Geological Notes [Bristol] 1874-1879, 1878 North Wales

Scope and Content

This notebook comprises entries on geological issues whilst in Bristol, 1874-1879. Comprising table of values charting Angle of depth and thickness of a stratum (page 2); entry for September 1875 [Clevedon, west of Bristol] including a sketch of the New Red Sandstone and Old Red Sandstone of the area; field sketch of the unconformity between the NRS and ORS (page 5); notes on the geology of Portishead September 4th 1875 (page 7); newspaper cutting from the Bristol Water Company (page 8); analysis of Iron Ore samples from Winford by E.W.Jones F.G.S., Wolverhampton (page 8); analysis of iron ore from Draycott in the Cheddar Valley (page 9); analysis of terra cotta clay from Draycott (page 11); analysis of terra cotta clay from Weston-super-mare (page 12); description of a field trip December 26th 1875 (page 21); sketch made on June 6th 1875 (page 23); an entry relating to a visit to the British Association Meeting in Glasgow on 9th September, 1876 (page 29); sketch of geologists collecting at Ballaghan Spout [waterfall]; sketch of Trearne Quarry and a sketch of the exposed strata (page 32); details of visit to Swindon by rail, and examination of Kimmeridge Clay with fossil shells in an abandoned railway cutting, October 1877 (page 33); measurements by altitude by aneroid, Hampton Down, April 1878; details of visit to Ely, encountering bog oaks, May 1877; details of visit to Barrington pit, October 1878; and details of visit to Whittlesford November 2nd 1878.

Administrative / Biographical History

There is an entry in the notebook relating to a British Association meeting in Glasgow, September 1876. The entry details an excursion where the party drove West out of town. They visited a water reservoir and examined limestones and trap rocks. Tawney collected specimens of amygdaloidal trap with Laumontite [zeolite mineral]. They then went to Ballaghan Spout [waterfall]. Tawney mentioned that the lowest Carboniferous beds at this locality are the Calciferous Sandstones. The party then visited Finnich Glen hollowed out of nearly horizontal ORS strata. The next day, the party travelled to Paisley by train and then drove out to Beith (as there were no Sunday trains). There they visited Limekiln quarries. Tawney collected a specimen of Gleniffer porphyry [Renfrewshire]. At Beith the Gateside quarries are about 1 mile from the town.