Ilfracombe, Church Stretton, Troutbeck Station and Woodale Ftd

Notebook comprises entries relating to geological excursions to Ilfracombe, Devon, Church Stretton, Shropshire and Troutbeck in the Lake District, 1887-1890. Including a contents page relating to the Ilfracombe excursion (page 1); notes on North Devon stratigraphy (after Phillips) (page 2); heights of hills in the area (page 3); a diagram illustrating slaty cleavage in an outcrop; (page 4); sketches of the tightly folded and faulted limestone beds (typically coloured in blue pencil) of the area; a list of fossils collected on March 17th (page 11); observations from the railway south of Hitchin Station and concerns about contorted structures in gravels (August 22nd); copied notes from Charles Lapworth’s 1886 research paper titled “The Ordovician Rocks of Shropshire” (page 51-52); details of an excursion to Church Stretton (page 53); notes on Craven Arms and the section along the River Omny; description of collecting specimens from the Norton Bone Bed (S2 – 4); description of an excursion to the Mining District of Shelve with Solly [?Humphrey Salwey] (page 67) with names of Lead/silver mines; list of specimens collected on mining excursion (labelled ‘S1 – 27’) (page 70); a map of lead (Pb) mines (page 71); lists of mineral species from mine lodes (page 115); mentions of Eskdale Granite and its field relations (page 135); ideas on “rocks most in need of revision” including the Bow Fell bedded ashes (page 138); cleavage measurements (page 150); and a list of local hotels and their owners (page 153); gummed specimen labels; a newspaper cutting about the US Geological Survey; and a traced map. There are also unfranked ‘penny’ postage stamps (2) (inside back pouch) and unused specimen labels running from ‘S28’ to ‘S39’ (inside back cover).

This notebook relates in part to a Sedgwick Club expedition to Ilfracombe in March 1887. A list of the party present at Ilfracombe is given on page 48 and includes: Professor Hughes, Mrs. Mary Hughes, Max Lohest, Miss Taylor (Girton), Miss Alford (Girton), Miss Howell (Girton), Miss William (Newnham), Miss Firth (Newnham), Miss Earp (Newnham), J. E. Marr (Johns), J. Roberts (Johns), A. Harker (Johns), E. J. Garwood (Trinity), F. Duftin (Trinity), I. Seholt (Trinity), H. J. Wills (Johns), H. Wilson (Johns), S. A. Reynolds (Trinity), G. Harold (Kings),Miss Selwyn and Mrs. Hunt.

There was an excursion to Church Stretton Aug 23rd – 31st 1887. On Thursday Aug 25th, Harker describes an excursion with the Woolhope Field Club: President: Rev. William Elliot, Secretary: M. Ford. This excursion was led by Rev. J. D. La touché of Stokesey. The third excursion was to the Troutbeck area of the English Lake District (north of Windermere) during August 1890, and accommodation was Mr. Warwick’s Troutbeck Hotel. Harker also stayed at the Wastdale Head Hotel (Mrs. Tyson).

Localities visited included: Capstone Hill and Hillsborough Hill, Longmynnd, Light Spout Valley, Hazler Hill, Hope Bowdler, Omny section, Ayswestry [Oswestry] Limestone, Bone Bed of Norton, Snailbeach Mine, Tankerville Mine, Roman Gravels Mine, White Grit Mine, and Rock House Mine.

Specimens referenced as ‘S14-S16’ were presented to Alfred Harker by Mr. Rowe and consist of fossils from close to Stiperstones.