[The Hard backed book measures 1o ins x 7 1/2 ins (25 x 19 cm), with leather-like covers and spine, contains faint blue-green lined pages, was supplied by Eleph G. Bisat, Commercial Printer and Stationer, and Account Book Manufacturer, 5, Barter Gate, Doncaster. On the first two plain pages a price of 3/- is written.
The first entries in the book are in the hand of Matthew H. Stiles, Hon. Sec., who continued until the end of October 1896, completing 16 years of service as Honorary Secretary to the society. Dr. Herbert H. Corbett then became Hon. Sec.]
The Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
Minute Book N0. 3
Beginning Oct. 1894.
Oct 16, 1894
Committee Meeting in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Present – Dr. Mitchell Wilson (President), Messrs. H. H. Corbett, J. G. Walker, T. L. Atkinson, G. Bisat, F. Whaley, & M. H. Stiles, Hon Sec.
The arrangements for the coming Conversazione were discussed & decided upon.
Mr. Whaley & Mr. Bisat were requested to look after & arrange the Photographs; Mr. Corbett the Natural History Specimens, Fossils etc.; Mr. Stiles, Mr. Winter & Mr. Roberts the Microscopes.
Oct 18, 1894
The Annual Meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union was held in the Mansion House.
A Programme of the meeting & a report of it from the Doncaster Chronicle are inserted on the following Pages.
Signed Mitchell Wilson
Conversazione at The Mansion House
In connection with the annual meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, which was held in Doncaster, on Thursday, the proceedings concluded with a microscopical conversazione in the Mansion House, During the afternoon sectional meetings were held, and afterwards the members who came from all parts of Yorkshire were entertained to tea by the Mayor and Mayoress.
Subsequently a general meeting was held when the retiring president, Mr. R. H. Tiddeman, M.A., F.G.S., delivered an address on geological work for local societies.
The arrangements, which were carried out by Mr. M.H. Stiles, the local hon. sec., gave general satisfaction – indeed the visitors expressed themselves highly pleased with the reception accorded to them and Mr. Stiles has received a complimentary letter from the President, thanking him for the excellent arrangements. On no previous occasion have the members been more considerately treated by the local authorities.
Although it was described as a microscopical conversazione the display was by no means confined to microscopes. There was a fine display of photographs by Mr. F. Whaley, Mr. G. B. Bisat, Mr. J. R. Thompson, Mr. M. H. Stiles, Mr. W. Roberts, Mr. H. Percy, Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Barton of Bawtry. Sprotborough and Cusworth appear to be happy hunting ground for the amateur photographer, and several especially pretty picturesque of that neighbourhood were shown. Several very good photographs of natural phenomena were shown by Mr. Leadbeater of Rotherham. Fossils were exhibited by James Howard of the Deaf and Dumb institution, whilst Miss Godfrey of Bennitthorpe, showed a most beautiful axe head which was found on the Race Common some years ago. Mrs. J.G. Robinson exhibited a nice collection of shells, and Mr. Kaye, of Scot Lane, sent a most interesting and valuable collection of medallion portraits and other curious articles.
Microscopes were lent by Mr. B. S. Brundell, Rev. W. R. Weston, Rev. E. H. Bennett, Mrs. Smith, (The Grange, Thorne), Mr. J. M. Kirk, Mr. M. H. Stiles, Mr. George Winter, Mr. Walter Roberts, Mr. W. T. Jackson, Mr. W. C. Brown (Appleby), Mr. W. R. Willey (Infirmary), Mr. G. A. Lewis, Mr. C. M. Hartley, Mr. G. B. Bisat, Dr. H. J. Clark, Mr. P. W. Matthewman, Mr. Furnival, Mr. W. Parkin, Mr. J. B. Richardson, Mr. James Spencer (Halifax), Rev T Gough (Retford, two), Mr. F. W. Branson (Leeds, six), Messrs., Watson and Sons (London, six), Mr. J. Charters-Birch (Leeds), Mr. J. W. Howarth (Leeds), Mr. E. Gledhill (Halifax), Dr. Burman (Wath), Mr. J. Neale, B.A. (Ackworth), Mr. R. C. Burn.
Among the microscopical objects exhibited were: Living- Cristabella, Volvox, Paludicella, Floscularia Melicerta, and various Entornostraca. The following diatoms were shown – Anlacodiscus, Heliopelta, a typical slide of Pleurosigma showing all the better known varieties , group of Diatoms from Hungary group of Araclinordiscus ; there were also Foraminifera from March, in Cambridgeshire, and from the Adriatic, Polycystina from Barbadoes, various insect preparations, including a beautiful specimen of the British Diamond Beetle, section of larva from Auvergne under Polarized light, leaf of Dentzia with its beautiful stellate hairs, a very lovely object under polarized achromatic light; lung tubercle, stem of Arbutilon (transverse section stained). Two very striking objects were composed of the many-coloured scales of moths and butterflies, one arranged as a vase of flowers, the other as a poultry group, consisting of cock, hen, and chicks. A method of exhibiting comparatively large objects by means of two objectives was shown, the example shown being a moth. Another remarkable object consisted of fine dust. Plants for the decoration of the room were lent by Mr. Brundell and Mr. Howard, and the band of the Orchestral Society kindly played a selection of music during the evening.
The following is a list of acceptance: –
Mr. Thomas Anelay, Mr. W. E. Atkinson, Mr. T. L. Atkinson, Mr. and Miss Atkinson, Rev. F. H. and Mrs., Allen, Alderman and Mrs. Athron, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Athron, Mr. and Mrs. John Athron, jnr., Councilor and Mrs. Abbott, Miss Anstruther (Art School), Mr. Allott (High Street), Mr. J. M., Mrs. and Miss Axe (Hall-gate), Mr. W. S. and Mrs. Arnold, Mr. W. Mrs. and Miss Anelay, Mr. and Mrs. S. Anderson.
Alderman, Mrs. and Miss Bentley, Mr. R Bardney, Rev. A. M. Batty, Mr. S. G. Barton, Mr. G. and Mrs. Booth, Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Brundell, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Burman, Mr. and Mrs. E. Bell (Regent-square), Councilor and Mrs. Baddiley, Mr. and Mrs. Broadrick, Mr. and Mrs. Blagden, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Bethell, Mr. Charles Barrass, Mr. and Mrs. R. Best, Mr. and Mrs. T. N. Brooke, Mr. J. L. Bagshaw, Mr. Luke Bagshaw, Mr. George Bisat, Mr. E. G. Bisat, Rev. A. C. E. and Mrs. Blomfield, Supt., and Mrs. Blake, Mr. and Mrs. R. Bridge, Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Brundell, Miss Buckley, Rev. H. E. Boultbee, Rev. S. Brock, Mr. E. Bolt, Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Brown (Appleby), Mr. and Mrs. R. Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. J. Bulgin, Mr. P. Brundell.
Mr. and Mrs. G. Chonler, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Corbett, Mr. H. W. Cornelius, Mr. and Mrs. S. B. Castle, Dr. and Mrs. Clarke, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Clayton, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Colins, Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Connor, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. R. Crabtree, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Crouch, Mr. and Mrs. Cuttriss, Mr. and Mrs. J. Cook (Belmont-terrace)Mr. and Mrs. Cowling, Mr. and Mrs. Collinson (Lawn-road), Mr. J. W. Crummack, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Charlesworth, Miss Childers (Cantley Hall), Mr. E Capper.
Miss Denison, Miss Davidson, Mr. F. W. Dod, Mr. H. Dod, Mr. F.G. Dawson, Councillor and Mrs. Mark Dowson, Mr. Francis Duff, Mr. and Mrs. J. Dawson, Mr. and Mrs. Denison (Queen’s-road).
Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Edwards, Major Elwis, Councillor and Mrs. Ellis, Mr. and Mrs. F. Earnshaw, Councillor and Mrs. Edgar.
Mr. H. Farr, Mr. E. Farr, Miss Farr, Miss Few, Mr. and Mrs. C. Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. A. Freeman, Rev. B. S. and Mrs. Fielding, Miss Fenton.
Captain and Mrs. Grosvenor, Miss Godfrey, Mr. W. Y. Gent (Stockwith), Mr. and Mrs. Gallsworthy, Miss Gelston, Mr. and Mrs. N. Gyles.
Councillor W. J. and Mrs. Huntriss, Mr. and Mrs. F. Huntriss, Mr. R. M. Hartley, Mr. J., Mrs. and the Misses Howard, Dr. and Mrs. Hallows, Mr. J. J. and Mrs. Hasselby, Mr. and Mrs. J. Halmshaw, Mrs. and Miss Maude Hawker, Mrs. C. W. and Miss Hatfield, Rev. W.A. and Mrs. Hick, Lieut-Colonel and Mrs. Hill, Mr. C. M. and Mrs. Hill, Mr. J. E. and Mrs. Hindle (High-street), Alderman and Mrs. Howarth, Mr. G. W. Hartley, Mr. E. Haigh, Scawthorpe; Mr. Hinchcliffe, Misses Hawley, Miss Hiley, Mr. R. J. Hepworth.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Inchbold.
Dr. and Mrs. Johnstone, Rev. F. and Mrs. Jennings, Mr. W. T. and Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Walker and Mrs. Jackson, Miss Jennings, Mr. W., Mrs. and Miss Johnson.
Mr. and Mrs. J. Kenyon, Hooton Pagnell, Mr. G. Knight, Mr. and Mrs. Kaye.
Mr. G. and Misses Liddle, Rev. C. Leonard, Mr. S. and Mrs. Lester, Mr. G. A. and Mrs. Lewis, Supt. And Mrs. Lister, Mrs. and Miss Heald Legard, Mr. F. S. and Miss Lister, Mr. W. E. and Mrs. Lister.
Mr. P. W. Matthewman, Mr. J. W. and Mrs. Matthewman, Mr. S. and Mrs. Meacock, Mr. James., Mrs. and Miss Meacock, and the Misses Mann, Mr. F. W. and Mrs. Masters and family, Mr. F. Moate, Mrs. and Misses Montagu.
Mrs. and Misses Newton, Mr. F. E. and Mrs. Nicholson, Mr. J., Mrs. and Misses Nicholson, Mr. J. G. and Misses Nicholson, Mr. J. J., Mrs. and Misses Nettleton, Miss Nettleship.
Mr. C. and Mrs. Parkin, Councillor Parkinson, Mrs. Thos. And Misses Parkinson, Councillor and Mrs. Pawson, Mr. J. H. and Mrs. Pawson, Mr. H. and Mrs. Percy, Rev. C. B. Pauling, Mr. R. A. Peddie, Mr. J. J. Petzing, Mr. and Mrs. Pacey, Mr. T. W. and Mrs. Plant, Mrs. Parkinson and family, Mr. A. and Mrs. Park, Mr. H. and Miss Parkin.
Mr. J. G. and Mrs. Robinson, Mr. W. and Miss Roberts, Mr. R. M. and Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Rutherford, Mr. Robert and Mrs. Robinson, Mr. F. and Mrs. Rand, Mrs. and Miss Rigby, Miss Reed, Rev. F. Rudd, Mr. Joe and Mrs. Robinson, Mr. and Misses Reed, Mr. J. and Mrs. Rodgers, Mr. J. B. Richardson.
Mr. A. and Mrs. Sanderson, Mr. R. Stockil, Mr. J. Mrs. and Misses Shotton, Mr. J. and Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. A. J. and Miss Smith, Mr., J. W. and Mrs. Smith, Councillor and Mrs. Spencer, Mr. M. H. and Miss Stiles, Mr. T. B. and Mrs. Sugden, Mr. P. and Mrs. Stirling, Rev. J. W., Mrs. and Misses Scarlett, Mr. F. and Mrs. Smith, Mr. W. E. and Mrs. Selby, Rev. T. and Mrs., Storrs, Mr. H. and Misses Sykes, Mr. G. H. and Mrs. Sheard, Mr. J. and Mrs. Shires, Mrs. Sprott, Mrs. Skeath, Mr. W. W. and Mrs. Smith, the Misses Shorland, Mrs. and Miss Somerset, Mr. W. L. and Mrs. Spencer, Miss Saul.
Mr. P. and Mrs. Thellusson, Mr. J. R. and Mrs. Thompson, Mr. Thomas, Mrs. and Miss K. Turner, Dr. and Miss Tacey, Mr. Alfred and Mrs. Taylor, Councillor and Mrs. Theobald, Mr. F. M., Mrs. and Miss Thompson, Rev. H. and Mrs. Thomas, Mr. R. C. and Mrs. Thompson, Canon and Mrs. Tebbutt, Mr. and Mrs. R. A. H. Tovey, Mr. and Mrs., Tuby.
Mr. and Mrs. Vickers.
Mr. and Mrs. Warde-Aldam, Dr. J. M. and Mrs. Wilson, Mr. S. Wilton, Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Walker, Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Wallis, Mr. F. and Miss Webb, Mr. and Mrs. F. Whaley, Mr. G. T. B. Woodley, Mr. W. H. White, Mr. and Mrs. E. White, Mr. Herbert White, Mr. and Mrs. George Winter, Mr. and Mrs. A. Woodmansey, Mr. and Mrs. G. Wilkie, Councillor and Mrs. Windle, Mr. and Mrs. S. Wyatt, Mr. W. R. Willie, Mr. and Mrs. F. Webb, Mr. C. Wightman, Mr. James, Mrs. and Miss White (Lawn-road), Mr. H. Ward, Mr. and Mrs. G. Wilton, Dr. Wakefield, Mrs. and Miss Wood (Grand Stand), Mr. and Mrs. S. Wilton, Mr. S. H., Mrs. and Miss Wright, Mr. and Mrs. Watkinson, Mr. R., Mrs. and Miss Wright, Mrs. and Miss Wadsworth, Miss Wilson (Moor Cottage).
Mr. W. and Miss Yates, Mr. and Mrs. T. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. T. Young.
Nov 7, 1894
Ordinary Meeting 17 persons present.
A letter of sympathy was sent to Mrs. Kirk & acknowledged by her.
A Wreath was also sent in the name of the members to Mr. Kirk’s funeral.
Signed Mitchell Wilson
[A newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of the above society was held on Wednesday evening last, Mr. W, Roberts, in the unavoidable absence of the president, taking the chair.
Miss Godfrey, Mr. H. D. Dod, Mr. F. E. Shires, and Mr. Skeath were elected members.
The Secretary alluded very feelingly to great loss sustained by the society through the death of Mr. Kirk, who had been associated with it from the very beginning, and indeed, was one of its founders.
It was unanimously resolved that a letter of sympathy be sent to Mrs. Kirk and the family.
Mr. Stiles then gave a lecture on lantern slides in which he fully explained the method of producing them from the original negative, and furnished details of exposure, development, clearing, and where requisite, toning.
The remainder of the evening was spent in exhibiting, with the limelight lantern, a collection of about fifty slides prepared by the lecturer, and embracing views of Scotland, the lake district, the Isle of Man, the neighbourhood of Doncaster, and of Furness Abbey.
A hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Stiles for his interesting and instructive lecture was proposed by the chairman, and seconded by Mr. J. R. Thompson.”
Signed Mitchell Wilson.
Copy of letter sent to Mrs. Kirk. Nov 8, 1894.
Dear Mrs. Kirk,
In accordance with a resolution passed at our meeting on Wednesday last, I wish to express the very deep sympathy with you & your late husband’s family in the great loss you have sustained. Mr. Kirk was one of the Founders of the Society & had taken the warmest interest in its work ever since, contributing in no small degree to its success. It is a matter of very sincere regret to us all that one of our ablest members should have been removed so comparitively early in life. Personally I feel that I have lost an old & dear friend.
Believe me,
yours very sincerely,
M. H. Stiles,
Hon. Sec.
Copy of letter from Mrs. Kirk.
1 Bass Terrace, Doncaster
Nov 12, 94.
Dear Mr. Stiles
I write to express my heartfelt thanks for the kind expression of sympathy which you have conveyed to me from the members of the Microscopical Society.
My dear husband always took the greatest interest and delight in promoting the success of the society from its commencement and it is very consoling to me in my loneliness and sad bereavement to know how much his services were valued and how much he was beloved & esteemed by all who knew him. Thanking you again most sincerely on belalf of my husband’s family and myself for your kind sympathy and for the beautiful floral token of affection.
I am, dear Mr. Stiles,
Yours very sincerely,
L. Kirk.
A meeting of the society was held on the evening of Nov 14 / 94 at the Free Library.
Present – J. Mitchell Wilson (chairman), Messrs. Atkinson, Roberts, Winter, Whaley, Athron, Bisat & Barton.
Proposed by Mr. Winter & seconded by Mr. Roberts – that the Microscopical Society approve of the proposal to procure suitable memorial of their late member Mr. J.M. Kirk & that the President & Secretary be appointed delegates to the meeting which has been called to carry out this proposal & that it be recommended to these gentlemen to support the placing of a brass to the memory of Mr. Kirk in the Parish Church
Proposed by Mr. Roberts, seconded by Mr. Atkinson & carried unanimously , that the sum of £3. 3. 0. From the funds of the society be given as a donation towards the above object.
Proposed by Mr. Winter & seconded by Dr. Wilson, that a cordial vote of sympathy be forwarded to Mr. Stiles in consequence of the recent bereavement he has sustained.
[Alice Dorothy Stiles, his daughter, died Nov. 10th 1894 aged 10 years.]
Nov 28, 1894.
[a newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society
A meeting of this society was held ion Wednesday evening, November 28th, Dr. Mitchell Wilson in the chair.
Mr. H. H. Corbett, M.R.C.S., read a paper on “Ammonites.”
He explained that Ammonites were the fossil remains of animals which were distantly related to cuttlefish and more nearly to the nautilus.
In order to show interest of ammonites to the geologist and paleontologist, he explained briefly the classification of the stratified rocks composing the coast of the globe, and afterwards proceeded to show that the Cephalopoda (the group of animals to which ammonites belong) were a vert old family, being found as low as the Silurian formation. He mentioned the use of ammonites to the practical geologist in defining life-zones in the rocks, many species having a very short range of geological time, and their presence existing in any locality, thereby serving to define exactly the stratum in which such species are found.
Much more was touched upon. And the essay concluded with a request to the members of the society to help, by collecting and carefully labeling fossils, in the gradual formation of a geological museum for Doncaster.
An excellent and instructive discussion followed the reading of the paper, after which a vote of thanks to Mr. Corbett was proposed by the chairman and carried unanimously.”
13 members were present
After the discussion it was proposed by Dr. Wilson & seconded by Mr. Culpin & carried, that the question raised by the latter respecting the germ of a museum be referred to the committee.
Signed W. Ernest Atkinson.
Dec 19, 1894
The third meeting of the session was held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Mr. Ernest Atkinson in the chair.
Seventeen members were present.
Mr. Curtiss & Mr. T. W. Draper were duly elected members of the society.
Mr. J. R. Thompson then read a paper on Photographic Transparencies; in which he dealt with the various methods of making transparencies upon photographic plates and papers referring more particularly to those prepared with Cowan’s Gelatino-Chloride & Alpha Plates.
The results obtained were extremely beautiful & Mr. Thompson had adopted a very effective plan for showing these. This consisted of two small wooden screens made to fold & so arranged as to enclose a Paraffin Lamp with an opal globe. In the upper part of the screen & on a level with the source of light, spaces were left in which the pictures could be placed & removed at will. By varying the exposure & adapting the developer to this variation a wide range of colour from black to a warm or even bright red could be obtained & thus the most suitable tone of each subject became a matter of early choice. The Developer recommended was Hydroquinone with Gold after toning if thought necessary. The Exposure were made with Magnesium Ribbon. The show how simple & easy the process was to work. Mr. Thompson gave a demonstration which was watched with much interest by the members present.
A discussion followed after which a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer for his very instructive paper & for the charming examples of work exhibited by him.
Signed Henry Percy
April 10, 1895
The fourth meeting of the session was held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Mr. H. Percy in the chair.
Twelve members were present.
Mr. E. English was elected a member of the society.
As there was no set paper for the evening, the secretary opened a discussion on the development of Chloride Prints, drawing attention to certain advantages presented by this method, particularly for the rapid production of prints in dull weather & for their increased brilliancy where flat negatives were concerned.
Mr. Barton pointed out an important feature connected with the use of matt varnish for improving the printing qualities of negatives.
The back of a negative thus treated can be easily touched up with a pencil or stamp & its printing quality very considerably enhanced.
An Interesting discussion followed the introduction of these subjects.
Signed Henry Percy
May 1, 1895
The fifth meeting of the session was held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Mr. H. Percy in the chair.
Nineteen members were present.
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Mr. Whaley gave a mast interesting lecture and demonstration on “The Retouching and General Improvements of Negatives.”
Several landscape negatives, brought by some of those present, were criticised, their defects pointed out, and capacity for improvement noticed. In some cases, the negatives were operated on and reasons given for such work. Mr. Whaley’s remarks were listened to with much attention, and the various steps taken to improve the negative were followed with very considerable interest by the audience who passed a very cordial vote of thanks to Mr. Whaley for so freely coming forward to help and instruct them.
Mr. Whaley was also heartily congratulated for his recent success at the Eastbourne Photographic Exhibition, he having obtained the medal in the champion class for his picture entitled “Worn out,” a very notable production. “
Signed J. R. Thompson
May 15, 1895
The Sixth meeting of the session was held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Mr. J. R. Thompson in the chair.
There were 17 members present.
Two papers were read, one by Mr. H. Moat on the Mounting of Chloride Prints, the other by Mr. Bellamy on Bromide Enlargements.
Mr. Moat gave a concise description of the method followed by him in his work & recommended stiff Starch Paste as the most suitable adhesive for this purpose, The paper was followed by a short demonstration.
Mr. Bellamy then described in detail the plan of procedure adopted by him in making enlargements from small negatives which owing to the capacity of his lantern were limited to Quarter Plate size. Although he had tried enlarging by daylight, he had found it so variable, thus rendering the exposure so uncertain, that he had discarded it in favour of artificial light. So far, he had been content with the Ferrous-oxalate Developer & had used this with satisfactory results. Mr. Bellamy then exhibited the process in action, but owing to the presence of much diffused light in the Lecture Room, the results were not so successful as it otherwise might have been. A number of enlargements on paper & opal were shown in illustration of the capabilities of the process.
