a 'brown olivine' gemstone and had been viewed with suspicion by Anderson and Payne and by G. Switzer of the US National Museum in Washington. In 1956 Claringbull, Hey and Payne announced the discov ery of another new mineral, painite, found as a crystal by A.CD. Pain at Mogok in Burma and named in his honour. Claringbull worked on many other minerals and this is reflected in a series of It is with great regret that we report the death, on 23 papers in the mineralogical journals. Claringbullite, November 1990, of Sir Frank Claringbull, an a new hydrated copper chloride mineral, was named Examiner from 1938 to 1970 and President of this in his honour in 1977. Association from 1972. He had been in ill-health for In 1968 Claringbull was appointed Director of some years. the Museum, and his experience in the reopening of Gordon Frank Claringbull, B.Sc, Ph.D., the famous Mineral Gallery (now threatened with FInst.P, FGS, Born 21 August 1911, was educated closure) stood him in good stead. The attention to at Finchley Grammar School and then at Queen detail, so necessary in that exhibition, was to be of Mary College, University of London, where he immense value in the wider tasks ahead. The 'Hall gained first class honours in geology. This was of Human Biology', opened in 1977, was the first of followed by the award of Ph.D. for his study of the 'new'exhibitions developed under his direction; igneous rocks in the Balmoral area, Aberdeenshire. it was widely popular, especially with the young He joined the staff of the British Museum (Natural who did not mind the somewhat cramped viewing History) in 1935 and worked there, apart from the space and the paucity of natural specimens. war years, until his retiral in 1976. Initially he Claringbull was a man of bustling activity with a worked under Dr Campbell Smith on curatorial constant desire to finish the work in hand as soon as duties with the rock collections and continued his possible. As Secretary of The Mineralogical Society studies of Scottish rocks. for many years he was immensely efficient and a During the war he moved to Birmingham where great stickler for punctuality at meetings. He was he worked on the crystallography and the develop eminently fair and one former member of the old ment of explosives for the Special Operations Geological Museum staff can recall being in a Executive. somewhat tense dispute in the Keeper's room with Following his return to the Museum in 1945 he four members of the BM staff when Claringbull worked with Dr FA. Bannister on the development observed that 'four of us to one of him' was not fair of X-ray diffraction methods for the identification odds. of minerals. After his appointment as Keeper of His wife, Enid, son and daughter survive him. Minerals in 1953 he ensured that his department E.A.J. JJ.. 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