A lengthy & interesting discussion followed after which a vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Athron & seconded by Mr. Bagshaw.
July 26, 1895
A committee meeting was held on this day in the Free Library.
Present : – Dr. J. M. Wilson, Mr. Culpin & Mr. Stiles.
The meeting had been called for the selection of a subject for the University Extension Lectures during the Lent Term, 1896. The courses offered by the Yorkshire College were thought to be not sufficiently comprehensive & it was suggested that an inquiry be made as to whether a course on Architecture could be given. Two other sub jests were mentioned – Past & Present of English Labour & the Ice Age in Britain.
The Hon. Sec. reported that the application for the Gilchrist Lecture had through a misunderstanding been made too late to be entertained for the coming winter.
Signed Mitchell Wilson
Sept 6, 1895
A committee meeting was held this day in the Free Library, Dr. J. Mitchell Wilson in the chair.
Mr. H. Culpin, & the Hon. Sec. (Mr. Stiles) were also present.
The minutes of the previous meeting – relating to the choice of a subject for a course of University Extension Lectures – were read & confirmed.
After some discussion the meeting was adjourned as the few members present thought that the responsibility of a final selection of a subject for the Extension Lectures should be shared by a larger number.
A resolution to this effect was moved by the President & seconded by the Hon. Sec.
Signed Mitchell Wilson
Sept 20, 1895
A committee meeting was held this day in the Free Library.
Present: – Dr. Mitchell Wilson (President), Mr. Bisat & Mr. Stiles (Hon. Sec.)
The minutes of the previous meeting were read & confirmed.
The question regarding the choice of a course of University Extension Lectures was then brough forward & it was finally resolved that a course on the “Ice Age in Britain” by Mr. P. F. Kendall be chosen for the early part of 1896.
The President read a circular referring to the Huxley Memorial Fund. It was thought not desirable to take any action in the matter.
The General Meeting was fixed for Thursday Oct 3rd.
It was decided to apply for a course of Gilchrist Lectures.
Oct 3. 1895
At a Committee Meeting held this day there were present: – Dr. J. M. Wilson (President), Messrs. Corbett, Culpin, Whaley, & Stiles (Hon. Sec.)
The draft report for the General Meeting was submitted to the committee & approved & the statement of accounts was also approved subject to audit by Mr. Culpin. A provisional selection of the principal officials for the coming session was also made.
Signed H. Culpin.
Report for the Session 1894-5
Your committee have much pleasure in presenting the sixteenth Annual Report for this Society & thereby to place on record an account of the work done during the session which has just ended. Shortly after our last General Meeting the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union held their Annual Gathering in this Town at the invitation of your society & with the kind co-operation of the then Mayor of Doncaster, Mr. Councillor F.W. Masters. The meeting, which was held in the Mansion House on October 18th, 1894, was a highly successful one & was very largely attended not only by the members of the Union from all parts of Yorkshire, but by the members and friends of our own society, all of whom highly appreciated the kindness & hospitality shown by the Mayor and Mayoress.
In confirmation of the special educational work with which the society has now been identified for several years, a fourth course of University Extension Lectures by Mr. P.F. Kendall, F.G.S., on “Astronomy” was delivered in the early part of this year. The following statistics are taken from the report sent to the County Council.
|
1895 |
1894 |
|
| Course Tickets sold |
48 |
129 |
| Average attendance at lectures |
60 |
126.1 |
| Average attendance at classes |
18 |
27.8 |
| Total receipts (excluding grant) |
£9 11 9 |
£15 10 9 |
| Total expenses |
£18 0 0 |
£18 17 8 |
| County Council Grant |
£9 0 0 |
£9 8 10 |
There is now a balance in hand in connection with this account of about £23. 0. 0.
Four candidates entered for the usual Terminal Examination of whom Mr. W. Y. Brennan & Miss E. Longbottom satisfied the examiner & Mr. T. W. Plant passed with distinction. Your committee arranged for another course for the Lent Term of next year.
During the past session, six meetings of the society have been held exclusive of the General Meeting, at these the following papers were read.
“Lantern Slides” by Mr. M.H. Stiles
“Ammonites” by Mr. H.H. Corbett
“Photo-transparencies” by Mr. J.R. Thompson
A photographic Discussion, opened by Mr. Stiles & Mr. Barton
“Notes on Retouching” by Mr. Whaley
“Mounting Chloride Prints” by Mr. Moat and
“Enlarging with the Lantern” by Mr. Bellamy
The average attendance at these meetings was 16 as compared with 11 in the previous years.
During the session nine new members joined the society and although several were lost through death and other causes, the members now on the roll is 52.
The report would be incomplete without allusion to the very great loss which the Society has sustained through the death of its oldest member & most earnest worker Mr. J. M. Kirk, F.R.M.S. For a period of 15 years he gave much time & thought to the interests of the Society & in 1889 filled the office of President with great credit. To show the esteem in which he was held by all classes of his fellow townsmen a Fund was raised to perpetuate his memory and to which this society contributed the sum of Three Guineas.
A Financial Statement is appended.
| Receipts etc. | |
| Cash in hand Oct 10, 1894 | 4. 13. 9 |
| Cash in Bank Oct 10, 1894 | 18. 13. 4 |
| 1 Subscription for 1893 | 2. 6 |
| 6 subscriptions for 1894 | 15. 0 |
| 29 subscriptions for 1895 | 3. 2. 6 |
| 1 Subscription for 1896 | 2. 6 |
| £27. 19. 7 | |
| Payments etc. | |
| Printing | 3. 0. 0 |
| Kirk Memorial Fund | 3. 3. 0 |
| Kirk Wreath for Funeral | 10. 0 |
| Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union | 9. 0 |
| Correspondence | 7. 6 |
| Conversazione – Orchestral Society | 2. 2. 0 |
| Conversazione – Sundry expenses | 1. 7. 6 |
| Cash in Bank | 18. 3. 4 |
| Less cash due to treasurer | (1. 2. 9) |
| £27. 19. 7 |
[a newspaper cutting was inserted into the minute book at this point]
Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society: –
The sixteenth annual meting of this Society was held on Thursday evening, October 3rd, Dr. J. Mitchell Wilson, President, in the chair.
The report for the past session was read and confirmed. After the allusion to the visit of the Yorkshire Naturalists. Union and the entertainment given in connection therewith the report gave particulars of the course of University Extension Lectures, delivered by Mr. P. F. Kendall, F.G.S. in the early part of this tear. An examination was held at the close of the course, which Miss E. Longbottom, Mr. W. Y. Brennan and Mr. T. W. Plant passed the last with distinction. During the year nine new members joined the Society and although several were lost through death and other causes the number on the roll for the past session was 52. The report concluded with a reference to the great loss sustained through the decease of Mr. J. M. Kirk, one of the Society’s oldest members and most earnest worker. The choice of the committee with regard to a course of University Extension Lectures in 1896 was confirmed.
The following officers were chosen for the coming session: –
President: – Mr. H. Culpin
Vide-presidents: – Messrs. H. H. Corbett, J. B. Prosser, W. E. Atkinson, Dr. J. M. Wilson
Committee: – Messrs. F. Whaley, G. R. Bisat, J. R. Thompson, T. Cuttriss, W. Roberts, and Mrs. Corbett
Hon. Secretary and Treasurer: – Mr. M. H. Stiles
The meeting concluded with votes of thanks to the officers of the society and the chairman.”
[the page returns to Stiles handwriting]
Votes of thanks were also accorded to the Corporation & to the Free Library Committee for kindly granting the use of rooms for the Society Meetings,
Signed H. Culpin.
Nov 5, 1895
At a committee meeting held this day in the Reference Room, Free Library there were present Mr. H. Culpin (President), Messrs. Bisat, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles (hon. Sec.)
A letter from Mr. Braiford, suggesting that the course of Lectures on the Ice Age in Britain by Mr. Kendall should be delivered in April, May & June was read & discussed. It was resolved that the Lectures should be given in Feb, March & April, the seventh & eight in the Field at times arranged by the Lecturer & the Hon. Sec.
After discussing the draft programme, it was resolved that a meeting of the committee be held this day week with the view of extending the same.
Signed H. Culpin.
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society
A meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening, November 6th, Mr. H. Culpin (president) in the chair.
[17 persons were present]
Three new members were elected – Miss Davidson, Mr. T. W. Plant, and Mr. A. Saynor.
A paper was then read on “The New Photography” by Mr. S. J. Barton, who recently paid a visit to the Exhibition at the Salon, and had been deeply impressed thereby. In describing this new departure, Mr. Baton stated that the aim should be, not to produce a mere topographical view, but a photograph possessed of real pictorial qualities – the simplest materials or surroundings, properly made use of, would conduce to this result, picturesque scenery being my no means necessary. To emphasize this point he drew attention to two pieces by Mr. Horsley Hinton, entitled “Day Awakening” and “Day Decline”, copies of which he passed round the room. Other examples of a local character were also shown, and their artistic and other merits pointed out. In this connection he strongly recommended the use of isochromatic plates, as giving results truer to nature; he also defined the correct meaning of the word “tone” as applied to pictorial effect. For preserving the true balance of perspective lenses of fairly long focus should be employed, and the rendering of the distance should be subordinated to that of the principal object; the exposure should also be quick, although some workers might disagree with him on this p[point. The most suitable printing methods were then referred to, carbon and platinotype being especially advocated., combined with a mount that harmonised with the picture.
An excellent discussion followed the examination of the examples of work exhibited by Mr. Barton, after which a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to him for his interesting and instructive paper.”
Signed H. Culpin.
Nov 12, 1895
A meeting was held this day in the Free Library of which the following report was taken from the Chronicle.
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society
In connection with this society a very pleasant gathering of a social character was held on Wednesday evening last. [Mov 20, 1895] It was a revival of the old established exhibition meeting, and embraced a display of microscopes, photographs, and objects of general scientific interest. Considering the extremely unfavourable state of the weather there was a good attendance, [27 being present] and those present appeared to be much gratified by the attractive display made by the members. Microscopes were furnished by Messrs. George Winter, M. H. Stiles, G. B. Bisat, W. T. Jackson, W. Roberts, and Bellamy, and amongst others the following living objects were shown: – Stentor, Melicerta, cyclops and vorticella; with diatoms, polycistina, foraminifera, microscopic star fish, plant sections (double-stained), minute lepidoptera, micro-photographs, etc. The living objects stentor and Melicerta, obtained from Cusworth, evoked much interest, and their beautiful gorms and never-ceasing movements were greatly admired. Photographs were contributed by Messrs. H. Percy, J. Athron, M. H. Stiles, Bellamy, etc.; and scientific objects bt Messrs. [Corbett], Cuttriss, Stiles, Robinson, and Plant.
Mr. H. W. Hardy was elected a member, and three others were nominated.”
Signed H. Culpin
Wednesday Dec 4, 1895
A meeting was held this day in the Reference Room, Free Library of which the following report appeared in the Chronicle and Gazette
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society
A meeting of this society was held Wednesday last week, Mr. H. Culpin presided in the chair. Miss Smith, Mr. T. Smith and Mr. C. Matthewman were elected members.
Dr. Mitchell Wilson then read a paper on the “Metrical System.” In introducing the subject, he gave the history of past efforts in the House of Commons to bring about the general adoption of the metric system of weights and measures in England.
That system was shown to be based upon the Metre which is also the unit for all measures of length; the unit of capacity is the Litre, and the unit of weight is the Gramme. These three units have a definite relation to each other.
The multipliers and subdivisions of all the weights and measures are arranged upon the decimal notation, i.e. graduated by tens, hundreds, and also by tenths, hundredths, Etc., etc. The complications of the present English system, with its multitude of subdivisions and many local irregular weights and measures, was compared with the simplicity of the metric system.
A resume of the evidence given before the select committee of the House of Commons by merchants in all branches of trade, by scientific workers, teachers, engineers, and inspectors of weights and measures, was brought forward and the following recommendations of the Select Committee of the house of Commons were discussed: –
(a) That the metric system of weights and measures be at once legalised for all purposes.
(b) That after a lapse of two years, the metrical system be rendered compulsory by Act of Parliament.
(c) That the metrical system of weights and measures be taught in all public elementary schools as a necessary and integral part of arithmetic, and that decimals be introduced at an earlier period of the school curriculum than is the case at present, and before vulgar fractions.
During the discussion which followed, it was stated that the partial adoption of the metric system had already taken place in certain branches of trade in this country, particularly among drapers and out-fitters, many of the goods used and sold by them being marked according to both systems.
The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the lecturer and the chairman. At the next meeting, which will be held on December 18th, a paper on the “Intensification of Negatives” will be read by Mr. Percy.”
Signed R. M. Bellamy
Wednesday Dec 18, 1895
A meeting was this day held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Thirteen members were present
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening, December 18th. In the absence of the President, the chair was taken by Mr. Bellamy.
Mr. Day was elected a member of the society.
Mr. H. Percy read a paper on “The Intensification of Negatives,” giving general directions for improving the printing qualities of thin and over-exposed negatives. Many negatives, through errors in exposure and development, fail to give satisfactory prints unless some means are adopted to increase the contrast which such negatives yield when printed from. The increase in contract is furnished by a negative when intensified. The methods of accomplishing this were given, and results shown before and after intensification, the marked improvements in the latter being very evident.
An interesting and instructive discussion followed the reading of the paper.”
Signed Walter Roberts
Wednesday Jan 15, 1896
[a Chronicle newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening, January 15th,
[Seventeen members were present]
Mr. Walter Roberts, in the absence of the president, occupying the chair.
Mr. H. Beck and Mr. Edgar were elected members of the society.
Mr. Cuttriss read a paper on “Sound,” effectively illustrated by apparatus made chiefly by himself. Beginning with a definition of sound he proceeded to give a short description of the construction of the ear, explaining how sound waves were received by the tympanum, the sensation thus produced being conveyed to the brain. The effect of the vibratory motion of sound waves was shown in a very simple, yet graphic manner. The cause of the emission of sound by a tuning fork was then explained, and a simple method of recording its vibration exhibited. The reinforcement of sound and also its destruction by interference were then alluded to. The conduction of sound was demonstrated in various ways notably by the string telephone, whose usefulness is however limited to a distance of about 00 yards. A sound wave to be recognised as a musical note must have at least 16 vibrations per second, a middle C tuning fork has 284, whilst the highest audible note has 38,000 vibrations per second. Various experiments were performed with the sanometer, the audiometer, and with a phonograph of simple construction, similar to that originally devised by Edison. The reproduction of the sounds spoken into the latter caused considerable interest and amusement.
A discussion followed the reading of the paper, after which a hearty vote of thanks to the author was proposed by Mr. Corbett, and seconded by Mr. George Winter.
At the next meeting on the 22nd inst., a paper on “Carbon printing” will be read by Mr. L. Bagshaw.”
Signed H. Culpin
Wednesday Jan 29, 1896
A meeting was this day held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Thirteen members were present.
[a Chronicle newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening last week, Mr. H. Culpin (the president) occupying the chair.
Mr. F. J. Clarke was elected a member.
Mr. L. Bagshaw read a paper on the “Carbon Process,” accompanied by a demonstration, and illustrated by samples of his own work and some very fine examples kindly lent by the Autotype Company.
The simplicity and certainty of the process, the comparative ease of manipulation, and the beauty and permanency of the results, placed the carbon process in the very front rank of photographic printing methods, and will no doubt eventually ensure a more general adoption than at present obtains.
This view was heartily endorsed by those who had the pleasure of listening to Mr. Bagshaw’s excellent paper, and watching his development of the prints chosen for illustration.
At the next meeting on February 12th, a paper on “Warmsworth Crags” will be read by Mr. Corbett.
Signed H. Culpin
Feb 12 1896, Wednesday
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening, February 12th,
Mr. H. Culpin (president) in the chair.
[19 members were present]
Mrs. Culpin was elected a member.
Mr. H. H. Corbett, M.R.C.S., then read a paper on “Warmsworth Crags” illustrated by lantern slides, prepared by Mr. Bellamy and exhibited by Mr. Stiles.
The essay began with a short description of the geological and physical features of the Don Valley as a whole, from the grit stone moors above Sheffield and Penistone, through the colliery district to Conisborough, thence cutting through the Permian rocks to Doncaster, and on across the level lands of the Trias and Glacial and Alluvial drifts to join the Ouse.
The southern character of the climate and botany of the valley were noticed.
More detailed description was then given of that part of the valley that traverse the Permian rocks. The plants found upon the limestone were shown to be generally typically Xerophilous in character. Several of the more interesting species were described, and the mode of cross-fertilisation in orchids was mentioned.
The lithological characters of the three chief divisions of the Permian rocks – the lower limestone, the middle marls, and the upper limestone – were then noted, and attention was drawn to the sections exposed in the quarries at Warmsworth, the Warmsworth cutting on the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, and in the quarries of Hexthorpe Flats.
The probable original deposition of the rocks was described, and the scarcity of fossils noted.
Attention was then called to the fact that the southern side of the Don Valley is very narrow, and that all the adjacent country around Warmsworth, Balby, etc., drains, not into the Don, but into the Trent.
Note was then made of the change in the character of the vale, and of its flora, where the lower limestone was left and the marls crop out. The dry-loving plants of the limestone give place to other species requiring a deeper and wetter soil.
The power of water as a denuding agent was entered into, and its action, chemical and mechanical, in wearing away the surface of the land, was described.
A few words on the zoology of the district and the Philosophical aspect of natural history studies brought the essay to a close.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 26th, when a paper on “Photomicrography” will be read by Mr. Stiles.”
Signed H. Culpin.
Committee Meeting Jan 10, 1896 [This seems to be out of place in the minute book]
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Messrs. Corbett, Cuttriss, Atkinson, & Stiles (Hon. Sec.) & Mrs. Corbett & Mr. G. B. Bisat.
The meeting was summoned for the purpose of discussing the application for a course of Gilchrist Lectures. The Circular containing the conditions imposed bt the Gilchrist Trustees was read over & carefully considered & the Secretary was desired to conform to these in making the application. Ten per. Cent. of the seats to be reserved at 6d. each.
Mr. Stiles was asked to act as the Secretary, which duty he accepted provisionally.
It was resolved that the various Literary Societies in the Town be asked to co-operate with this society in promoting the success of the course should it be granted.
In connection with the above the following Societies were approached & gave favourable replies.
The Young Men’s Christian Association
The Doncaster Co-operative Society
The Hall Gate Mutual Improvement Society
The Priory Place Mutual Improvement Society
The St James Mutual Improvement Society
Signed H. Culpin
Wednesday Feb 26, 1896
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of this society was held on Wednesday evening, February 26th, Mr. H. Culpin (president) in the chair.
[15 members were present]
Mr. H. Glover and Mr. W. H. Ord were elected members of the society.
Mr. M.H. Stiles read a paper on “Photo-micrography,” illustrated by the apparatus used in photographing microscopic objects and bt specimens of the work done with it. The convenience and absolute fidelity of this method of delineation were pointed out, and as in other departments of science, it was rapidly becoming the most trustworthy method of recording results of work. In this branch of microscopy considerable improvements had taken place of late years, owing to the adoption of colour-sensitive plates and more carefully corrected lenses. Mr. Stiles, after describing the apparatus and the source of light, gave an account of the manner in which the necessary adjustments should be made in order to produce good results. In doing this great care is required, and special emphasis was laid on the importance of attention to details. The powers used by the lecturer had ranged from 4-inch to 1/12 inch oil immersion, and specimens of work produced with each power were exhibited and were much admired by the audience.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. H. H. Corbett, seconded by Dr. Mitchell Wilson, and carried.”
Signed H. Culpin.
Committee Meeting Mar 6, 1896
Present – Mr. H. Culpin
The meeting has been called to arrange for the forthcoming Lantern Exhibition & after some discussion it was resolved that the Hon. Secretary should be empowered to engage the County Court Room or any other suitable room at a cost not exceeding 10/-
Signed H. Culpin.
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A lantern exhibition in connection with this society was held on Wednesday evening March 11th, at the Glyn Hotel. The attendance was a record one, nearly 80 members and friends being present. The slides on view included a special series kindly lent by Messrs. R. W. Thomas & Co., to illustrate the advantages of their anti-halation plates where excessive contrasts are likely to be met with; these embraced some very fine architectural subjects, both exteriors and interiors, but chiefly the latter. A mixed set of 50 slides also furnished by the Amateur Photographer, and included some nice work. Local efforts were represented by the production of Messrs. Bagshaw, Bellamy, and Stiles, assisted by Mr. Bagshaw, officiating as lanternist. At the close of the entertainment a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to all those who had, in various ways, contributed to the success of the evening.”
Signed H. Culpin
Committee meeting March 25, 1896.
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Dr. J. M. Wilson, Messrs. Bisat, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles.
The Secretary reported that he with the concurrence of several members of the committee (unofficially) had asked the Free Library Committee to undertake the custody of certain representative Boulders, large & small, from the Glacial Drift Deposit at Balby & that the committee (Library) had consented to do this. He now applied to the committee of this society for confirmation of this action & for a grant from this society funds towards the expense of removing & preparing these for exhibition. Owing to the limited time available for discussion & to the importance of the question this opened up, it was resolved to adjourn the meeting until Friday evening next.
March 25, 1896
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
At the fortnightly meeting of this society, which was held on Wednesday evening, March 25th, Mr. A.A. Clarkson was elected a member.
The president, Mr. H. Culpin, then read a paper on “Economics”. After referring to the increased notice now being shown in regard to the teachings of the science, its subject matter was delt with, and various definitions of wealth were compared. The modes in which it is studied were then discussed, particular attention being bestowed on the characteristics and the respective advantages and limitations of the abstract deductive and historical methods. The paper concluded with a description of the theory of rent, as an example of the aid the science affords in understanding economic phenomena, and was followed by an interesting discussion.”
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
March 27, 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Dr. J. M. Wilson, Messrs. Atkinson, Bisat, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles (Hon. Sec.)
Resolved – on the motion of Dr. Wilson seconded by Mr. Corbett that a deputation from this society wait upon the Corporation to ask permission to utilise part of the space in the Old Free Library for the purpose of forming the nucleus of a museum.
Resolved – that the deputation consist of the President, Hon. Sec. Dr. Wilson & Mr. Corbett.
Resolved – that the arrangement made with the Free Library Committee regarding the Glacial Boulder be approved & that the thanks of this Society be conveyed to the same committee & that the Secretary be empowered to undertake the expenditure connected with their removal & suitable labelling.
Resolved – that the University Extension Examination be held.
Signed H. Culpin
April 15, 1896
Meeting held in the Reference Room
8 members were present.
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
A meeting of this society, the last of the session, was held on Wednesday evening, the 15th inst.
Mr. G. B. Bisat, in the absence of the president, occupying the chair.
The Hon. Secretary stated that he had received a reply from the Gilchrist Trustees notifying that they would be unable to grant the course of lectures for the early part of 1897 which the committee had applied for.
Mr. John Athron jun. then read a paper on “Bromide Paper and some of its Uses.”
After enumerating the advantages attending its employment, he gave a demonstration, both in contact printing and enlargement, choosing for the latter a negative of a view on the Don. A very effective picture was the result, and the whole process was watched with considerable interest by those present.”
Signed H. Culpin
May 8, 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Mrs. Corbett & Messrs, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles (Hon. Sec.)
The meeting was convened for the purpose of drawing up a short Excursion Programme for the Summer months.
It was decided to hold three, on the following dates
Thursday, May 21 – Edlington Wood [16 present]
Thursday, June 18 – Conisboro’ & Sprotbro’ [16 present]
Thursday, July 23 – Adwick, Burghwallis, Campsall & Askern [7 present]
Signed H. Culpin
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this point]
[June 18, 1896]
“Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
The second of three excursions in connection with the above society took place on Thursday last and proved quite as successful as that held a month ago at Edlington Wood. It had been arranged that the Y. M.C.A. Rambling Club should on this occasion join with the Microscopical Society, but the rambler failed to turn up, probably finding greater attractions at Thorne and elsewhere.
Proceeding to Conisborough by the 2.35 train, a portion of the party explored the extensive brickfield belonging to Messrs. Walker and Crawshaw, where some sections of considerable interest are laid bare. Two photographs were taken by Mr. Stiles – one a general view of the strata exposed, the other a small section exhibiting curious and well-marked contortions.
Rejoining the main body, the whole party then went by the Warmsworth cliffs and Levitt Hagg to Sprotborough. The afternoon was beautifully bright and fine, and, influenced by recent rains, the Warmsworth side of the Don Valley looked its very best, and amply repaid those who visited it.
On arriving at Sprotborough an excellent tea, to which 16 sat down, was served by Mrs. Heald, after which the botanical finds were overhauled and named, 96 specimens being noted. No special work was done in entomology, but polyommatus icarus was seen, and Larvae of bucullice verbasei were found abundantly feeding on Scrophularia balbisii.
After a pleasant walk home through the park and by the river a sunset of unusual beauty and somewhat striking peculiarity was witnessed as the party grew near to Doncaster.”
[This is the first reference of an excursion appearing within the minute books]
Aug 31, 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Mrs Corbett, Messrs. Atkinson, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles.
After some discussion, it was proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss & carried, that a course of Lectures (University Extension) on Photography by Mr. H. Ingle of the Yorkshire College be chosen for the Lent Term of 1897.As an alternative subject, “The Past & Present of English Labour” was chosen.
The Lectures to be given on Tuesday Evenings.
With regard to the coming session, it was decided to hold the meetings on the second & forth Wednesdays in each month from October to April inclusive, omitting the last meeting in December & the first in January.
Signed H. Culpin
5 Oct, 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Mrs. Corbett, Messrs. Bisat, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles (Hon. Sec.)
Resolved that the University Extension Lectures begin on Tuesday Jan 26 & be held at 8 o’clock preceded by the class at 7.30.
A provisional selection of officials for the coming session was then made and the Programme was discussed & partly arranged.
Signed H. Culpin
12 Oct 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. H. Culpin (President), Mrs. Corbett, Dr. J. M. Wilson, Messrs. Bisat, Corbett, Cuttriss, & Stiles (Hon. Sec.)
The draft report and financial statement submitted by the secretary were approved. Mr. Bisat was requested to audit the Balance Sheet.
Resolved that notices be sent to all members whose subscriptions are in arrears stating that unless the latter be paid in one month, they shall cease to be members.
The proposed alterations in the Rules were then discussed & it was suggested that the following alteration in Rule 6 be submitted to the General Meeting.
After the word “Committee” – if approved the person shall be nominated at the next meeting & the election shall take place at the subsequent meeting.
Omit Rule 7
Signed Oct 21/96
M. H. Stiles (President)
Report for the Session 1895-6
To the members of the Doncaster Microscopical & General Scientific Society.
At the close of another Session, it is the pleasing duty of your committee to present the Seventeenth Annual Report of the Society giving an account of what has been done during the past year.
University Extension Work seems to have become a recognised part of our scheme, and being, with the help afforded by the County Council, in a great measure free from any financial obligations, there is much encouragement for your society to continue its association with this system of education. Arrangements were therefore made with the Yorkshire College for a fifth course of Lectures. The subject chosen was Glacial Geology; the lecturer being Mr. Percy F. Kendall, F.G.S. one of the first British authorities in this section.
The Lectures were delivered in February & March of this year and, although the attendance was not nearly up to the average of previous years, considerable interest was shown by those who listened to Mr. Kendall and who were present at the excursion to Balby Brickfields where Boulder Clay deposits of considerable importance was investigated.
The usual Terminal Examination was not held this year owing to an alteration in the Regulations of the Victoria University and to the very limited numbers of entries. The following statistics are taken from the report sent to the County Council.
| 1896 | 1895 | |
| Course Tickets sold | 36 | 48 |
| Average attendance at lectures | 44 | 60 |
| Average attendance at class | 8 | 18 |
| Total Expense | £19 5 0 | £18 0 0 |
| Total receipts for admission | 6 4 6 | 9 11 9 |
| County Council Grant | 9 12 6 | 9 0 0 |
| Loss / gain | (3 8 0) | 11 9 |
The Balance in hand in connection with this account amounts to (blank)
Your Committee is now making arrangements for another course for the early part of next year.
The Session just concluded has been one of the busiest and most successful in the history of the Society.
Excluding the Annual Meeting, Eleven meetings have been held as compared with six in the previous session.
The Following papers were given: –
The New Photography by Mr. S. J. Barton
An Exhibition Meeting
The Metric System by Dr. Mitchell Wilson
The Intensification of Negatives by Mr. H. Percy
Sound, with Experiments by Mr. T. Cuttriss
Carbon Printing by Mr. L. Bagshaw
Warmsworth Crags by Mr. H. H. Corbett
Photo Micrography by Mr. M. H. Stiles
A Lantern Exhibition
Economics by Mr. H. Culpin
Bromide Enlargements by Mr. J Athron Jnr.
The average attendance was 21.5
The accession of new members during the past year has been very gratifying; no less that 15 having been elected, which is the largest number in any one year for a long period.
With the view of continuing the work of the society during the Summer months, a short series of afternoon excursions was arranged, and the following places were visited.
Edlington Wood – Thursday May 21
Conisbrough & Sprotbro’ – Thursday June 18
Burghwallis & Askern – July 26
These were fairly well attended and gave great satisfaction to those who were present at them. The weather on each occasion was fine and some useful field-work was done. The average attendance was 13.
The financial position, as shown by the accompanying statement, continues very satisfactory, the society having a balance in hand amounting to (blank)
| Receipts 1896 | |
| Balance in bank Oct 1895 | 18 13 4 |
| Les cash due to treasurer | (1 2 9) |
| Interest from bank | 15 0 |
| Subscriptions 16 for 1894-5 | 2 0 0 |
| Subscriptions 50 for 1895-6 | 6 5 0 |
| Subscriptions 4 for 1896-7 | 10 0 |
| £26 10 7 | |
| Payments etc. | |
| Printing Hartley & Sons | 2 11 6 |
| Printing Bisat | 6 6 |
| Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union | 10 0 |
| Free Library caretaker | 5 0 |
| Exhibition & Lantern meetings | 1 2 8 |
| Stamps & Correspondence | 1 4 6 |
| Cash in Bank | 19 8 4 |
| Cash in hand | 1 2 1 |
| £26 10 7 |
Examined & found correct
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
Oct 14, 1896
[This is the last entry in the minute books by M. H. Stiles]
Our committee feels that this report would fail in completeness unless there were added in it the sincere thanks of the society to the retiring secretary, Mr. Stiles. From the commencement of the society until the present session the onerous duty of secretary and treasurer have been in his hands. The society has passed through many vicissitudes & has at times a hard struggle for existence. But through all difficulties Mr Stiles has successfully & urbanely performed his official duties, & although much pressed for time he attended to the business entailed by his post, those duties have never been checked. We believe that we are correct in stating that on only two occasions has he failed to attend at the meetings of the society. His present resignation will cause a gap hard to fill; but we feel much consolation from the fact that he will still keep in touch with us, & though we may no longer have him as secretary, we shall look to him as, not only one of the original members of the society, but as one who will keep an active interest in its welfare.
14 Oct 1896
General Meeting
Present 18
Chairman – Mr. Culpin
Annual Report received & approved.
Proposed, Mr. Culpin, seconded Mr. Robinson
Election of officials for Session 1896-1897
President – Mr. Stiles
Proposed Mr. Corbett, seconded Mr. Culpin. Carried mem.con
Secretary & Treasurer – Mr. Corbett
Proposed Mr. Stiles, seconded Mr. Mr. Barton. Carried mem.con
Vice President – Mr. Culpin
Proposed Mr. Stiles, seconded Mr. Percy. Carried mem.con
Committee – Four names were submitted for two vacancies. In a ballot being taken the votes recorded for each were as follows: –
Mr Robinson 14 elected
Mr. Plant 9 elected
Mr. Barton 6
Mr. White 5
Alterations to the Rules of the Society
Rule 6.
Proposed by Mr. Bisat, seconded by Mr. Woodley
That Rule 6 read as follows : – The name of any person desiring to become a member shall be submitted through the Honorary Secretary to the Committee. If approved, the person shall be nominated at the next meeting, and the election shall take place at the meeting following. The voting will be by ballot and a majority of three-fourths being necessary to secure election.
Carried Mem. Con.
Rule 4
Proposed by (blank), seconded by (blank)
That rule 4 read as follows: –
The Society shall consist of members subscribing 2s 6d annually, payable in October. Any person whose subscription is not paid by March 31st after two applications have been made by the secretary, shall cease to belong to the Society.
Rule 1
Proposed by Mr. Cuttriss, seconded by Mr. Barton
That Rule 1 be as follows: –
That this Society be called the Doncaster Philosophical Society.
An amendment was proposed by Mr. Woodley, seconded by Mr. Percy
“That this Society be called the Doncaster Scientific Society”
After some discussion Mr. Cuttriss motion was withdrawn & this amendment carried.
Rule 2.
Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Culpin
That Rule 2 read as follows; –
“That the meetings of the Society be held from October to April on Wednesday, the dates to be fixed annually by the committee.”
Am amendment was proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss
“That this Society hold its meetings at 8pm on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday in each month from October to April (excepting the 2nd Wednesday in December & the 1st in January) or at the discretion of the committee.”
Carried
It was decided that the old name of the Society should not be permitted to be lost & that the matter be left in the hands of the Secretary & President.
In consequence of the introduction of of the title of the Society as Rule 1, the original Rule 1 becomes Rule 2; Rule 2 becomes Rule 3 & so on, the total number of rules being now 9.
A vote of thanks to the Corporation & Free Library Committee was proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. (blank)
Carried mem. con.
Oct 20th, 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – M. H. Stiles (President), Mrs. Corbett, Messrs. Culpin, Plant, Cuttriss, & H. H. Corbett Hon. Sec.
The draft programme for the session 1896-97 was considered & some alterations were made.
Resolved – That a leaflet be printed & sent to members along with the programme, drawing their attention to the dates of meetings & to the fact that no further notices of Ordinary Meetings will be sent out.
Resolved – That the secretary write to Mr. Furnival re his lapsed membership, telling him that he may be re-admitted on payment of a fine of 2/-6
Resolved – That a list of Books & Periodicals, the property of this Society be added to the circular leaflet.
New member proposed – Mr. Frank Hepworth
Signed M. H. Stiles (President)
Oct 28 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – M. H. Stiles (President), Mrs Corbett, Messrs. Culpin, Plant, Cuttriss, & H. H. Corbett Hon. Sec.
Mr. Frank Hepworth nomination approved.
Oct 28, 1896
Ordinary Meeting
Present – 17 members & one visitor, Mr. C. Woods
New member – Frank Hepworth, 1 Albion Place, elected.
The Hon. Sec. read an essay on ‘Field Excursions.’
The essayist gave a short synopsis of the three excursions held last year & drew attention to the way in which they had failed in usefulness.
He then suggested that in the future the party should be divided into sections. Viz, Archaeological, Botanical, geological, zoological, (micro botany & micro zoology), Photographic. That leaders should be appointed for each section, & that the members of different sections should, under the guidance of their leaders devote their time, on excursions, to the special branch of science embraced by their section. At the end of a days field work the different sections should report on work done.
The next suitable days for excursions were discussed & it was suggested that besides Thursdays, some outings should be held on Bank Holidays, Saturdays & evenings
An interesting discussion followed; the outcome of which was that it would be to the benefit of our Society if more reports of members work were submitted at meetings.
A vote of thanks to the essayist was proposed by Mr. Culpin & carried unanimously.
The following names were submitted for membership.
Mr. Richardson, 23 Hallgate. Proposed W. E. Atkinson, seconded Mr. Corbett
Mr. C. M. Hartley Jun., The Lodge, Hexthorpe. Proposed M. H. Stiles, seconded Geo, Bisat
Mr. Miller, Gazette Office. Proposed H. H. Corbett, seconded S. J. Barton.
Signed M. H. Stiles.
Nov 11th 1896
Committee Meeting.
Messrs. Richardson, C. M. Hartley Jun., & Miller approved
Nov 11th 1896
Ordinary Meeting
M. H. Stiles, President in the chair
Present 11 members
New members – Messrs. Richardson, Hartley & miller were elected unanimously.
Proposals for membership: –
Mr. Eyres. Proposed Cuttriss seconded Bellamy
Mr. D Mailine. Proposed J. Corbett seconded Moat
Mr. Lawton. Proposed H. H. Corbett seconded Woodley
Mr. Abbott. Proposed Stiles seconded Bisat
Mr. Woodby then read an essay on Timing Developments (a copy of the essay is typed & placed in this book)
A vote of thanks was proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Bisat, carried unanimously.
[The typed pages covered fully three pages of the minute book]
“Timing Development.
Judging by my early experience in the study of photography, I am led to believe that development may be considered the “pons asinorum” of our interesting art science. I had always been more or less unsuccessful in producing respectable negatives by what is termed tentative development, and the papers of Mr. Alfred Watkins of Hereford in the early part of 1894 entitled “A method and instrument for timing development” showed the question to me in quite new light.
It is out of my province in this paper to deal with the subject of correct exposure, and I will merely explain in passing what I believe produces a range of densities having a regular mathematical ratio to each other. Mr Watkins pointed out that in order to secure a correct range of gradation the time the time of development was as important as accuracy in exposure, and whilst it must be borne in mind that his method of timing will not compensate for gross errors in exposure or the use of unsuitable developer, I shall endeavour to demonstrate to you this evening that within reasonable limits of correct exposure (which may be determined by one of the numerous exposure meters or tables on the market) together with one of the commonly known formulae for development , it is possible to produce very satisfactory negatives.
The latitude which may be permitted in exposure varies with the make of plate; I have obtained very good results on some plates with as much as twelve times the normal exposure, while other plates would not yield a suitable negative with more than 8 times the normal exposure.
Having delt with the question of exposure I will now turn to timing, either of the actual development of a plate, and for the purpose of timing, either an ordinary watch (or preferably the Eikronometer invented by Mr. Watkins, which is a small clock and can be more easily seen in the dark room, and which also practically does its own calculating) may be used. The time which elapses between the pouring of the developer and the first appearance of the highlights of the image is carefully noted, and this time multiplied by a suitable factor gives the total time for the development of the plate. I wish here to draw your particular attention to the multiplying factor which is a variable one, being governed by the class, and in some cases strength of the developer employed, and also upon the density of negative which suits the taste of each individual operator. In the case of Pyro and amidol the multiplying factor varies according to the quantity of each of these agents contained in each ounce of mixed developer; with the other reducing agents, the quantity per ounce does not appear to matter. Again, the quantity of bromide is of importance for if this be increased beyond the normal proportion of say half a grain per ounce, a lower factor must be taken, and this rule holds good for practically all the developing agents, metol excepted.
With regards to the alkali, provided the strength is kept within limits found reasonable in practice and does not cause the time of appearance to be inconveniently short for observation, the actual quantity per ounce of developer does not seem to be of much importance; ammonia is not suitable owing to its quickly loosing strength by evaporation; carbonate of soda or potash, and the caustic alkalis are practically free from the objection and it will be found satisfactory to use one of theses. When Potash is used in conjunction with pyro it appears to have a tendency to produce density a little quicker than when soda is used and a somewhat lower factor is desirable.
The quantity of sulphite, and the temperature of developer if within reasonable limits may also be ignored.
It is worthy of notice that with most of the developers dilution of the mixed solution does not alter the multiplying factor, but as before stated pyro and amidol are exceptions, for any dilution of the developer would reduce the proportion of these salts in each ounce to solution and thereby alter the factor.
I will now give you a list of developers most generally known with their approximate multiplying factors (taken from Mr. Watkins’ book) these times may be modified to suit individual taste, but I have found them to work very well.
PYRO SODA
1 grain per ounce – 11 times the time of appearance
2 grain per ounce – 6 times the time of appearance
3 grain per ounce – 5 ½ times the time of appearance
4 grain per ounce – 4 ½ times the time of appearance
5 grain per ounce – 3 ¼ times the time of appearance
Ilford pyro-soda,
For dense negatives – 5 times the time of appearance
For soft negatives – 6 ½ times the time of appearance
Hydroquinone (with caustic or carbonate of soda) – 5 times the time of appearance
Eikonogen – 9 times the time of appearance
Metol – 23 times the time of appearance
Glycin – 14 times the time of appearance
Amidaol (2 grains per ounce) – 14 times the time of appearance
Rodinal – 40 times the time of appearance
Velox – 12 times the time of appearance
Imperial Pyro-metol – 9 times the time of appearance
Metol & Hydroquinone – 13 times the time of appearance
It will be seen that those developers which are looked upon more particularly as detail givers, and under the influence of which the image appears more quickly, have higher factors, whilst the density givers have longer figures.
As to practical results, I have here a few negatives which have been developed with several of the reducing agents mentioned in the above table, and although I do not claim that they are by any means perfect examples, still, when I tell you that they have all been timed from the first appearance of the highlights and never from the first appearance of the image looked at until fixed, I think you will agree with me that the results are very encouraging and conclusively point to the method being a practical one. Mu arguments in support of it have frequently been pooh-poohed, but the greatest tribute to its worth is the fact that one of my bitterest opponents, and a strong supporter of the tentative school, has been won over, and now times his development.
I have not tried what results can be obtained with lantern slides, but I intend to experiment in this branch and should say that it is possible to obtain more uniform results by timing than it would be by judging the density in the ordinary way.
By the kindness of Mr. Watkins I am able to supplement my own view and portrait negatives with some test slides which have been specially prepared to illustrate the arguments in support of his contention although you will have noticed from the recent developing competition that these arguments do not appear to hold good in the case of a developer containing a very heavy proportion of pyro.
A word or two in regard to exposure meters or tables; I do not agree with those who oppose the use of these aids, as I think that most of them, especially those on the actinometer principle are of great assistance in judging exposure, and I cannot believe that it is possible to arrive at a correct estimate by the judgment alone. I can safely say that my percentage of failures since I used these aids and timed my development has dwindled down to an insignificant amount compared with what they used to be, and my inferior results must now be attributed to carelessness in manipulation , accidental fog, uncertain hand-camera exposure etc. You will notice that even the snap shots which I will pass round have turned out exceedingly well considering that some of them were taken in the height of summer and others in the middle of October, all about the same time of day with the same stop and same speed of shutter.”
Signed M. H. Stiles (President).
16 Nov 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. Stiles, President in the chair, Mrs. Corbett, Messrs. Bisat, Plant, Cuttriss, Dr, Wilson, & H. H. Corbett Hon. Sec.
The minutes of the last committee meeting were read & confirmed.
Proposed for membership – Mr. Stanley Jones, Sandbeck
Exhibition Meeting, resolved that notice be sent to all members, that the exhibition meeting be held at the Glyn Hotel. That members be invited to exhibit any articles of scientific interest; & that they be asked to communicate early with the Sec. & stating what their exhibits will be & what they that they send their exhibits direct to the Guyn Hotel. Members to be permitted to bring friends with them.
Signed M. H. Stiles
Nov 25, 1896
Exhibition Meeting held at the Glyn Hotel
Present about 50 members & visitors
The following new members were elected
Viz, Messrs. Eyres, Dimaline, Lawton, Abbott, & Jones.
The following names were proposed for membership
Viz. Messrs. Leonard, Perkin, & Jennings.
The annexed report of the meeting is from the Doncaster Gazette.
[A newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Scientific Exhibition
The Doncaster Scientific Society had an exhibition meeting at the Glyn Hotel on Wednesday night, of a very interesting character. Microscopes were shown by Mr. M. H. Stiles (2), Mr. Cuttriss, Mr. Winter, Mr. Bisat, and Mr. Walter Roberts, and some interesting objects were shown with them. The Photographic department was strongly represented. Mr. H. Percy showed a number of photographs relating to the Flamborough promontory; and photographs were also exhibited by Messrs. W. Seath, H. Dodd, R. A. Bellamy, G. Bisat, and Mr. M. H. Stiles. A splendid and costly instrument, the photo-microscope apparatus, was shown by Mr. Winter; and Mr. Bellamy supplied a stereophoto-duplicon for taking stereo-scopic pictures with one lens. Mr Barton, photographer, etc., Hall Gate, supplied a neat little model hot-air engine. Another interesting instrument, the King barograph, for registering volcanic and other disturbances, and by which the time of a volcanic outburst thousands of miles away can be determined from the rhythmic succession of a few minute depressions in the barometric tracing, was exhibits by Mr. Cuttriss who also showed sections of the Atlantic cable, new and old. Geological specimens of the Balby boulder field, collected by Dr. Corbett (secretary), and Mr. M. H. Stiles (the president of the society) were on exhibition, together with photographs of the field. There were also collections of corals belonging to Mrs. Robinson, Silurian fossils from Wenlock belonging to Mrs. Robinson, mountain limestone fossils, specimens of the coal plant Sigillaria lent by Mr. Temple, of Balby, etc.”
The Annual Meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union was held at Leeds on Thursday, November 26th 1896, when the members of our society were present. A very successful & enjoyable meeting was held.
Signed M. H. Stiles
Meeting held Dec 9th 1896
Present – M. H. Stiles in the chair & 14 other members
Election of members – Messrs. Jennings & Parkin were unanimously elected.
Proposals for membership –
Mr. Lovell Atkinson, proposed by M. H. Stiles, seconded by H. Percy
Mr. Cowan, proposed by J. Corbett, seconded S. J. Barton
Mr. Draft, proposed by G. Bisat, seconded by H. H. Corbett.
Secretarial Reports
Geology – Mr. Culpin reported that he had, in company with Mr. Corbett, investigated the section at present on the S.Y.J. Rlw. Between Sprotbro’ & Pickburn; together with the adjacent country. Interesting sections of the middle marls were seen. A well-marked anticlinal in the lower limestone; an outlier of the lower limestone; a fault, belonging the upper – & lower limestone together; a quarry in the upper limestone at the top of the escarpment near Pickburn, with some curious bedding.
Zoology (Vertebrate) – In the absence of the leader of the section, Mr. Corbett reported; A goosander (Mergus merganser ♀) shot by Mr. Henry Brundell near Bentley in 1893 or 94. The specimen is now mounted & is in the possession of Mr. H. Brundell. A Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris) shot by Mr. Fisher at Loversall during November of the present year.
Miro-botany – Mr. Stiles reported, Achnanthus exilis, a diatom new to the district – from Bentley.
Mr. Barton gave a demonstration of the making of Bromide Prints of Landscapes, suitable for Christmas Cards.
Some discussion followed.
A vote of thanks was proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Percy, and carried mem. Con.
Signed M. H. Stiles (President)
Dec 15, 1896
Committee Meeting
Present – Mr. Stiles, President in the chair. Messrs. Culpin, Cuttriss, Plant, Dr. Wilson, & Mrs Corbett.
The President gave an account of the interview between a deputation from the society & the Corporation, with regard to the formation of a Museum.
Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Dr. Wilson. That the deputation to the Corporation be empowered (if necessary) to consent to the spending of a sum, not exceeding £10; rather than lose the chance of starting a Museum. – Carried mem. Con.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Dr. Wilson. That the offer by Mr. Shaw, of a Lecture on Thibet be referred; with a recommendation to the Y.M.C.A.
Proposed by Dr. Wilson, seconded by (blank) That a suitable cover for the table in the meeting room be purchased.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Culpin. That the proposal from the Royal Photographic Society, that the Doncaster Scientific Society should be affiliated to them, be deferred to next session.
Signed M. H. Stiles (President)
Jan 15th, 1897
Committee Meeting held in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Present – Mr. Stiles (president), Mrs Corbett, Messrs. Bisat, Culpin, Cuttriss, Plant & Corbett Hon. Sec.
Proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss. That the President & Secretary draw up an application for a course of lectures to the Gilchrist Trustees. Carried unanimously
Signed H. Culpin
Jan 27th 1897
Meeting held in the Reference Room, Free Library on Wednesday January 1897
Present – M. H. Stiles (chair) & 13 members
New members – Messrs. L. Atkinson, Cowan, & Daft were unanimously elected.
Proposal for membership –
Mr. Fison, proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Bellamy
Mrs. Beck, proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mrs. Corbett
The Hon. Sec. mentioned that he had just in received an acknowledgement of the application for a course of Gilchrist Lectures, Also that he had written to Mr. Fisor Wack his interest in the matter & that Mr. Fisor had replied that he had seen some of the members of the Trust & would see others & engage their interest.
No Sectorial Reports were given.
Mr. Ord then read his paper on “The Churches round Doncaster”
The essayist described the architecture & Arches logical features of all the churches in the neighbourhood. A full reading of the paper be appended in “The Doncaster Review”.
Feb 10th 1897
Meeting held at the Reference Room, Free Library
Present – Mr Stiles in the chair, & 19 members& visitors.
New members – Mr. Fison, & Mrs. Beck elected unanimously.
Mr. Stiles read a paper on “Diatoms & their Sources”
Beginning with a description of these interesting microscopic plants & their place in the Vegetable Kingdom, he gave a detailed account of their structure, form mode of increase, & distribution. The indestructability of their siliceous skeletons, & their great beauty have at all times attracted the attention of workers with the microscope & have furnished an endless field of study, & one full of interest in all departments. The mode of collection, cleaning, & mounting was described at some length. Reference was then made to the important part played by these tiny organisms in building up deposits in various parts of the world. The economic use of these deposits was touched upon, notably Tripoli, Kieselguhr, & a very pure recently discovered deposit termed Dimatos. In illustrating their beauty & variety of shape numerous photo-micrographs were shown, & at the close of the paper a number of the more striking forms were exhibited under several microscopes.
A vote of thanks to the essayist was carried unanimously.
Feb 15th 1897
Committee Meeting held at 19 Hall Gate.
Present – Mr. Culpin, vice President in the chair, Mrs Robinson, Mrs Corbett, Messrs. Atkinson, Cuttriss, Stiles, & Corbett Hon. Sec.
Resolved – That the arrangements as to a room for the Lantern Exhibition be left in the hands of the President & secretary, The Old Free Library to be secured if possible & failing that, a room to be arranged at the Glyn Hotel.
Resolved – That the Exhibition shall consist of
A. Local, or members exhibits
B. A series of hired slides illustrating some Physiographical Subject
Signed M. H. Stiles (President)
Feb 24th 1897
Lantern Exhibition held in the Old Free Library.
The attendance was not satisfactory in numbers, but the members exhibits were very good while those hired from Tylers were very bad.
The slides were described by the Hon. Sec.
Mar 3rd, 1897
Committee Meeting held at the Reference Room, Free Library.
Present – M. H. Stiles, President, (chair), Mrs Robinson, Mrs Corbett, Messrs. Sculpin, Cuttriss, & Corbett Hon. Sec.
Proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss & carried unanimously, that as Mr. Edgar is unable to fulfil his engagement to read a paper on “Astronomy”, the suggestion of the President & Hon. Sec. be accepted. Viz.
Notes on the Geology of the Cusworth side of the Don, by the Hon. Sec.
The Polariscope & Polarization of Light, by the President.
Signed M. H. Stiles
Mar 10th 1897
Meeting held at the Reference Room, Free Library.
Present – Mr. M. H. Stiles President (chair), 18 members & 1 visitor.
Proposal for membership
Mr. Gledhill, proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Bisat
Sectional Reports.
Botany – An excellent report of the botanical work done & to be done at this time of the year was sent in by Mr. Towson, in which the economy & morphology of several of the plants now to be found in flower was mentioned.
Geology – The Hon. Sec. gave a short account of the Geology of part of the South Yorkshire Junction Railway & the country adjacent to it; being the result of several rambles taken by himself & the geological leader, Mr Culpin. The notes were illustrated by means of maps & sections kindly lent by Mr. Crabtree, Borough Surveyor, & by Photographs taken by Mr. Percy.
The President then gave a lucid & most interesting description of the polariscope & polarised light & illustrated his remarks by means of many very beautiful objects seen through microscopes with the aid of polarised light & gelanite plates.
Signed M. H. Stiles (President)
Mar 24th 1897
Meeting held in the Reference Room, Free Library
Present – Mr. M. H. Stiles president in the chair & 18 members
New member – Mr. Gledhill was elected.
Sectional Reports
Botany – The Hon. Sec. called attention of members to the remarkably early flowering of many plants. Veronica agrestis, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Gagea lutea, Anemone nemorum, Viola odorata, etc. are now in flower.
Zoology (vertebrate) – The Hon. Sec. in the absence of the sectional leader, drew attention to then held Birds Protection Act & its extension to the protection of eggs of many species in West Yorkshire, & asked members to help in the enforcement of the Act. [The “Protection of Birds Act 1897” refers to a series of laws enacted between 1880 and 1896, and then consolidated and amended in 1897, to protect wild birds, their nests, and eggs.]
Geology – Mr. Culpin the leader, Asked the Hon. Sec. to report on the recently discovered eratics in the neighbourhood. The following were mentioned as having been noted for reporting to the Yorkshire Boulder Committee. Viz.
Carboniferous Grit at Cusworth, Diorite 2. Orthoclase Porphyry 2. Basalt 2. At Sprotbro’ & Cusworth. Granite 3 at Balby.
Micro zoology th??-botany – Mr. Stiles leader reported the following species in a gathering from Cusworth. Viz.
Chalphora elegans.
Diatoms – perider aralere. Cymbella Cyclistella, Cocconema lanceoleta, Plerosigma (spencerii?), Gomphonema geminate, Fragilaria capucina, Synedra radians. Pimual avia radiosa, P. Viridis.
Desmids – Closterium lunula, C. lineatum, C. acerosum, Amoeba difflueus, Actinophrys Rotifer vulgaris, etc etc.
Mr Culpin the read his paper on “The Study of Statistics” of which the following is a synopsis
“Statistics” is a method of scientific investigation. The knowledge derived therefrom may be classified under three headings.
(1). Simple enumeration, as furnished for instance by a census.
(2). Facts which cannot be learned from ordinary observation, such as the average duration of life
(3). Relations of cause & effect, of which the relation between the cost of food, & the number of number of marriages may be taken as an example.
Care must be exercised when dealing with statistics that the exact meaning of the clarifications has been understood by those who provide the details as well as by those who arrange them; that those figures only be used that are based on a wide experience, & the same should be verified by going to the original sources.
The utility of figures in the power of comparison & in order to compare they must be reduced to a common base. To do this the totals & how they are made up should be thoroughly shown, effects should be compared with their immediate causes, & the data should be similar in character.
Some interesting discussion followed the reading of the paper & a vote of thanks was proposed by the President & seconded by Mr. Percy & carried unanimously.
Apr 14 1897
Meeting held in the Reference Room, Free Library
Present – Mr. Stiles (President) & 17 members & 1 visitor.
A paper on Architecture was read by Mr. Beck.
The essayist began with a description of the Egyptian Pyramids & showed the effect of their influence upon Hindu & Chinese architecture. The ancient Egyptian Temples with their massive lintels were then mentioned & a comparison drawn between them and our Stone Henge.
The various Greek orders, Doric, Ionic, & Carinthian followed characterised by grandeur & severity. Following these were the Roman corresponding styles, & along with them came the introduction of the Arch & Dome. The various Romanesque styles were developed from the Roman. E.g. Italian, Norman. & (with the aid of the oriental feeling introduced through the Etruskans) Byzantine.
The introduction of the Pointed Arch, probably born of Eastern influence brought about the various styles prevalent in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. The decline of art in the 18th century had its effect on architecture & with the modern revival the old styles were used for modern purposes but not with satisfactory results, except in the case of the Renaissance.
All the lecture was splendidly illustrated by slides typical of the various styles, which were shown by the aid of Mr. Stiles lantern.
A vote of thanks proposed by the President & seconded by the Hon. Sec. was carried unanimously.
Sign M. H. Stiles (President)
Apr 12, 1897
Committee Meeting held at the Free Library
Present – Mr. Stiles President in the chair & Mrs. Corbett, Mrs. Robinson, Dr. Wilson, Messrs. Bisat, Culpin, & Corbett Hon. Sec.
Gilchrist Series
Proposed by Dr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Corbett – That we offer £12 12 o. towards the expenses of a course of Gilchrist Lectures – Carried mem. con.
Proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Dr. Wilson – That the President & Hon. Sec. communicate with the Educational Department of the Co-operative Society with regard to sharing the expenses of the course. Mem. Con.
Summer Excursions
Proposed by Mrs Corbett, seconded by Dr. Wilson – That excursions be arranged for Thursdays, Saturdays & Bank Holidays in May, June & July & that the Hon. Sec. draw up a list of excursions for the consideration of the committee. Mem. Con.
Signed M. H. Stiles, President
May 20, 1897
Excursion Thursday May 20th 1897 to Cusworth & Sprotbro’
The first excursion of the session was held on the above date. The meeting place was the Mill Bridge, Marchgate & the route taken by the pedestrians of the party was along the high road to near the Boodles. Thence, turning to the left to Cusworth & through Cusworth Park by the footpath to Sprotbro’. The return journey was made by the footpath on the Warmsworth & Balby side of the river. The following is a list of the days “finds” in the various sections.
Botany – Phanerogramic – Ranunculus auricomus, Lychnis vespertine, Cerastium trivale, Arenaria Minerva, Cerastium arvensis, Germanium molle v. album, Erodium cicutarium, Euonymus europaeus, Vicia angustifolia, Myrrhis odorata, Cornus sanguinea, Sherardia arvensis, Valeriana dioica, Doronicum pardalianches, Asplenium nets-malaria.
Geology – The district investigated is rich in eratics many already noted were seen & a small Diorite 5”x4”x3” was found.
Zoology –
(Vertebrate) –
Mammals – Hare, Rabbit
Birds – Chiff-chaff, Blackcap, Partridge, Corn-crake
Fishes – Roach
Batrachians – Larvae of Bufo & Rana
(Invertebrate)
Mollusca – Clausilia laminate
Insects – Cidaria Suffamala, Erithrocephala calthella
Micro-botany & Zoology (blank)
Jun 7th 1897 Monday
Excursion Monday June 7th 1897to Wentdale & Smeaton
10 members attended & had an enjoyable day but nothing of scientific value was reported
Jun 17th 1897
Excursion Monday June 7th 1897 to Roche Abbey and Sandbeck
14 members & friends attended.
The route was by Wadworth & Tickhill to Sandbeck.
Then the party was met by Mr. Stanley Jones & conducted over the grounds of Sandbeck Hall. On the lake were seen Coots, Mallards & Crested-Grebes. All these birds bred among the reeds at the side of the mere. The photographers of the party took many views of the Hall, the Chapel etc. A move was then made to Roche Abbey where after tea some good work was done by some of the members in Archaeological study of the ruins. The Geology of the district was described by Mr. Culpin & the following plants were noted by Mr. Corbett.
Polygonum amphibium, Hippuris vulgaris, Ribes alpina S, Hiilibous viridis, Cardamine amara, Veronica anagallis, Acorus calamus, Hieracium pidentatum.
Jun 26th 1897
Excursion Saturday June 26, 1897
Only 3 members took part in the excursion
Messrs. Ord & Culpin visited the villages of Hatfield, Stainforth, Bramwith & Bamby & examined the ancient churches. At the latter place they were joined by Mr. Corbett who had investigated the very interesting ground near the station, interesting that is botanically. The following plants were recorded.
Scrophularia nodosa, a leucauthic form, Salix repens, Erica betralip.
July 8th, 1897
Excursion Thursday July 8th 1897
11 members & friends attended, notwithstanding the unfavourable weather, the woods were to wet that nothing more than a walk through could be done & a few plants recorded among which were, Geranium dissectum, Filago germanica, Corydalis claviculata, Blechnum boreale & Nephrodium spinulosum.
Sep 2nd, 1897
Committee Meeting held at 19 Hallgate Tuesday Sep 2 / 97
Present – Mr. Stiles President in the chair, Mrs Corbett, Mrs Robinson, Messrs. Atkinson, Culpin, Cuttriss, Plant, Corbett Hon. Sec.
After some discussion, it was proposed by Mr. Plant and seconded by Mr. Culpin – That the subject of the next course of University Extension Lectures be deferred to another meeting pending further enquiries as to available subjects, by the secretary. Carried
In discussing the Societies Programme for the ensuing winter, it was proposed by Mr. Culpin & seconded by Mr. Atkinson. That if possible, a lecturer of scientific repute – outside the society – be engaged to give a lecture. The arrangements to be left to the Hon. Sec. Carried
The following names for membership were submitted.
Mr. W E Plant, proposed by T. W. Plant, seconded by Mrs. Corbett
Mr. Martin Robinson, proposed by M. H. Stiles, seconded by H. Culpin
Sep 9th 1897
Committee meeting held at 19 Hallgate 29/9/97
Present – Mr. Stiles, chair, Mrs. Corbett, & Messrs. Cuttriss, Bisat, Plant & Corbett Hon. Sec.
The following names were submitted for preparation for membership of the society.
Mr. F Allen, proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Bisat
Mr Woodhouse, proposed by Mr. Cuttriss, seconded by Mr. Bisat
Mr. EW. Moore, proposed by Mr. Cuttriss, seconded by Mr. Bisat
Mr. H. Smith, proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss.
Mrs. Cuttriss, proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded y Mr. Stiles.
It was announced that the decision upon the subject of the University Extension Lectures awaits further information.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss that the annual subscription for members be raised from 2/-6 to 3/-6. Carried unanimously.
Proposed that refreshments be provided at the Exhibition Meeting & that members be permitted to bring friends with them at the charge of 6d per head.
With regard to the place of meetings for Lantern Lectures etc. the Hon. Sec. was requested to see Mr. White re. the Congregational Lecture Hall.
The names of several members were supported for official positions in the society during the evening sessions.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
Session 1897-8
The Annual General Meeting was held at the Reference Room, Free Library on Wednesday October 13th 1897.
Present – Mr. M. H. Stiles in the chair * 16 members.
The Hon. Sec. read the following report of the past session.
To the members of the Doncaster Scientific Society.
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Your Committee have pleasure in presenting the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Society, containing an account of the work done during the past twelve months, by its various sections.
During the winter session twelve meetings were held. At nine of these original papers were read by members, The other three being, The Annual General Meeting; an Exhibition Meeting, and a Lanter Exhibition.
A new feature in the working of the Society was introduced by the formation of the following sections, and the reading of sectional reports at meetings.
Sections Recorders
Archaeology Messrs. Beck & Ord
Botany Mr. Corbett
Geology Mr. Culpin
Micro-biology & Zoology Mr. Stiles
Photography Mr. Bisat
Zoology (Invertebrates) Mr. Corbett
Zoology (Vertebrates) Mr. Bennitt
At several meetings interesting reports were furnished, telling of work being done in Botany, Geology, Micro-botany Zoology, and Zoology. A synopsis of these reports is appended.
The average attendance at essay meetings was 15.1
The average attendance at all meetings was about 25.
The following is a list of the papers read, & their authors.
1896
Oct 28th Our Field Excursions H. H. Corbett
Nov 11th Timing Development G. T. B. Woodley
Dec 9th Hints on Winter Photography S. J. Barton
1897
Jan 27th The Churches round Doncaster W. H. Ord
Feb 10th Diatoms and their Sources M. H. Stiles
Mar 10th The Geology of Cusworth & Cadby H. H. Corbett
The Polariscope & its Uses M. H. Stiles
Mar 24th The Study of Statistics H. Culpin
Apr 14th Architecture H. Beck
Apr 28th Chess – Historical & Anecdotal C. G. Bennitt
A series of excursions in the neighbourhood was organised during the summer months, the following places and dates being selected.
Thursday May 20th Cusworth & Sprotbro’
Monday June 7th Wentdale & Smeaton
Thursday June 17th Roche Abbey & Sandbeck
Saturday June 26th Stainforth, Kirk Bramwith & Barnby Dun
Thursday July 8th Wheatly Wood & Sandal Beet
Saturday July 24th Rossington, Nutwell & Armthorpe
Monday Aug 2nd Hatfield Chase
These excursions, we are sorry to say, met with very poor support from members. The average attendance being only seven and on two occasions, no one went at all. An analysis of the dates shows that Thursdays were the best days, & Saturdays the worst, Bank Holidays also being very bad.
Average attendance on Thursday 12
Average attendance on Bank Holidays 5
Average attendance on Saturdays 1.5
Some useful work was done at Cusworth & Sprotbro’, and at Roche Abbey & Sandbeck, but the other excursions were very barren of results.
Turning to the work done during the year by members of the society, we are glad to say a much better report can be given, though here also am increase in the number of observers & recorders is much to be desired.
In Botany, Messrs. Corbett & Lawson have undertaken the compilation of a ‘Phanerogamic Flora of Doncaster & its Vicinity’
from 400 species of plants have been recorded during the year among which are several species not hitherto recorded for the lower Don & Trent watersheds, & one species (Lathyrus nissolia)new to the County. What are most wanted in this section are workers among the Cryptogams
In Geology, Messrs. Culpin & Corbett have nearly completed a survey of the surface geology of the district, & have done a large amount of work in rendering “eratics” for the Boulder Committee of the Y.N.U. Some very important & interesting ice-borne blocks having been discovered at Sprotbro’, Balby, Hatfield Chase, Wroot, etc.
In Micro-botany & zoology, Mr Stiles reports as follows.
General gatherings have been examined during the year from various sources.
In May, from a drain near Hatfield Chase the following were found.
Vorticella, Diatonic elongata, Fragilaria capucina, Gomphonema acuminatum, Pinnularia.
At Cusworth after an absence of two or three years, Meridion circulare was found, also, Closterium lunula, the latter in conjugation.
Several tubes from the Y.N.U. excursion to Skelmanthorpe were examined, & yielded results as follows,
Streamlet in Differ Wood, – Staure carpus grialis in conjugation.
Pond in Canner Park, – Spirogyra pellucida, Synedra radians, Pinnularia radusa. Fragilaria capucina
Lake in Canner Park, – Nitzchia sigmoidea, (almost pure). Cymatopleura solea, Surirella biseriata Plearesigna (var) Sepedra radicans & Spirogyra.
August 28th, A gathering from Sandal brick ponds yielded the following
Desmids – Cosmarium linnula, Closteruim linnula, Desmidium swartzii (?) Staurastnum gracile, Podastrum granulatum.
Diatoms – Epithemia turgida, E. gibba, Cucanema cistula, Fragilaria capucina, Gomphonema acuminatum, Pinnularia radiosa, Navicula (sp?), Cocconeis placentula, Amphipleura pellucida (?).
In Photography – Some useful work has been done by Messrs. Bellamy, Percy, Stiles, & Woodley in Geological photography, & several photographs of architectural & archaeological interest have also been taken.
In Vertebrate Zoology – Several rare birds have been noted, & the skeleton of a porpoise, captured in the Don, has been purchased by the Society, for preservation in the Museum. Unfortunately, the specimen was immature & consequently the bones have not malerated well, but it is still hoped that an interesting preparation may be made from them.
In Invertebrate Zoology. – The only septematic work done has been among the Lepidoptera. In this group the following rare & local species have been taken during the past twelve months by Messrs. Dimahive & Corbett.
Salyrus tithonus, Acherontia atropos, Zeuzera pyrini, Hepialus sylvanus, Nyssia hispidaria (several types & one beautiful pale variety), Hemerophila abruptaria, Phowdesm pustulata, Aplecta occulta, Tortrix brandereiana, Stigmorola reqgiana, (new to the district) Eupiealia vicksana (new to the County) Coleophora coracipenella, & Elachista matmella (new to the district).
The great increase in the membership of the society, remarked upon in the last year’s report, has, we are pleased to say, has been surpassed this year, twenty new members having joined during 1896-7. Against this we have a few lapses of membership from various causes. The total roll at the close of the year numbering 73.
The financial status of the society is very satisfactory as the following statement will show.
| Receipts 1896-7 | £ s d |
| Balance at bank | 19 8 4 |
| Subscriptions 4 for 1895-6 | 10 0 |
| Subscriptions 47 for 1896-7 | 5 17 6 |
| Cash in hand | 1 2 1 |
| 26 7 11 | |
| Payment etc. | |
| Printing Hanby & Sons | 1 19 0 |
| Cover for table – Plant & Sons | 5 10 ½ |
| Subscription to Y.N.U. | 11 0 |
| Purchase of specimens | 5 0 |
| Library caretaker | 5 0 |
| Exhibition & Lantern meetings | 1 7 0 |
| Stamps & correspondence | 1 5 9 |
| Stationary & Sundries | 3 9 |
| Cash in hand | 1 2 2 ½ |
| Cash in bank | 19 8 4 |
| £26 17 11 | |
It is gratifying to be able to add to this report, an assurance that the beginning of a Science Museum for Doncaster is almost accomplished fact. After some meetings between representatives of your Society & the Corporation, the latter body passed a resolution to the effect that a part of the Old Free Library should be used as a Museum, & that cases for the preservation of specimens be erected thein. We are glad to have this opportunity of leading the thanks of this Society to the Corporation for the way in which they received our deputation & acquiesced in the requests that were made to them.
The election of officers for the evening session was then proceeded with, the following members being elected to the various offices.
President – Geo. B. Bisat, proposed by M. H. Stiles, seconded by J. Athron
Vice-President – M. H. Stiles, proposed J. M. Wilson, seconded S. Heath
Committee – Three names were proposed to fill two vacancies. Viz
H. Ord, R. A. Bellamy, & E. Gledhill
On a ballot taken Messrs. Bellamy & Ord were elected
Hon. Sec. & Treasurer – H. H. Corbett, proposed M. H. Stiles, seconded W. Roberts
A Proposition that the Annual Subscription be increased from 2/-6 to 3/-6 was proposed by M. H. Stiles, seconded by E. Gledhill, and after discussion, carried unanimously.
Votes of thanks were unanimously carried to the Free Library Committee, The Corporation, and the retiring officers.
It was decided to apply again for a course of Gilchrist Lectures.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
Oct 20th, 1897
Committee Meeting held at 19 Hallgate
Present – Mr. Bisat, in the chair, Mrs. Corbett, Messrs. Cuttriss, Ord, Stiles, & Corbett Hon. Sec.
Proposed that Messrs, Hartley & Sons terms of 1/- per head for refreshments be accepted.
Proposed that a ticket be sent to each member with an intimation that further tickets are purchasable at 1/- each
The following members undertook to look after the arrangement of the exhibition Meeting.
Photographs – Messrs. Bisat & Bellamy
Electrical apparatus – Mr. Curtiss
Microscopes – Messrs. Stiles, T. Waiter, & Gledhill
Antiquities – Mr. Ord
Zoology – Mr. Corbett
Geology – Mr. Corbett
Stereoscopes etc. – Messrs. Saynor & Gledhill
Signed M. H. Stiles, chairman
Oct 27th, 1897
Exhibition Meeting held at the Mansion House
Present – Mr. Bisat (President) and 66 members & friends.
This meeting was in every way a success. There was no formal business of the society transacted. The reading of the minutes etc. being deferred until the next meeting.
The annexed account of the meeting is taken from the Doncaster Chronicle for Oct 29, 1897.
[a newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point.]
“Conversazione at the Mansion House
A conservazione in connection with the Doncaster Scientific Society was held in the Mansion House (which the Mayor had kindly placed at the Society’s disposal for the occasion) on Wednesday night and was a distinct success. The Doncaster Scientific Society is the outcome of the old Doncaster Microscopical Society, or to be more strictly correct, is the same society differently and more fittingly intitled. The Microscopical Society was established in 1880 “for the purpose of affording opportunities for mutual study to those interested in natural or other sciences.” The first designation was, to some extent, a misnomer, and the substitution of the word “scientific” for Microscopical” at once removes any misconception as to the full aims of the association and impressively suggests the wider field of research. The society has had in the past numerous ardent supporters, but it is possible that it never had more warm sympathisers than at the present, though that is not saying very much; for a town like this, whose vicinity abounds in objects of interest the antiquarian, the geologist, and any number of other “ologies” should posses a scientific society many times stronger in numbers that the one in point, and, what is more, should have no mean museum in. however, there are signs of increased vigour, and there is no slight prospect of the membership swelling to proportions undreamt of by the original promoters of nearly twenty years ago. In Mr. H. H. Corbett the society possesses an honorary secretary who is heart and soul in the pursuit of science, and to whom is largely due the present flourishing state of the society.
The large saloon and several other rooms were utilised for the purposes of the conservazione, and the affair in all respects was thoroughly enjoyable. The exhibition itself comprised a large variety of objects of scientific interest. There was a considerable display of microscopes, and looking through them, the curious could behold all manner of strange things, animate and inanimate. Included among the other objects were stereoscopes, photographs, electrical apparatus, Roman antiquities found near Doncaster, and sundry zoological, geological, and entomological specimens, while an exhibition of the Rontgen Rays by Mr. Cuttriss also attracted a good deal of interest. Among those who lent objects for exhibition were Colonel Skipworth (Loversall), Mr. Robinson, Mr. Hardy, Mr. W. H. Smith (York City and County Bank), Mr. Gledhill, Mr. Cuttriss, Mr. Bisat, Mr. Bellany, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Skeath, Mr. Percy, Mr. White, Mr, Matthewman, Mr. George Winter, Mr. M. H. Stiles, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Lewis, the Rev. E. H. Bennett, the Rev, F. H. Weston, and Mr. Hardy (Rawcliffe).
One of the most interesting was Colonel Skipworth’s collection which included the skull of a man-eating tiger who had devoured no fewer that thirteen human being in the course of his amiable existence. There were also flint implements – relics of the Stone Age – from the Thames gravels and one of the Yorkshire bone caves. Particularly noticeable, too, was a quantity of old Roman pottery, found when excavating for the foundations of the New York City and County Bank, now in course of completion, and sent by Mr. W. H. Smith, the manager. Mr. H. H. Corbett undertook the arrangement of the Geological and zoological specimens, Mr, Ord the antiquities, Mr. Stiles the microscopes, and Messrs. Bellamy and Bisat the photographs. There was a good attendance during the evening, and the company were regaled with light refreshments. There was also music at intervals in the drawing-room, the performers being Mrs. Corbett, Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie, Miss Grantham, Miss Conner, Mr. Bagshaw, and Mr. Clark.”
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
?? Nov 1897
Meeting held in the Small Lecture Room, Congregational Schools, Hallgate.
Present – Mr. Geo. B. Bisat (chair) 23 members & 3 visitors.
The following were elected members of the society.
Miss Wilson, Miss Frantham, Mrs Skipwith, Messrs. Armitage, McKenzie, F. G. Dowson, & Mr. R. Crawshaw
Secretarial Reports
Geology – The Hon. Sec. reported that Mr. Culpin & he had found near Wadworth a series of — & — —— in the upper Limestone , showing the strain to which the rocks had been subjected at the time of the making of the Edlington Wood fault.
Also Mr. Culpin had found a large Lake District erratic above Sprotbro’.
Mr. Bellamy then read his paper on “A Holiday in Yoredale with a Hand Camera”,
The annexed report of the meeting is taken from the Leeds Mercury Supplement from Nov 20th, 1897
[a newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
“Doncaster Scientific Society
A very beautiful and interesting series of lantern slides were exhibited at the last meeting of the above society, illustrative of a holiday during the past summer in Yoredale, or Wensleydale, by Mr. R. A. Bellamy, who also read an essay descriptive of the scenery displayed by the lantern.
A map of the district was first thrown upon the screen, enabling all present to get a good idea of the geographical position of Yoredale, its accessibility by rail, and the best centres from which to make excursions.
Taking Askrigg as his headquarters, the lecturer had, as he expressed it, “gone waterfall hunting,” but falls were by no means all that he had captured. Ancient and picturesque buildings, landscapes, village scenes, disused and ruined “stocks,” etc., were interspersed throughout the lecture, furnishing interesting subjects alike for the antiquary and the lover of natural beauty; while the grand sections exposed in the gorges of the becks served to arouse feelings of envy among the geologists of the society who had not visited the locality.
All the slides exhibited were good. Perhaps the most interesting among the waterfall pictures were those showing differences in character between falls over limestone and grits, the former having by chemical action worn deeper into the stone than the latter, in which mechanical action alone was at work.
A short discussion on the technique of landscape photography followed the reading of the paper, and a hearty vote of thanks to the combined exhibitor and essayist concluded the meeting.
H. H. C.”
Signed Geo. B. Bisat.
Nov 17th, 1897
Committee Meeting held at the Reference Room, Free Library 17/11/97
Present – Mr. Stiles (chair), Mrs Corbett, Mrs Robinson, & Messrs. Cuttriss, Bellamy, & Corbett Hon. Sec.
With regards to the date & place of te next meeting, the Hon. Sec. has requested he settle the matter after conferring with the Mayor.
Mr. Culpin was appointed as a delegate to attend the Annual Meeting of the Y.N.U.
The following names were submitted to the committee for proposal at the next meeting.
The Hon. Agnes Eden, The Hon. Mary Eden, & Messrs. W, T. Storrs, H. Waterlow, & Gollage
Mr. Stiles read several letters from the Yorkshire College University Extension Secretary & the Technical Education Department of the County Council with reference to the grant for a course of lectures on Architecture.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
[Note: Agnes & Mary Eden, daughters of the Honourable Wm. Geo. & Lucy Walbank Eden of Elmfield House, Doncaster]
Nov 19th, 1897
Committee Meeting held in the Reference Room, Free Library 19/11/97
Present – Mr. Bisat in the chair, Mrs. Robinson, Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Stiles, Cuttriss, & Corbett hon. Sec.
Mr. Stiles read a letter from the County Council stating that only one third of the annual grant could be given for a course of lectures on Architecture. This was agreed to be prohibitive for such a course.
It was proposed by Mr. Bisat, seconded by Mr. Cuttriss & carried. That a course of lectures by Mr. Studdard on Pictorial Art & Art Applied to Industries, be applied for.
Mr. Caswell, Bias St. was nominated for membership.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat.
Nov 24th, 1897
Meeting held in the Lecture Hall, Congregational Scools.
Present – Mr. Bisat, President in the chair & 45 members & visitors.
The following new members were elected.
The Hon. Agnes Eden, The Hon. Mary Eden, Mr. W. T. Storrs, Mr. Waterlow, Mr. Gollege, Mr. Casswell, Mr. Barton, Mr. Jordan.
Mr. Cuttriss read a paper on “Electricity in Vacuo”.
At the end of the lecture a vote of thanks was proposed to Mr. Cuttriss by Mr. W. E. Atkinson & carried unanimously.
The following report of the meeting is from the Doncaster Gazette of December 10th, 1897.
[a newspaper cutting was pasted into the minute book at this pint]
“Doncaster Scientific Society.
“Electricity in Vacuo” by Mr. T. Cuttriss.
The members of the Scientific Society and their friends had a most enjoyable and instructive evening on Wednesday the 24th November, when Mr. Cuttriss gave a lecture and demonstration on the wonderful advances that have been made in electrical science during the last few years; especially with regard to the behaviour of electric energy in glass tubes from which the air has been exhausted to a greater or less degree. Beginning with a description of the Storage Battery and its uses, Leyden Jars, etc., the lecturer went on to show that when the electrical spark is made to pass through a partial vacuum its length is greatly increased, and many other phenomena take place of which until lately the scientific world had no knowledge. Experiments were shown illustrating the action of the electric spark in the open air. When the terminals of the coils of the battery are brought near each other a bright spark passes from one terminal to the other, accompanied by a loud report. This is, in fact, lightening and thunder in miniature. The spark will pass through a sheet of card held in its path, making curious torn punctures in the card, the frayed edges of the holes being equal on both sides of the card, as if an explosion in the card itself rather than from the passage of something through it. After having mentioned the New Telegraphy, without wires, the lecturer promulgated the theory that “Electricity is a Wave Motion of Ether.”
Proceeding to the subject of “Electricity in Vacuo,” a number of experiments were shown with tubes of various degrees of exhaustion. These tubes consist of long glass cylinders from which the air has been extracted, and into each end of which is fixed a wire for connection with the coils of the battery, and which is known as an electrode. It was shown that a spark gap, in air of only a few inches, was increased in the tubes to the whole length of the tube. Further, it was seen that the condition of the spark varied to the amount of exhaustion in the tubes. In the first, of moderate exhaustion, a thin bright line of light passed from electrode to electrode.
On greater ramification of the air, the light becomes defused, until finally in the tube of greatest exhaustion the light fills the whole tube with a lambent glow. In this condition the light frequently appears to be cut transversely into a series of rings with less luminous intervals between them. When the exhaustion has been carried to the one-millionth of an atmosphere, the appearance of light diminishes, the spark does not pass so far, and the whole tube gives a pale luminosity – The Geissler Tubes were then exhibited. These consist of double tubes, one, which is coiled and exhaustive being within another, a liquid substance intervening between the inner and outer tube. By these tubes the spark gap may be greatly increased, a gap of about 2 inches in air passing through 24 feet of Geissler Tube. The illuminated Geisser Tubes have an exceedingly beautiful appearance and were greatly appreciated by the audience. – Professor Crooks, after numerous experiments with vacuum tubes and the phenomenon exhibited by them, propounded his theory of “Radiant matter.” He supposes that when exhaustion in a vacuum tube has gone to one-millionth of an atmosphere, molecules of residual gas have a free path in which to move about without striking each other sufficiently to produce a visible glow. At this stage the molecules are strongly attracted to the cathode or negative electrode. Then having been negatively electrified they are thrown off with great force and unless interrupted by some solid body will strike against the sides of the tube, and cause the characteristic fluorescent glow. This radiant matter is generally known as the Cathode rays – Various modifications of Crooke’s Tubes were shown, and experiments of a very interesting nature were carried out. In one tube was a small wheel, like a waterwheel, and when the electrodes were connected to the battery the rays caused the wheel to rotate, but on deflecting the rays by the action of a magnet held near the tube, the rotation was reversed, the wheel being converted from an over-shot to an undershot wheel. The deflection of the cathode rays by the magnet shows that they are not light, whatever else they may be. In another tube were some crystals of an ore of Tungsten, and when the rays were turned on to these crystals they glowed with an intense ruby light, although there was no appearance of light falling upon them. – Another application of electricity in vacuo was shown in the Arc electric light.
The lecturer then passed on to what was probably thew most interesting part of a very interesting lecture. To wit: “The Roentgen Rays.” It was in December1895, that Professor Roentgen, while experimenting with vacuum tubes, discovered that certain bodies were rendered fluorescent, by something which emanated from but was not visible. Leonard, an Hungarian physicist had previously observed something of a similar nature, but Roentgen first succeeded in photographing the bones of a living hand, and so called general attention to these wonderful rays which bear his name, though he preferred to call them X Rays. Further experiments have resulted in the invention of the Florescent Screen for receiving the rays. This screen is composed of Potassium-platino-cyanide, and in appearance is like a child’s drawing slate. If an object be placed between the Roentgen tubes and the screen, an image of the object is cast upon the screen, and many substances quite opaque to light are traversed by the rays, while other substances transparent to light do not allow the rays to pass. Metals generally are not rendered transparent, but aluminium is an exception to the rule. The nature of these X Rays is still sub-judice. They are not light, for they will not pass through glass, and will through wood, etc. They are not Cathode Rays, for they are unaffected by the magnet. They appear to be generated in the Roentgen tube, where the Cathode rays impinge upon a platinum disc, and hence they are reflected and pass out of the tube. Possibly they also are radiant molecules of a nature from those of the Cathode rays.- – A number of radiographs were exhibited, and many opaque objects were shown to be rendered transparent by the rays. Among other objects was shown the hand of a man who was lately shot, and whose case it will be remembered was lately in the County Court. When he placed his hand between the tube and the florescent screen, the bones of the hand were clearly visible, and numerous dark spots in and among them representing the pellets which are embedded in the flesh of his hand. – These experiments with the Roentgen rays concluding one of the best evenings that the Scientific Society had had.”
The Annual General Meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union was held at Darlington o the Nov. 24th 1897.
Your Society was represented by its Hon. Sec., H. H. Corbett.
It was decided to hold an Excursion at Doncaster on Whit-Monday, May 30th 1898, for the investigation of the Geology of Balby & The General Natural History of Wheatley Wood, Sandal Beat, & Sandal Buckfields.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
9 Dec 1897
Committee Meeting held at 2 Frenchgate
Present – Mr. Bisat in the chair, Mrs. Corbett, & Messrs. Stiles, Bellamy & Corbett.
Mr Gladhill, being unable to give his lecture on the ‘Structure of the Telescope’ on the date fixed, viz. 23 Dec 1897, it was proposed by Mr. Bellamy, seconded by Mr. Stiles, & carried mem. con, That Mr. Luke Bagshaw’s offer to read a paper on Bromide Enlargements be accepted.
The University Extension course on Pictorial & Decorative Art to begin on January 24th 1898.
Suggested that the class be held be held before the lecture
A vote of thanks to the ex-mayor for granting the use of the Mansion House for the Conservazione was proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mrs. Corbett & carried mem. con.
15 Dec 1897
Meeting held in the Mayors Parlour, Mansion House 15/12/97
Present – Mr. Bisat, President in the chair & 10 members
Mr. Luke Bagshaw read his paper on ‘Bromide Enlargements.’
The paper was well illustrated by practical demonstrations of the method of enlarging.
An interesting discussion followed & a vote of thanks to Mr. Bagshaw was carried unanimously.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
Jan 27th 1898
Meeting held in the Reference Room, Free Library on Wednesday Jan 27th 1898
Present – Mr. Bisat in the chair & 18 members & visitors.
New members – Misses. Robinson, Battersby, Sanderson, & Drewery were Elected.
In the unavoidable absence of Mr. Winter. Mr. Corbett read a paper on the ‘Natural History of Askern Bog.’
The annexed report is from the Doncaster Chronicle. 4/2/98.
[an extensive newspaper cutting that covers two pages of the minute book is pasted in at this point]
“The Natural History of Askern Bog.
At a Meeting of Doncaster Scientific Society, last week, Dr. Corbett read a paper on the “Natural History of Askern Bog.” Mr George Bisat presided. Mr. Winter was expected to be the lecturer butt owing to an engagement he was unable to carry out the contract. A cordial vote of thanks was given to Dr. Corbett at the close. In the course of his paper Dr. Corbett said:
“To the field naturalist in pursuit of his favourite study, those bits of country that have been least affected by man present the most favourable grounds. Ancient forests, such as the New Forest in Hampshire, or Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, the open moors of the Pennine Range, the few patches of remaining fen in Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, extensive peat bogs such as those of Thorne & Hatfield, or the rolling sand dunes of our coasts, all present Nature in a more natural state than she is to be seen when manufacture or agriculture claim entire sway.
It is to one of the little wild scraps of country that I would now draw your attention. As one approaches the village of Askern by road from Doncaster, one sees on either side of the highway two very different types of country. That on the left is undulating and dry, the land rising somewhat steeply from the roadside; indeed, the road just skirts the outcrop of the magnesium limestone. The right side, however, shows a very different aspect. Flat fields, intersected by broad ditches, and immediately at the edge of the village is a small extent of uncultivated bog, bounded on its further side by a broad winding pool. It is to the natural history of this little morass that I would now draw your attention.
As a naturalist, I an sorry to say that year by year its area gets more restricted, and the time is probably not far distant when Askern bog is a thing of the past, when agricultural crops will have taken the place of the plants now growing there, and one of the few remaining little bits of this rich and widespread fen-land flora and fauna of our neighbourhood will have gone never more to return. Let me take you, in imagination, through the small wicker gate close to the Bath House, and see what is to be seen of interest in the bog.
An exhaustive essay of the natural history of any locality must comprise a review of the objects to be found there the whole year through. This I will not attempt, but instead will suppose our visit to take place on a fine day in July, and during a protracted spell of dry weather. For I may warn intending investigators that during wet weather that many parts of the bog are somewhat deceptive and dangerous nature, and the unwary enthusiast is apt to be bogged too deeply for comfort. This first impression of the vegetation of the bog is that it is composed of rushes, sedges, and course grasses, with here and there a few willows. But we soon that there are many flowering plants to be seen. Perhaps the first to attract attention at this time of the year is the Meadow Sweet (Spirea ulmaria), which soon makes its presence known by its characteristic scent. Growing along with it and easily passed by from its general similarity to the Meadow Sweet, is a much rarer plant and one much more typically belonging to the marsh land. The tall, glabrous and leafy stems with a panicle of numerous cream-coloured flowers might, as I said, be easily passed by as those of the Meadow Sweet, but if the flowers of the two plants be examined more closely, they will be seen to be completely different. Those of the Meadow Sweet are to all intents and purposes small roses with cleft calyx and five petals surrounding the numerous stamens and pistils. On examining the other plant, we find instead of five petals there are no petals at all, but only a very numerous group of stamens and pistils surrounded by a calyx. This plant is indeed a very simple form of the buttercup group of plants. Our plant turns out to be the Thalictrum flavum, but this species apparently embraces several sub-species, and to which of these it should be referred requires a specialist. Any how we can see that it is a very beautiful plant, and furthermore it is a true marsh plant and one likely soon to be improved off the face of the earth so far as this locality goes.
While we were examining the Thalictrum we became aware of a curious bleating or humming noise in the air, now faint and hardly heard, then swelling out louder until it seems to fill the air all around us, then we see what is the cause of this noise, flying above us and ascending in spirals, after the manner of the skylark, is a small bird with rather long legs and a very long bill. Suddenly, he drops towards the earth with wings half-extended and tail spread fan-like, and as he drops the bleating sound is found to proceed from him. He is a cock snipe, and is singing his love song to his mate, who is sitting on her eggs or brooding her young in the marsh. This song does not proceed from his throat as those of most birds do, but is caused by the vibration of the feathers of his tail as he plunges downward through the air.
Innumerable little moths flu about among the grass and sedge, and when on the wing appear to have broad and ample wings, as they really have, but as soon as they alight on the grass stems the wings seem to disappear, and the inset appears to become part and parcel of the stem upon which it has settled. If one be caught and examined it will be seen that the fore wings are comparatively narrow and the hind wings very ample, but when the insect settles these broad wings are folded like a fan, and the narrow fore wings are rolled round them, so the fly assumes the aspect of a bit of grass stem.
While watching and catching the Crambus we have seen two plants, both of which are of interest, being peculiarly marshland species, and one of them having the further recommendation of being strikingly handsome. This handsome plant is an orchis. Several specimens of orchis are to be found around Doncaster, some in dry pasture, some in shady woods, some in rich meadows and one in bogs. The other plant is much less conspicuous. It is the arrowgrass (Triglochin). Now we have in England two species of Triglochin; T. maritimum, growing in salt marshes close to the coast, and T. palustre, growing on marshes in inland localities. The two plants are very similar in general appearance, but are easily separated by the shape of their curpels. [sic]
There is an extensive genus of moths known to entomologists as the Enpicoelias [sic]. They are all of small sizes, and the larvae of all of the different species feed in the stems or seed vessels of various plants. One of these little moths (Enpicoelia vectisana) [see (Gynnidomorpha vectisana)] is common and is generally distributed around the coast wherever there are salt marshes, the larvae feeding in the flower stems of Triglochin maritimum. But this particular species of moth had never before last year been found in any inland locality in England, except Wicken Fen, in Cambridgeshire. One afternoon while I was collecting insects here at Askern bog I took a number of Enpicoelias, which appeared to me to be vectisana, and such they proved to be. Here then is an interesting fact in natural history – a moth supposed to be confined to salt marshes abounding in a small inland bog. How is its presence here to be accounted for? Probably in several ways. No doubt the larvae feed on both species of Triglochin; if it can’t get maritimum it will put up with palustre. Probably the few inland localities were it can be found were in comparatively recent times connected with the sea and supported a maritime flora, and we still have a few species of both plants and insects remaining, such as were able to exist under the changed conditions. In support of this theory it may be mentioned that near Doncaster there are three species of plants to be found in three different localities, and all these species are distinctly maritime in habitat. They are the strawberry trefoil (Trifolum fragiferum) now growing on York-road near the Bodles; the Star of the Earth (Plantago coronopus) at Bessecar; and a grass (Schlerochloa distans) at Warmsworth. It is quite possible also now that E. vectisanan is know to be obtainable in inland localities it will be recorded from other stations, as there are a large number of collectors that only discover facts at secondhand.
On some of the dryer parts of the marsh the moles have been at work casting up the soil in little mounds, and these mole-earths are full of valuable information as to the former condition of the bog. The cast up soil is seen to be a friable vegetable-formed loam, but it is full of shells, many of them broken, many still perfect in form, but nearly all bleached white by the action of the acids in the soil, the coloured epidermis having decayed away. I have found upwards to twenty different species of shells in these mole-earths, and no doubt further research would reveal yet others. These shells are, strictly speaking, fossils. But they are fossils of recent date, probably only been deposited in their present position a few hundred years or even less. Nevertheless, they tell us that some time ago that which is now marsh land was some time ago was actually under water. The water was shallow, and the dry land was close by. How can this be learnt from the shells in the mole-earth? The majority of the shells are those of fresh-water molluscs. There are none of those species that inhabit salt water, but there are a considerable number of those of the terrestrial species. Now all the terrestrial species to be found in the soil of the bog are common at the present time in the immediate vicinity. By searching among the herbage and under stones in the quarry on the roadside above the marsh all these species may be found alive, and if in the place of the bog there was a lake, every heavy rain would wash down numbers of these land shells into the lake, where they would ultimately be drowned and sink into the mud at the bottom. When we come to examine the aquatic species, we find that there has been some change in the species to be found in the locality since they flourished here. All the different kinds to be found in the mole-heaps are well known to be living in England at the present day, but some of them are not now obtainable about Askern. These aquatic shells must have lived and died at the place where they are now found. They could not have been washed by floods as the terrestrial species might, because water will not run up hill and the level of the bog is above the present level of the water in the pools and dykes.
There is yet another object to be found in great numbers in the mole-heaps, which speaks even more eloquently than do the shells to the fact that here was formerly water. These are the nucules of Chara. Chara is a purely aquatic plant, living completely submerged in fresh and brackish water. The nucules are minute void bodies growing on the plants and containing the female reproductive organs, fortunately they are composed of lime, and therefore are not subject to decay. Charas of different species are to be found in plenty growing at the bottom of deep pools about Doncaster and Askern, and here is evidence that they grew under similar conditions where now is comparatively solid earth. I have no doubt that if some of our practical microscopes would examine some of the bog earth for diatoms, they would find them. Here then we have proof that a fresh-water lake formerly occupied the place of the present marsh, and it is quite probable that before the fresh-water lake the land surface was still lower, and that the tides reached up the valley of the Don much further than they do now, and along the margin of the estuary a maritime flora flourished of which, as we have seen, trees still remain.
If now we go towards the pool on the further side of the bog, we shall soon find that there is no hard and fast line to be drawn between land and water. Beside the margin of the pool is a thick growth of sub-aquatic vegetation, and by carefully picking our way we can get near the edge of the open water. All around us is a dense growth of tall reeds, sedges, and other water-loving plants. To enumerate these would be a tedious work, but it is worth while to pick out a few of the more interesting for notice. One of the most conspicuous is the common loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris) – an erect downy stem two or three feet high, with whorls of from two to four ovate-lanceolate leaves, and a large terminal pinnacle of yellow cup-shaped flowers. These flowers might, by the uninitiated, be supposed to belong to the buttercup group of plants, and certainly in general appearance they are more like buttercups than are those of the Thalitcrum that we noticed earlier. However, they are not of the buttercup, but of the primrose group. This plant, in its natural wild state, is always found in marshy ground, but under cultivation it will exist, if not thrive, in the smoky atmosphere of large towns, and is a great favourite with town gardeners. Its popular name among them is Golden Rod, but that name really belongs to a totally different plant.
Another very conspicuous and common plant here, although by no means generally common is the Prickley-twig Rush (Cladium marisens). The English name of this plant has one good point and one bad point in it. Prickley is right. Rush, all wrong. The plant is not a rush, but a sedge. The stem is from 2 to 5 feet high smooth and cylindrical and beautifully striated, the leaves are long and slender with very fine tapering points; their edges are very sharply serrated and if the leaf be carelessly handled it will tear the flesh very painfully. The flowers are in a lateral panicle and are dark brown in colour. I recommended this plant to the notice of all who like to decorate their rooms with grasses, reeds, etc.; it is strangely handsome and keeps its form well when dry.
Tey another plant that should be noticed here before we pass on is the Horse bane (Oenanthe lachenalia). This plant is one of the very large order umbelliferoe. An order that includes many plants used as foods, many used as medicines, and many that are dangerously poisonous, and the present species is among the poisonous ones. It has thick round and slightly grooved stems with alternate sheathing leaves which are of a glaucous green colour and very finely divided. The flowers form an umbel and are white. Such a description might apply to many umbelliferoe but the various distinctions in this group of plants are only to be learnt by careful study. I would, therefore, advise all who do not well know the different species to avoid experimenting with any of them internally.
Some curious objects to the stems of rushes arrest our attention; they are silken tubes about one third of an inch in length and covered on the outside with short fragments of grass stems. What are they? They are the dwelling places of the larvae of a moth, and are carried about much in the same way that a snail carries its shell and serving the same purpose as the snail shell. In the case of the snail the shell is really a part of the animal, while these larvae cases are not of the larva but are made by the larva. The tenant is able to quit its house when it likes, though as a matter of fact it lives constantly at home, only protruding its head and front segments in order to feed on the grasses among which it lives. The moth that develops from this larvae if known as Epinepbycha pulla, and it belongs to a very curious group of moths, the Psychidae, the males of which are furnished with well developed wings and are capable of rapid flight. But the females are most domesticated ladies, totally devoid of wings, and with legs so weak that they can hardly crawl. They never leave the case to which their larval existence was passed, and devote their whole energies to laying eggs. We have several species of Psychidae in Britain, but only two are known to occur in Yorkshire. Of these Fumea intermediella is generally distributed, being a woodland species, but Epinoptycha pulla is known in our county only at Askern, and cultivation will probably exterminate it here.
Cultivation of waste land is by no means the only cause of the extermination of species; there are many other causes among the worst of which is inconsiderate and grabbing collecting by persons styling themselves Naturalists, and probably nothing has suffered more from these than have our native ferns. Following the publication of Moo’s splendid monograph of the British Ferns a perfect mania for fern collecting seized the people, Devonshire, the Lake District, Scotland, Ireland and Wales were ransacked for varieties and the consequence to day is that many places that used to be rendered beautiful by the luxuriance of these elegant plants are now stripped of them. Our own neighbourhood has suffered along with the rest. Where are the Harts Tongues of Edlington? The Asplenium trichomanes of Conisbro? Or the Aspidium aculeatum of Levitt Hagg. All gone! But one of our tarer or at least more local species still flourishes here. Perhaps the fernio-mania did not like wet feet and there are certain to be the lot of him who gathers Nephrodium thelypleris.
Here in the bog it flourishes in the greatest profusion but chiefly in the very wet parts. It is an elegant species and has fronds rather narrowly lanceolate and the rachis very long. It differs from all the other British species of its genus in not growing from one crown and forming a circle of fronds, but in possessing creeping stem or rhizome from which the fronds grow at intervals.
Among the rank growth of waterside plants many birds find suitable places for rearing their young. Coots and moor-hens are leading their chicks about the surface of the pool, where they look like so many animated balls of black wool. Here, supported on the strong but flexible stems of the reeds is the deeply cup-shaped nest of the reed-warbler. The sides of the nest are firmly bound to the growing stems and though they may wave to and fro in the wind the cup of the nest is so deep that the contained eggs or young are quite safe. The reed-warblers themselves may occasionally be seen creeping among the water plants and their little twittering song is often heard especially in the evening. While we are watching the young moor-hens paddling about and searching insects there is a sudden rush and swirl in the water and one of the chicks disappears. A pike has got him. It reminds us of the saying attributed to Professor Huxley, “The rule of life is. Let us pray, but you must spell Pray with an e.”
There are hundreds of other things to be seen in the bog, all of them worthy of extended notice but I have occupied quite enough with the few to which I have called your attention. My concluding advice is “go and see for yourself.”
Jan 31st 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place 31/1/98
Present – Mr. Ord in the Chair, Mrs. Corbett & Robinson, Messrs. Plant, & Corbett.
Proposed by Mrs. Corbett, seconded by Mrs. Robinson. That the Guild Hall be secured for Mr. Cordeaux’s lecture on the 9th next.
Proposed by Mrs. Robinson, seconded by Mrs. Corbett. That invitations to attend the lecture be sent to the Public and Private Schools of the town.
Proposed that invitations be sent to all the Mutual ??? Societies in the town, & also to the Y.N.U. societies in towns in the S.W. Riding, etc.
Proposed that advertisements & paragraphs be put in the local papers, announcing Mr. Cordeaux’s lecture.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat.
Feb 9th 1898
Meeting held in the Guild Hall
Present – Mr. Bisat, president in the chair & about 260 members & visitors
The President introduced Mr. Cordeaux who gave a lecture on the ‘Migration of Birds.’ The annexed report is from the Doncaster Chronicle of Feb 18th, 1898.
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Doncaster Scientific Society.
Mr. J. Cordeaux on the Migration of Birds
Notwithstanding several other attractions in the town, an audience of about 260 assembled in the Guild Hall on the evening of Wednesday, February 9th, on the occasion of Mr. Cordeaux’s lecture. It is many years since the Scientific Society tried the experiment of getting a well known scientist from outside their membership roll to deliver an address, and the great success of the present venture will encourage them to continue the good work in the future.
The Society is certainly to be congratulated on having obtained the services of one of the best ornithologists of the day, and on hearing him speak on his own particular branch od science, Mr. Cordeaux, in the course of his lecture, referred to the rise of the systematic and scientific study of the phenomenon of bird migration.
The appointment of a Committee of Research, by the British Association for the Advancement of Science, to investigate the subject, resulted in the adoption of the committee’s suggestion of having schedules printed and distributed to the keepers of all the lighthouses on our coasts. The tremendous amount of material, in the form of filled-up schedules that they received in reply fully justified the course taken. The great labour of tabulating the many thousands of schedules was undertaken and successfully carried out by Mr. Eagle Clarke, who was highly delighted at the intelligence displayed by the lighthouse men in filling-up the papers, though, of course, in the majority of cases they used the local names of the birds mentioned. Canvas envelopes were also given to the men of the lighthouse, with instructions to fill them with the wings and feet of any unknown birds that were killed at the lamps, such wings and feet being easily recognised by the skilled ornithologists to whom they where forwarded. An immense amount of invaluable information was thus obtained from the systematic recording from the lighthouses, which may be synopsised as follows: –
There are very few species of birds that are not migratory. There are two great lines of migration –
(1) From north-east to south-west in the autumn, and vice versa in the spring:
(2) East to west, and vice versa.
The first, or north-east to south-west flight, consists of those species that go north to breed in the spring, and return to winter. It is a common belief that in the great migratory journeys the old birds lead the young. This is not the case. The young always return first, some species beginning the voyage as early as July. Different species migrate at different times, and in inconceivable numbers, extending over wide areas, the lighthouse reports sometimes showing that on the same night and almost at the same hour a given species of bird arrives at all stations from the north of Scotland to Spurn Head. The best weather for making observations on the flights at the lighthouses is during storms and on dark nights. At such times great “rushes” occur, when hundreds of birds dash themselves against the lamps. In fair calm weather the birds fly very high and are seldom seen.
“Rushes” frequently occur by day, though most migratory flights take place at night. Such birds as arrive by day probably travelled many hundreds of miles during the past night and are at the end of their journey when they land on our coast. On arrival they are often so exhausted that they will hardly move out of the way and seek rest and shelter wherever they can. The majority of the birds that take part in the north-east and south-west migration are of such species as are generally known to be migrants, many of them only calling at our coast on their way furth south, though others pass the winter with us.
The second great flight direction. That from east to west, was not known until lately. Many of the species taking part in it are our own native species, commonly supposed to remain with us – for instance, the redbreast, the gold crest, the rook, and many others. The observations taken at the lighthouses with regard to this line of migration have established the curious fact that, while birds of certain species are arriving on our coasts from east to west, the very same species are leaving us from west to east. This is emphatically shown in the case on the common staling. This single species has two well marked varieties, those that breed with us have green heads, while those that breed in Eastern Europe and Asia have purple heads. All the starlings that arrive on our coast in the autumn are of the purple-headed Eastern form, and at the same time green-headed starlings are leaving our east coast and flying in a westerly direction.
One cause of migration is not, as is often supposed, the coming cold. Birds migrate south that can comfortably withstand intense cold. Probably the chief cause is, in the spring, to seek secluded breeding places with abundance of food. Nowhere is this found better than in the Tundra of Artic Asia and Europe. There in the brief summer insect food abounds, and as the summer draws to a close the ground is literally covered with berry-bearing under shrubs, laden with food. Before a tithe of this is eaten the birds have started on their southern journey. The snow comes on, the fruit is thickly covered throughout the long winter. On the return of spring the snow melts and the fruits, preserved by it during the winter, furnishes an inexhaustible supply of food for the newly-arrived birds. These Tundra’s, of vast extent, furnish the great breeding places of the majority of migrants.
The direction of the migrating streams is probably influenced by inherited instinct first adopted long ago, when the British Isles formed a part of the Asio-European Continent. Many other matters of interest connected with migration were mentioned, such as the great height at which some birds fly – birds have been seen by astronomers to cross the fields of their telescopes, and the height calculated to be about five miles; the wonderful speed of flight, some species possibly attaining to 200 miles per hour; the occasional arrival of casual wanderers from their proper line of flight, such as American migrants landing on our west coasts, or species whose usual line is from north to south across Asia, wandering as far west as Britain; and the immense distance that some species travel. The Knot winters in South Africa and breeds high in the Artic regions, probably actually passing the Pole and reaching Grinnel’s Land.
A few interesting personal experiences concluded a most instructive lecture. A vote of thanks to Mr. Cordeaux was proposed by the President of the Society (Mr. G. B. Bisat), and carried with acclamation.
Signed Geo. B. Bissat
23 Feb, 1898
Meeting held at the Mansion House
Present – Mr. Bisat (President) in the chair & 28 members & visitors.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Cordeaux for his lecture was proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Stiles & carried mem. con.
The Hon. Sec. was instructed to call a General Meeting of the Society on the 9th of March 1898, for the purpose of discussing the creation of Honorary Members of the Society. Mr. Cordeaux’s name having been suggested for Honorary membership.
New members – Col. Hill, Priory Place & Mr. Watson, High Street, were elected.
Sectional Reports.
Botany.
The sectional leader, Mr. Corbett read the following report.
The extraordinary mild winter of 1897-98 has had some curious effects upon the flowering times of several species of plants. Some, usually flowering during March & April are already fully out, while others, whose normal season is in the late summer or Autumn, have continued throughout the whole winter. Among the more remarkable of these hanging-on from last summer may be mentioned. Lychnis diurnea at Warmsworth (2/1/98) & Heracleum spondylium at Conisbro’ Cliffs (14/1/98). Beside these the following more usually winter flowering species have been noticed. Taraxacum dens leonis, Bellis perennis, Senecio jacobea, Lamium album, & Poa annua of early flowering species, as distinguished from the above relics of last year. Corylus (2/1/98), Mercurialis perennis, & Daphne laureola (7/1/98), Helleborus foetidus (14/1/98), Ulmus montana & Primula vulgaris (31/1/98), Caltha palustris & Tussilago farfara (13/2/98), & Draba verna (15/2/98), are remarkable records.
I would call special attention to Helleborus foetidus, now to be seen at Conisbro’ Cliffs. The flowers are very interesting in showing the reduction of the petals into small honey-bearing cups. The apparent petals are really the leaves of the Calyx. The plant is undoubtedly fertilised by insects & probably the fertilising agent is a lady-bird (Coccinella sp.) These being being the only insects noticed on the flowers.
Daphne laureola is another somewhat rare plant & is to be found along with the Helleborus. In this species the rather long tube of the corolla & the fragrant scent, only perceptible by night, suggest moths as the pollen carriers.
Draba verna, one of our smallest flowering plants is now abundant in the gravel pit in Armthorpe Lane. The leaves are worthy of the attention of micropterists, being furnished with beautiful stellate hairs.
Microscopy
In this section Mr. Stiles, the recorder, reported that he had recently examined a fresh gathering from a ditch between Bently & Scawthorpe. The following diatoms were found.
Diatoma vulgaris, D. elongatum, Synedra radians, Cranema parrum (in conjunction), C. lanceolatum, Gomphonema acuminatum, Amphora ovalis, Fragilaria capucina, Himantidium sp. ?, Diadesmis confevacia, Melosira varians ?, Navicula sp. ?, Pinnularia viridis, Pleurcrygma spencerii ?
In the earth from Askern bog the following species were found.
Diatoms
Synedra capilata, Zygoceros sp.?, Erythemia lurgida, Cocconema lanceolatum, C. cistula, Gomphonema acuminatum, G. intricate?, Navicula ovalis ?, N. cuspidate, N. sp. ?, Nitzschia amphyoxis, Himantidium gracile ?, Surihella sp. ?, S. sp. ?, Cymatopleura solia, Cuccumis placentula, Pinnularia major, P. viridis, P. radiusa, Amphora ovalis, A. membranacia, Fragillaria sp., Campyludiscusa status, Stauroncis phanicentera, Navicula amphesbana, Odentidium sp., Nitzschia sygmvidea ? & several other not yet determined.
Spongidia
Spicules of Spongilla fluviatilis, accealur, bi-volate, radiate etc.
Characeae
Nucules & globules of Chara sp. ?
Photography.
In this section some photographs of Helleborus & Daphne taken by Mr. Woodley at Conisbro’ 21/1/98, & also photos of the Anticlinal in the Upper Magnesium Limestone at Wadworth by Messrs. Percy & Woodley were exhibited.
Zoology.
In this Section the Hon. Sec. reported that he had unofficially attended a meeting in Manchester on Feb 16th 1898, called for the purpose of enlisting the co-operation of scientific societies in the norther counties, in the International Congress of Zoology, to be held at Cambridge in August next. The discussion of the advisability of subscribing to the Congress or sending a delegate thereto was deferred to a later meeting.
Mr. Abbott B.A. then read his paper on The Constitution of Matter.
The Annual Report [not included] is from the Doncaster Gazette of March 4th 1898.
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A meeting of the Doncaster Scientific Society was held at the Mansion House, on Wednesday, February 23rd, when a paper on “The Constitution of Matter,” was read by Mr. A, Abbott, B.A. The following is a digest of the essay.
The question of the constitution of matter has occupied the minds of men during all ages. The earliest theories of which we know anything are those put forward by the Greek philosophers. Empedocles, in the year 440 B. C. suggested that all things are made up of four elements – air, earth, fire and water. To these four, Aristotle added a fifth, which he called “being”. This was an immaterial substance, and was the basis of all substances, bodies differing from one another in possessing more or less of the original four elements combined with it.
It is easy to see how theories of this kind led, in later times, to the vain attempts of the alchemists to transform one substance into another. Owing to the great authority of the Greeks in mental science, their views passed unchallenged for centuries. It is probable that they themselves were not the originators of the opinions which they held, but that they owed them to the Hindus.
In the fifth century, Democritus supposed that all matter is made up of small parts, which he called atoms, and which differed from one another in number and size, but not in the nature of their substance. He maintained that they were infinite in number, and infinitely variable in form. He considered that they were in motion from their very nature, while Ananagoras believed that they were kept in motion by mental power.
The doctrine of atoms was further developed by Epicurus and Lucretius. There was then, at the very origin of atomic ideas, a distinction drawn between matter and space, “vacuum” and “plenum”.
The opposite hypothesis to this, viz., that of the continuity of matter, was held by Descartes, who said that matter fills all space, but that it possesses various degrees of density. Various theories were put forward at the beginning of this century by German philosophers, one of the most interesting, in the light of later ideas, being that all space is filled with a continuous mass, through which waves are transmitted in various directions. Wherever these waves meet, they form nodal points, and these nodal points are atoms.
Newton believed that “God in the beginning formed matter in solid massv, hard impenetrable, moveable particles.” None of the preceding theories was, however, based on experiment, and it was left to John Dalton, of Manchester, to bring forward, in 1904, a chemical atomic theory based on the laws of definite proportion and of multiple proportions. According to his theory, all chemical compounds are produced by the union of one or more atoms of one element with one or more atoms of other elements. In the compound these atoms still exist, but have their properties modified. This theory, it can be safely said, has been the most fruitful ever introduced into the branch of science.
From the earliest times, the idea that all matter is derived originally from one primary substance has haunted the minds of philosophers, and in 1815 Prout came to the conclusion, from a study of the relative weights of the elementary atoms, that all elements are formed by the condensation of Hydrogen, the lightest known element. Later researches on atomic weights shew that while those of many elements are certainly exact multiples of that of Hydrogen, many of them differ from it, and Prout’s hypothesis has therefore been abandoned, the result being due, to a great extent, to the work of Stas, who devoted his whole life to the exact determination of 19 atomic weights.
Between 1860 and 1870 a great impetus was given to the consideration of the nature of the elements by the discovery of the “Periodic Law” bt Newlands, Lothar Meyer, and Mendelejeff, who showed that if the elements be arranged in the order of their atomic weights, each element resembles in properties that separated from it by an interval of six other elements. By means of this law, Mendelejeff was enabled to predict the existence of three new elements which were afterwards discovered. The properties of each were identical with those predicted by Mendelejeff. In 1886, Sir William Crookes summed up the evidence for the theory that all elements are derived from one primary substance, which he called ”protyle.”
(1) The possibility that 70 elements, which have come into gortuitious existence, should reveal such remarkable relationships, as are made manifest by the Periodic Law, is very small.
(2) Elements which are very much alike in properties and between which there is no chemical affinity are often found near one another.
(3) The existence of groups of elements (radicals) which behave exactly like elements, seems to point to the possibility of the elementary atoms possessing a compound nature.
Crookes considered that before the earth began to cool down, everything was in an Nitra-gaseous state, and that there was only one king of matter. As this cooled down, the first step in granulation took place and the atoms were formed, those of smallest weight being formed first.
The theory of atoms is now universally held, and various theories have been brought forward as to their form, size, and mode of motion. Although very small, they are not infinitely small, but are indivisible. They attract each other with a force known as chemical affinity, which is possible related to gravity. This force gives rise to the formation of groups of atoms, known as molecules.
According to the Kinetic theory of gasses of which Democritus had some idea, but when was first definitely brought forward by Daniel Bernouilli, gasses are composed of small particles moving with a very high velocity in straight lines, colliding with and rebounding from other particles, and from the sides of the containing vessel. The theory has been developed by various physicists, and Clausius has calculated the velocity of the molecules of various gasses, (that of the molecules of Hydrogen being over a mile a second) as well as the length of the average free path of a molecule. Besides this molecular motion, it is believed that the atoms have a motion of their own within the molecules. Both motions are accelerated by heat. Lord Kelvin has endeavoured by several different methods to calculate the size of a molecule. He came to the conclusion that if a drop of water were magnified to the size of the earth, then a group of molecules would possess a size something between that od a heap of small shot and a heap of footballs. That atoms must be very small, is shewn by the fact that a single grain of musk will scent a large room, while Hofmann proved that rosaniline dye will impart a distinct tinge to 100 million times its own weight of alcohol.
Recently a theory known as that of “Vortex Atoms” has arisen; it is due to Lord Kelvin. Everyone is familiar with the rings made by some smokers. Each particle in one of these rings has a definite circular path, about a circular axis, while the axis itself moves in a straight line. Helmholz shewed that in a perfect fluid, free from friction, such a vortex ring would be indestructible. It might change its form, but the connection of its constituent parts would never be broken. Lord Kelvin considers that this perfect medium and these vortex rings represent the universe. A fluid fills all space, and what we call matter are simply portions of the fluid animated with vortex motion. These portions are atoms. Of all hypothesis this is the most probable. In it is revived the old hypothesis of the unity of matter, which has proved so fascinating to philosophers in all times. In spite of the fact that the hypothesis is still the same as was held hundreds of years ago, and in spite of the fact that our ideas on the construction of matter are still vague and uncertain, we can fairly claim that our knowledge is advancing, and can hope that at some future period this problem, apparently insoluble, may be made clear.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Abbott was proposed by the President (Mr. G. B. Bisat), seconded by Dr. J. M. Wilson, and carried unanimously.
Signed Geo. B. Bisat
Mar 9th 1898
Extraordinary General Meeting was held at the Mansion House on Wednesday March 9th 1898
Present – Mr. G. B. Bisat, President in the chair & 23 members,
Proposed that in Rule 5 after the word ‘October’ the following words be inserted “& of Honorary Members who, for special reasons, may be deemed worthy of election”
Carried mem. con.
Proposed by the President, seconded by Mr. Bellamy. That Mr. J. Cordeaux be elected an Honorary Member of this Society.
Carried mem. con.
Meeting held subsequent to the above General Meeting.
Mr. Stoney of Hooton Roberts was duly elected.
Sectional Reports.
Geology.
Mr. Corbett passed round a specimen of the Calcareous, hard, marses? of petrified vegetation from Askern.
Mr. Stiles was elected to the chair during the reading of a paper on Process Work by the President.
The paper was profusely illustrated by very numerous & beautiful examples of the different kinds of process work, & these gave a great amount of pleasure & information to the members who were present.
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Doncaster Scientific Society
Process Work and Illustrations.
At the last meeting of this society, held in the Mansion House (by kind permission of the Mayor), a paper was read by the president (Mr. George B. Bisat) on “Process Work and Illustrations.”
The lecturer pointed out that pictorial reproductions was said to be the most pleasant way of disseminating knowledge, and by a combination of photography and process engraving this knowledge was now brought prominently before everyone. As showing this universally, it is almost impossible to peruse any illustrated daily or weekly newspaper without finding that its illustrations are due to “process” work. In fact, so popular are these photo-mechanical processes that they have practically given the death-blow to wood-engraving.
A reference to the earlier experiments of Fox-Talbot was followed by a description of the invention and perfection of the “half-tone” screen, which is so necessary a part of the process. The use of this screen is to break up the gradations of the picture into a series of small dots of varying sizes, by interposing the screen between the sensitive plate and the lens when making a negative from the original picture. This negative is exposed to light in contact with a copper plate which has been coated with a solution offish-glue, white of egg, and ammonium bichromate. This film is soluble in water before exposure to light, but the action of light upon it is to render it insoluble, so that those parts of the film which are under the high-lights of the negative, and through which the light has not been able to penetrate, will be found to be soluble, whilst other parts – those under the shadows of the negative – are insoluble, being rendered so by the light which has passed through the clear parts of the negative,. The copper plate is then washed in water, which removes the soluble portions of the film, and leaves the insoluble dots standing up on the surface of the copper. The plate is then immersed in an etching solution and etched to the required depth, and is then ready to be mounted in a wood block, ready for the printer.
The lecturer spoke also of the production of “line” blocks, and gave brief descriptions of collotype and photogravure processes, and of the “three-colour” process of printing in colours.
The paper was illustrated with examples of “line” and “half-tone” blocks, and a large selection of specimen prints executed by the principal “process” workers, which were greatly admired – the specimens of “three-colour” work exiting much interest.
Signed M. H. Stiles chairman.
Mar 154th 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Bisat (chair) Mrs. Robinson & Mrs.
Corbett, Messrs, Stiles, Cuttriss, Bellamy, Ord, Plant, Culpin & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
Lantern Exhibition.
Proposed that Mr. Bellaby undertakes the duties of lanternist.
Proposed that either the Saloon or the Ballroom be engaged for the meeting.
That members be allowed to bring friends,
That Hon. Sec. describes slides.
Summer Excursions.
Propose that 4 excursions be held on Thursdays (Stiles, Culpin)
Amendment that 5 be held (Corbett, Ord) carried 6 – 5
The following places & dates were suggested.
Cadeby (May 12)
Y.N.U. (May 20)
York (June)
Roche Abbey & Maltby (July 14)
Hatfield Moor (July 28)
Blyth (Aug 8)
Purchase of Albums etc.
Propose that Mr. Stiles & Hon. Sec. act as sub-committee to purchase Albums & Cabinet for members objects.
Signed H. Culpin
Mar 23rd 1898
A Lantern Exhibition was held at the Old Free Library on Wednesday March 23rd. About 60 persons were present.
Mr. Bellamy undertook the lantern work, & the following members contributed slides.
Messrs. Stiles, Bellamy, Gledhill, Cowan, & Matthewman.
The slides were with very few exceptions, new ones & as samples of photographic art were a decided advance upon those exhibited by members last year.
A very beautiful collection of slides from the G.N. Ry. Co. illustrative of “Broad Land” were also shown & gave much pleasure to the spectators. Mr. W. Yates, who had lately visited the Broads explained the route traversed. Mr. Corbett described, where necessary, the features of the slides exhibited.
Signed M. H. Stiles, chairman.
Meeting held at the Mansion House on April 13th 1898
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 17 members & friends.
Sectional Reports
Geology. Messrs. Corbett & Culpin reported that the excavations now going on in the site of the workhouse at Balby shewed there Boulder Clay lying upon the Bunter, the latter having been scooped out by the action of the glacier. Numerous boulders were found chiefly Permian & Carboniferous.
Microscopy. Mr. Stiles Reported that he had found a great number of Diatoms in the old bog earth from Askern, many of which had not hitherto been recorded from the district.
Notice of the Y.N.U. Meeting to be held at Doncaster on the 30th of May was given.
In the absence of Mr. Lawson, his essay on “The History of a Flower” was read by the Mr. Dimaline.
The essayist took as his theme, the Common Daisy & drew attention to the fact that that which we ordinary call a single flower is in reality a collection of numerous flowers in a compact head, those of the outside being white & either barren or female only, while those of the inner part or disc are perfect or bi-sexual. This massing of the flowers is of advantage to the plant by forming a conspicuous attraction to fertilising insects. He then mentioned several different types of aggregations of florets e.g. The umbellifers in which each small flower has its own flower stalk & calyx. The Dipsacae in which the separate flower stalks have disappeared, but the calyx still remains & finally the Composite of which the daisy is a sample, in which the calyx has either disappeared, or is specialised to form a parachute for the purpose of dispersal of the seeds by wind. The sexual organs of composite flowers were then described. The stamens being united into a tube within the corolla & the style being single & centrally placed. Self-fertilisation, always having a degrading tendency, is prevented by the stamens, bearing the male organs, arriving at maturity before the style. After the stamens have shed their pollen the capitate style rises up the tube & becomes ready for impregnation. The florets of the disc are 5 cleft & regular. Those of the ray are ligulate but the ligule shows in its crenate margin the vestige of the ancestral 5 cleft form.
The most ancient form of flower was probably nothing but simple male & female organs, destitute of specialised leaves in the shape of coloured petals & sepals; but such as happened to poses more conspicuous colour than others, or had in them sugary matter developed, would be more attractive to the early form of insects that visited them for the purpose of eating the pollen. As insects developed the flowers developed with them, until at the present time we find that all brilliantly coloured or sweetly scented flowers are fertilised by insects, while those that are small, green or dull coloured& scentless are wind or self-fertilised.
The essay was productive of a very lively discussion hanging upon the validity of the theory of the development of species by means of natural selection.
A vote of thanks to the essayist was proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Gledhill, supported by Mr. Stiles & carried mem. con.
Meeting held in the Class Room, Congregational Schools on Wednesday April 20th, 1898.
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & (blank) members & friends.
Sectional Reports. Geology. Some newly found Lake District eratics were reported from the Cusworth locality
Botany & Zoology. A bit of early dates for Spring flowers & dates of arrival of summer migrants was read.
Mr. Geo. Winter gave a lecture entitled “An Hour with a Microscope”. The lecture was illustrated by a large number of beautiful lantern slides of Photo-micrographs for the most part the work of the lecturer. These consisted of Foraminifera, Radiolaria, Diatoms, insects etc., & were described by the lecturer seriation.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Col. Hill, seconded by Mr. Stiles & carried mem. con.
[Here in the minute book a sheet of paper, that records a meeting held on 27th April 1898, slightly smaller that the minute book pages, has been pasted into the minute book between meeting records for 13th April & 20th April 1898, suggesting that the record of the meeting contained on the loose sheet had been overlooked, and this was a means of correcting the error]
Meeting held in the Mansion House on Wednesday April 27th, 1898
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair & 20 members
Mr. Gledhill gave a lecture on “The History & Construction of the Telescope”.
The lecturer stated that Telescopes were known as early as the 13th century; having been accidentally invented by some children playing in their fathers shop with some spectacle lenses. Their practical use only dates from the 17th century. Galileo made a telescope to look at the moon & planets in 1564. In 1659 Haygens discovered the planet Saturn.
The various forms of lenses were explained, & the different kinds of instruments used; the lecturer showing eight different kinds, viz. Newtonian, Gregorian, Cassegrain, Astronomical, & Terrestrial refractors, & the numerous forms of eyepieces & lenses, many of them made & ground by himself. Also, a 4 ½ “ refractor& a 6 “ refractor of his own make. (Gregorian).
He described the new Telescope; the munificent gift of Sir Henry Thompson to Greenwich Observatory. The great Yerkes Telescope at Wisconsin U.S.A., the largest in the world was also described, He then gave an account of how lenses are made & ground; closing with some mention of the objects of stellar & planetary telescopy.
A vote of thanks was proposed by the Chairman seconded by (blank) & carried mem. con.
April 24th 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Bisat (chair), Mrs. Corbett & Mrs. Robinson, Messrs. Culpin, Ord, Stiles, & Atkinson, Bellamy, Plant.
Proposed by Mt. Culpin, seconded by Mr. Ord, & carried. That the excursion programme be printed in detail.
The Programme of Lectures connected with Cambridge was discussed, & the Hon. Sec. was requested to make enquiries.
The following members were appointed delegates to the Y.N.U. Messrs. Corbett & Roberts.
Mr. Percy was appointed to represent the Society at the Bradford Photographic Exhibition.
Signed M. H. Stiles (Vice President)
Session 1898-9
4th Oct, 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair, Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Atkinson, Bellamy, Culpin, Cuttriss, Ord, & Corbett Hon. Sec.
Nominated for membership. Mr. Harrison.
The following suggestions for officeship during the present session made for the consideration of the members at the Annual General Meeting.
President – Mr. Geo. Winter
Vice President – Mr. G. B. Bisat
Committee – Messrs. Gledhill & Woodley.
A draft programme for the Winter session was submitted by the Hon. Sec. & approved, so far as it went.
With regards to the place of meeting of the Society. The Hon. Sec. was instructed to try to arrange for a room at the Guild Hall.
The subject of the next course of Univ. Exten. Lectures was discussed & it was decided to try for a course on “Architecture”. Failing this, as n Alternative, “The Rivers & Mountains of Yorkshire” was adopted.
Signed Geo. Winter.
The Annual General Meeting was held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday the 12th October 1898.
Present Mr. G. B. Bisat, President in the chair & 21 members.
The minutes of the last meeting were taken as read.
Mr. Stiles was presented, by members of the Society, with a copy of Van Herricks ‘Diatomacea’, in recognition of his long service to the Society as Hon. Sec., President & Vice President.
The following new members were elected. Mr. Williamson & Mr. Harrison
The Hon. Sec. read the following Annual Report.
To the members of the Doncaster Scientific Society,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Your Committee has pleasure in submitting the following report of the work of the society during its 19th year, and in congratulating you upon its continual vigour.
During the winter Session 1897-98, thirteen meetings were held. At nine of these, original papers or lectures were given by members. At one, a lecture on “The migration of Birds” was given by Mr. Cordeaux. The remaining three consisting of the Annual General Meeting, a Conversatzione & Exhibition, & a Lantern Exhibition. The average attendance at all meetings (exclusive of Mr. Cordeaux’s lecture, when an audience of about260 was present) was 32. The average attendance at lecture & essay meetings was 26.7. This is a decided increase in attendance, compared with past years.
Through various circumstances the programme for the session underwent some slight alterations, the actual dates of meetings & the subjects being as follows.
1897
Oct 13th – Annual General Meeting
Oct 27th – Conversatzione & Exhibition
Nov 10th – In Yordale with a Hand Camera by R. A. Bellamy
Nov 24th – Electricity in Vacuo by T. Cuttriss
Dec 15th – Bromide Enlargements by L. Bagshaw
1898
Jan 27th – The Natural History of Askern Bog by H. H. Corbett
Feb 9th – Bird Migration by J. Cordeaux M.B.O.U.
Feb 23rd – The Constitution of Matter by A. Abbott B. Sc.
Mar 9th – Process Work with Illustrations by G. B. Bisat
Mar 23rd – Lantern Exhibition
Apr 13th – The History of a Flower by W. Lawson
Apr 20th – An Hour with a Microscope bt G. Winter
Apr 27th – The History & Structure of the Telescope by E. Gledhill
Many of the papers read, gave evidence of much original thought & work on the part of the authors, & elicited some good discussions.
The excursions held during the Summer Months have been very successful. The attendance has been higher than in former years, and a considerable amount of field work was done by the more active members, The results will be recorded under the Sectional Reports.
The meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists Union held at Doncaster on Whit-Monday May 30th, was one of the most successful for many years, A full report of the work done on this occasion will appear in “ The Naturalist”
The other excursions of the Society & the numbers present were as follows.
Thursday May 12th Conisbro’, Cadby & Sprotbro’ (Present 17)
Thursday July 14th Maltby & Roche Abbey (Present 40)
Thursday July 28th Hatfield, & Hatfield Woodhouse (Present 11)
Thursday Aug 18th Blythe (Present 9)
Average attendance 19.25
Sectional Work
Botany
This section has lost one of its ableist workers in Mr. Lawson, who has left Doncaster.
The task of compiling a complete list of the phanerogams of the district is still being carried on by Mr. Corbett & he wishes to thank those members who have assisted him by collecting specimens during the Summer Excursions. Up to the present time about 600 species of flowering plants have been noted in the district, the more important additions to the list during the past year being –
Ranunculus Leaormauti, R. trichophyllus, R. circinatus, Sinapis alba, Nasturtium palustre, Viola canina v. flaviernis, Silene anglica, Malactuum equaticum, Liles nanus, Melilotus arvensis, Astragalus glycyphyllos, Vicia lathyroides, Rosa nuerantha, Myriophyllum spicatum, Filago apiculate, Bidens tripartite, Solidago virga-aurea, Picris hieracioides, Hieracium tridentatum, Jasione montana, Gentiana pneumonanthe, Rhinanthus major, Mentha piperita, Salvia verbenacea, Samolus valerandi, Ophrys apifera, Narthecium ossifragum, & Carex Pseudo-cyperus.
Geology
The sectional leader, Mr. Culpin reports –
The principal geological work of the society during the year has been in connection with the Balby Boulder Clay & the boulder-strewn country leading up to it. The examination of the Clay has been facilitated by the excavations for the New Workhouse which, with the pits at Balby, have shown that the Clay still covers at least a square mile of surface to a depth varying from 0 to about 40 feet. The boulders found in the Workhouse excavation consist mainly of the local Magnesium Limestone but there is a fair sprinkling of large grits, ganiniales & Carboniferous limestones. So far, however, no very far travelled eratics have been found there. A noteworthy feature is that one of the sections exhibits the clay as having been pushed over a ridge of Triassic sand, the reverse side of which was then torn away rolled up in the clay.
The Balby Brick Yards have as usual received a good deal of attention but there is nothing new to chronicle, except that the bottom of the clay has now been reached at a depth of almost 45 feet; & that they were visited on Whit Monday by the Yorkshire Naturalists Union, when a piece of Eskdale granite and two Diorites were found in Gibbons Pit.
The Fields on the other side of the Don near Newton & between Sprotbro’ & Cusworth Parks, where, it will be remembered a piece of Shap Granite was picked up during last year, have been still further examined with the result that large boulder of Cambrian origin, measuring 33” x 19” x 6”, & many smaller ones have been found. This district lies to the north west of the Balby deposit. So far they have not been traced beyond a mile & a half on the other side of the river, the approximate width of their range being about a quarter of a mile. Effective search for them is possible only in the winter months, before seed-time. It is then only that the surface of the fields is exposed.
The boulder hunting session is now about to begin. If the pleasurable excitements of the hunt were more generally known, the additional eyes & feet attracted to the work would result in a much more rapid mapping out of the course of the Balby Ice than is at present to be expected.
Boulders & the Clay, however, have not entirely monopolised the local geological efforts during the year. The sand & gravel pits in the ridge, separating the Trent & Don watersheds have not been neglected. At Bally Bridge a beach of Triassic sand gently sloping downwards towards the carr, has been explored. On the Whitmonday excursion, the eroded marls in this pit excited a good deal of attention. In the pit at the far end of Balby, which is perhaps the next interesting & characteristic in the district, the gravels are being rapidly removed, & a fresh section is on view almost weekly. Here may be seen evenly laid & ripple marked Triassic sand covered with Triassic gravels lying in gently varying slopes; while these again are capped by Gravels consisting chiefly of Carboniferous stones, which dip sharply towards the Trent-valley. From this pit & that in Armthorpe Lane, Dr. Corbett has collected some beautiful fossils of the Mountain Limestone & the Coal Measures.
During the Societies Summer excursions, vegetable fossils from the Middle Coal Measures were obtained at the Cadeby Colliery. The marked denudation of the Don Valley, far from any possible contact of the river with the rocks, was studied. A search was made for the gravels which lie on the limestone bordering the Roche Abbey valley, & a visit was paid to a pit at Ranskill where evenly laid sand, covers gravel in a manner rarely seen in this district.
Mr Jordan has cleared some interesting vegetable fossils from the Wickersley Rock.
The Geological Section is indebted as usual to Messrs. Bellamy, Woodley, Percy, Skeath & Dod, for photographs, of which those showing sections temporary exposed at the Workhouse call for special notice.
Microscopy.
Mr Stiles reports –
In this section which embraces the study of the minute life of our ponds & ditches, the past year has been a fairly active one. Indeed, I think I may say it has been the most active of any year since the founding of this society. One of the objectives of this section is the compilation of a list of those beautiful shell plants, known as Diatoms, which are found within easy reach of Doncaster. The published list of West Riding Diatoms, is at present an extremely meagre one, but we hope that before long our Society will have been the means if adding considerably to it.
Since the last Annual Meeting some 15 or 16 gatherings have been collected, cleaned, mounted & examined, resulting in the enumeration of about 100 species, most of them, of course, common & well known, but some much less so, & which are not included in the list referred to.
On the occasion of the Whitmonday excursion of the Y.N.U. , some very interesting work was done. Mr. Newton Coombe of Sheffield, a well-known enthusiast, was present & he & I collected samples from several sources, worked them out independently, & then compared our lists. The result will be published in an early number of the Naturalist & will include some original remarks of great interest by Mr. Coombe, who has devoted much time & thought to this interesting group of microscopic plants.
The gatherings examined have been collected at Balby, Askern, Bentley, Sandal Beet, Sandal Brickpond, Park Lane, West Moor, Armthorpe, & the Doncaster Town Water. A list of Species found is Appended.
Doncaster Diatoms 1898
Amphora ovalis & var pediculus
Cymbella ehrenbergii, C. caepidala v naviculiformis, C. lanceolata, C, gastroides, C. cistula, C. cymbiformis & var parva.
Stauroneis phoenicenteron, S. gracilis.
Navicula major, N. viridis, N. oblonga, N. radiosa, N. viridula, N. elliptica, N. limosa, N. viridis var amphirynchus, N. ampheaboena, N. cuepidata, N. semen, N. legumen, N. dicephala, N. exilis, N. peregrina, N. serians, N. humilis, N. reinhardtii, N. latiuscula, N. pygmaea (Kutz), N. erucifoumier
Amphipleura pellucida
Pleurosigma attenuatam, P. spencerii, P. acuminatum (=laeustre)
Gomphonema acuminatum, G. constrictum, G. intneatum, G. montanium var. commentatum, G. geminatum
Rhoicosphenia curvata
Achnanthes exilis
Achnanthidium flexellum, A, lanceolatum
Cocconeis placentula, C. pediculus, C. thwaitesii
Erythema turgida, E. gibba, E. sorex, E. zebra [maybe Epithemia]
Eunotia lunaris, E. gracilis, E. pectinalis var. ventricose, E. arcus var minor, E. robusta, E. tetraodon
Synedra radicans, S. ulna, and var subaequalis, S. capitata, S. pilchella, S. alus
Fragiliaria capucina, F. construens
Meridion circulare
Denticula tenuis
Surirella ovalis, et var minuta, S. splendida, S. apiculate
Hantzschia amphioxys
Nitzschia sigmoidea, N. linearis, N. acicularis, N. dubia, N. fasciculata, N. sinuate, N. tryblionella, N. segmalella
Melosia varians, M. arenaria
Clyclotella kutzingiana, C. compla, C. operculate
Cymatopleura elliphia, C. solea
Diatoma vulgaris, D. elongatum
Colletonema lacustre
Tabellaria flocculosa
?ncyonema caespitosum
Campylodiscus costatus
Odontidium harrisonii
Photography
The photographic section has done some work during the year, but we should like to see more cameras with us on field days. Lantern Slides on various subjects have been prepared by Messrs. Stiles, Gledhill, Matthewman, & Cowan. Geological Photographs have been already mentioned. Some interesting Archaeological studies were taken at Blythe by Messrs. Bellamy & Plant.
Zoology.
But little work has been done in this section. The only groups that have had any attention from members are
1. Lepidoptera. Miss Eden has taken several species new to the district, viz. Calliginea miniata, Alidalea imitaria, Eupithecia rectangulata, & Lasiocampa rubi
2. Mollusca. In this group a collection of the shells found in the bog at Askern, has been made & perhaps should rather be placed in the Geological , than the Zoological section. As they are true fossils though if recent age. More than 30 species have been found, many of them in great abundance.
In numerical strength the Society still continues to increase, 31 new members having joined during the past year. Against this increase there are several resignations & lapses from various causes, bringing the total membership at present to 93; an increase of 20 on last year. With such a number of members, it is a pity that more work cannot be reported in some of the sections.
An interesting programme is being arranged for the present session. This will shortly be delivered to the members. We wish to take this opportunity of thanking
– His Worship, the mayor (Mr. Councillor Dowson) for granting us the use of the Mansion House for our meetings
– The Corporation of Doncaster, for granting the use of the Old Free Library for the University Extension Lectures
– The Free Library Committee for allowing the use of the Reference Room for meetings, and
– Mr. W. Bonskill for a donation of Microscopical sundries
The financial status of the Society is very satisfactory, notwithstanding the fact that the past year has been a very expensive one. A statement of accounts is appended.
Balance Sheet 1897
| £ s d | £ s d | |||
| To balance in bank | 20 7 4 | Sundry payments as per book | 16 1 8 | |
| To balance from previous year etc. |
1 2 1 |
Balance in bank carried to next year | 20 7 4 | |
| Tickets | 1 12 0 | |||
| Subscriptions | 11 12 0 | |||
| 34 13 5 | ||||
| Balance due to treasurer on the year etc. | 1 15 7 | |||
| 36 9 0 | 36 9 0 |
Examined & found correct, 8 Nov 1898
Signed F. J. Clarke
Statement of Accounts 1897
| Receipts | Expenditure | |||
| Balance in bank | 20 7 4 | Exhibition & lantern meetings including 15/- lantern work 1896/97 |
5 1 5 |
|
| balance from previous year etc. |
1 2 1 |
Hire of Guild Hall (19th Feb) | 1 1 0 | |
| Tickets – Exhibition | 1 12 0 | Hire of Hall Gate Rooms | ||
| Subscriptions | 18th & 24th Nov 97 24th Apr 98 | 17 6 | ||
| 1 for 1895-6 | 2 6 | Sub to Naturalist for 3 years | 15 0 | |
| 7 for 1896-7 | 17 6 | Sub to Y.N.U 1897/98 | 14 0 | |
| 57 for 1897-98 | 9 19 6 | Printing & advertising :- | ||
| Arrears etc | 10 0 | Chronicle Office | 6 0 | |
| 1 sub for 1897-98 | 2 6 | Gazette Office | 2 14 9 | |
| Balance due to treasurer on years a/c |
1 15 7 |
Henderson & Co. | 8 6 | |
| Attendance (Ellis) | 5 0 | |||
| Stationary & sundries | 2 6 | |||
| Postage | 3 6 0 | |||
| Cash in bank | 20 7 4 | |||
| 36 9 0 | 36 9 0 |
It was proposed by Mr. Culpin & seconded by Mr. Ord that the report be passed, subject to the accounts being audited.
Dr. Wilson Proposed an amendment – that some statement of the present position of the Society with regards to the Gilchrist Lectures should be included in the report.
After some discussion the amendment was withdrawn.
The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows.
President – Mr. Geo. Winter. Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Stiles, carried mem. con.
Vice-President – Mr. G. B. Bisat. Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Clarkson, carried mem. con.
Committer (3 vacancies) – The following were proposed & seconded & submitted to ballot.
Messrs. Gledhill & Woodley, Dr. Wilson, Mr. White, Mr. Percy, Dr. English.
The result of the ballot placed Dr. Wilson & Messrs. Gledhill & White on the committee.
Hon. Sec. & treasurer. Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Storey & carried mem. con. That Mr Corbett continue to hold the office.
Auditor. Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Gledhill that Mr. F. J. Clarke audit the accounts.
It was proposed by Mr. Culpin & seconded by Dr. Wilson, that our Society co-operates with other Societies in the town for the establishment of future courses of lectures & that the matter be referred to the committee; carried mem. con.
It was proposed by Mr. Stiles & seconded by Mr. Culpin, that letters of thanks be sent to the Mayor, the Corporation, the Free Library Committee & Mr. Bonskill, carried mem. con.
Signed M. H. Stiles (Vice President) chairman
Oct 18, 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Messrs. Winter (chair), Ord, Culpin, Bellamy, Gledhill, White, Bisat, Plant, Dr. Wilson, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
In consequence of the Mansion House being engaged on Wednesday the 2ne November, it was proposed & carried that the Annual Conservatzione be held on Thursday Nov. 3rd.
Arrangements for Conservatzione
Last years committee to continue this year, with power to add to their numbers.
The arrangement for refreshments to be left to Mrs. Corbett
The arrangement for music to be left to Messrs. McKenzie & Clarke.
Admission for non-members to be left over.
Proposed by Dr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Plant. That the discussion of a letter from the Gilchrist Trust be left until the next General Meeting.
Programme for the Session was passed.
Albums. Photographs for the Societies Album to be submitted to the committee before being placed in the books. The mounting of photographs to be left to the Hon. Sec.
Library. A list of books, the property of the Society, to be printed with the programme.
Oct 27th, 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present- Mr. Culpin (chair), Messrs. Ord, Gledhill, Stiles, Bellamy, White, Bisat, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
Conservatzione. Proposed that non-members be admitted at a charge of 6d. per head.
Proposed that the committee be empowered to spend a sum not exceeding £1 on objects for the exhibition.
Proposed that the attention of the Society be called to the unsatisfactory financial position of the Y.N.U. & that an endeavour be made to increase the number of local members.
Nomination for membership: J. E. Johnson, Beatby.
Proposed that the Hon. Sec. write to the Camera Club & the Co-op Society asking them to nominate 4 members from each society to meet 4 members of the Scientific Society to discuss co-operation for future lectures.
Proposed that the following be the sub-committee from this society. Viz. Messrs. Culpin, Stiles, Wilson, & Corbett
Signed R. A. Bellamy
Nov. 9th, 1898
An Extraordinary General Meeting was held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall, on Wednesday Nov. 9th 1898
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 13 members.
Proposed by Dr, Wilson, seconded by Mr. W. E. Atkinson.
That the Scientific Society contribute a sum of £15 towards a course of Gilchrist Lectures for the next year, provided that other educational societies in the town will co.-operate with a like sum. £30 to be offered to the Gilchrist Trust for a course.
Carried mem. com.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Corbett.
That the subject of the University Extension lectures for the present session be the ‘Mountain & Rivers of Yorkshire’ by Mr. Kendall.
An amendment was proposed by Mr. W. E. Plant & seconded by Mr. Clarkson.
That the subject be ‘Some recent Triumphs of Engraving’ by Mr. Popplewell.
On a vote being taken, the original proposition was carried.
The Hon. Sec. was asked to obtain particulars from Messrs. Sum & Sons of terms & of their lectures
Nov 10th, 1898
Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall.
Present – Mr. Stiles (chair) & 15 members
Sectional Reports
Geology. Mr Corbett exhibited & made some remarks upon a specimen of Lower Magnesian Limestone from South Elmsall, containing well preserved fossils.
Mr. Maudslay of Barnsley then read his paper on “Mans position in the Animal Kingdom”
The lecture, which was illustrated by means of good diagrams, was a particularly excellent one. The author reviewing the pros & cons for the special creation & evolutional theories with great ability & thoroughness.
An interesting discussion followed the reading of the paper in which, Col. Hill & Messrs. Thomas, Jordan, Smith, Corbett & Stiles took part. After Mr. Maudslay had replied a harty vote of thanks to him was passed on the proposition of Mr. Stiles, seconded by Col. Hill
Signed G. Winter.
Nov 23rd 1898
Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall
Present – Mr. Winter (President) in the chair & 16 members
Election of new member. Mr. Sherwood was elected a member of this Society.
Sectional Reports.
Geology. Mr. Culpin reported that sections of the Boulder Clay had been exposed on the site of the new Smallpox Hospital, where a boulder of Encrinital Limestone was turned out; & that among numerous boulders examined from the ground at the new Workhouse, one Lake District stone hade been found, viz. a Diorite.
Mr. Corbett described the geology of Frodingham & suggested that place for a future excursion of the society.
Archaeology. Mr. Percy exhibited photographs of the Old Bridge at the end of Marshgate. The arches were exposed during the construction of the present bridge & are said to be 13th century work.
Paper by Mr. Stiles on “Diatoms in the Doncaster Water”
Mr. Stiles then read his paper on the above subject. The paper was productive of a lively discussion chiefly turning upon the question whether the presence of lively & dead organisms in the water was prejudicial to its quality for drinking purposes. The following account of the meeting is from “The Gazette” for Dec 9th.
“Doncaster Scientific Society
Diatoms in the Town Water
At the meeting of the above society, held in County Court Room, Guild Hall, on Wednesday, the 23rd ult., an interesting account was given by Mr. Stiles, of his microscopic examination of the Doncaster town water.
During the summer Mr. Stiles noticed on some occasions that the water which had stood for some time in his bedroom ewer contained a distinct deposit of solid mater. This he treated “secundum artem” and discovered it to consist of diatoms of many species.
In order to trace, so far as possible, the source of these organisms, the essayist journeyed to Thrybergh and Firsby. And took samples of the water from the reservoirs there. These samples were also treated for diatoms, and the species in them were compared to those collected in the town water.
Both gatherings consisted for the most part of common and generally distributed species, but one which was very abundant in the town water was absent from the water taken from the reservoirs. This led to the supposition that the diatoms in the town water were not from the town reservoirs, but from the additional supply that we have been receiving from Sheffield. Seeing that the Doncaster water is carefully filtered before entering the mains and that from Sheffield undergoes no filtration, this supposition is probably correct.
The method used in preparing the diatoms was described and some specimens of photographs of the species found were shown.”
A lively discussion followed the reading o the paper, during which Dr. J. M. Wilson gave the very satisfactory information that no deleterious bacteria were to be found in our town water. A vote of thanks to Mr. Stiles concluded the evening.
Signed H. Culpin.
Dec 14 1898
Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday Dec 14yth, 1898.
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair & 21 members.
New member, Mr. Watson was elected a member of the Society.
Paper on ‘The Life & Works of Charles Darwin’
Mr. Hewett, F.E.S. of York read an essay on the above subject. The Life works of the Great Naturalist were succinctly mentioned, attention being made to the heredity of the man himself from some men & women of observational tendencies. His patient accumulation of hosts of facts in support of his ideas of evolution from the time of his voyage on the Beagle to the publication of the Origin. The storm created by the appearance of the latter work. How he, unlike most great philosophers lived to see his ideas generally accepted. His modesty & kindness to lesser lights in the Scientific world. A mention was then made of his chief published works & his time occupied on them. Finally, his death & burial were recounted with quotations from Huxley & Grant Allen after his death.
A discussion on Darwin’s Theory followed & a hearty vote of thanks to the essayist was carried unanimously.
Dec 13th 1898
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Bellamy (chair), Messrs. White, & Corbett.
Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. White.
That the society do not undertake the lecture by Messrs. Lunn & love, but that the Hon. Sec. should write Messrs. L & L suggesting other societies in the town.
Proposed by Mr. White, seconded by Mr. Corbett.
That the Hon. Sec. try to arrange with Messrs. Beck for Mr. Bynol’s lecture on the Camera & the Wheel to be given under the auspices of this society on Wednesday March 1st.
Signed M. H. Stiles (Vice President)
Jan 18th, 1899
Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday Jan 18th, 1899
Present – Mr. Ord in the chair & 25 members & visitors present.
Sectional Reports
Geology. The Hon. Sec. passed round a piece of Yoredale Limestone from Balby, which had been polished by Mr. Jordan. Mr. Jordan remarked that the specimen was identical with a marble from Belgium.
Mr. W, K. Spencer then read a paper entitled “Pre-historic Man in North Notts”.
The paper, which was illustrated by the lantern, included a general sketch of the different periods of pre-historic times in Britain from earliest river-drift men up to the Bronze Ara & concluded with an account of such traces of neo-lithic & Bronze-age man as the writer had discovered in the neighbourhood of Blythe. Mr. Spencer made an earnest appeal to the Doncaster Scientific Society for their aid in the exploration of an unopened Barrow at Blythe.
An interesting discussion, chiefly upon the manufacture of flint implements, followed & a vote of thanks to the essayist concluded the meeting.
Jan 30th, 1899
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place on Jan 30th 1899
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair, & Messrs. White, Bisat, Bellamy, Gledhill & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
Mr. Bynol’s Lecture. After some discussion it was proposed & carried, that the County Court Room be engaged for Mr. Bynol’s Lecture on ‘The Camera & the Wheel’ on the 1st March.
Mr. Robert’s Lecture. It was proposed & carried that Mr. Stiles manipulate the lantern.
Mr. Ord having presented to the society a copy of “Zig-Zag Rambles of a Botanist”, a unanimous vote of thanks was passed to him.
Signed G. Winter
Feb 8th 1899
Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday Feb 8th 1899
Present – Mr. Bisat, in the chair & 27 members & visitors present.
Mr. Roberts …….
[no entry followed]
Feb 22nd, 1899
Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday February 22nd 1899
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 21 members & visitors present.
Mr. Percy read his paper entitled “The Rise of Photography”
The paper reviewed the changes, & increasing facilities for photographic work from the first dawn of the art-science up to the present time. The essayist having had an experience of about half a century as an amateur photographer was enabled to give from personal experience the difficulties that had beset the path of the photographer in the old wet plate days, & the recent change that had come by the introduction of modern methods.
Many old photos were exhibited, some of which compared favourably with modern productions. Nearly all of them being Mr. Percy’s own work.
A vote of thanks to the essayist was carried mem. con.
Signed H. Culpin.
Mar 8th 1899
Meeting held in the county Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday March 8th 1899.
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair & 22 members & visitors present.
Nomination. Mr. W. Bonskill was nominated for election
Sectional Reports
Geology. Mr Corbett reported on senic microscopic sections of rock from the Balby Boulder Clay examined lately by Mr. Kendall. In one slide of Carboniferous Limestone was detected a specimine of the rare fossil known to Palaeontology as “Hetherby’s Contorted Organism”.
Mr. Winter is preparing micro-photographs of the specimine.
Mr. Harrison gave a lecture on Our Solar System, illustrated by numerous slides; the most interesting of which were those of lunar subjects. Unfortunately, owing to the scarcity of oxygen in Doncaster the lantern light gave out before the completion of the lecture, This placed the lecturer in a most difficult position as he was unable to show his audience that which he was describing.
An interesting discussion followed the lecture, chiefly upon the nature of the lunar surface.
Signed M. H. Stiles, chairman.
Mar 13th, 1899
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place on Monday March 13, 1899
Present – Mr. Winter in the chair, & Messrs. Gledhill, White, Plant, Bellamy, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The Hon. Sec. submitted a draft programme of excursions for the coming summer, which after some alterations, was passed.
Albums. A resolution was passed that the Albums belonging to the society shall be placed upon the table at all ordinary meetings of the society, & that photographs intended for the albums be submitted to the committee for approval before being placed in the books. A notice to this effect to be included in the excursion programme.
Nomination. Mr. Crowther.
Signed Geo. R. Percy
Mar 22nd, 1899
Meeting held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 22 members & visitors.
New Member. Mr. W. Bowskill was elected.
Nomination. Mr. W. Gill was nominated for membership.
Sectional Reports
Archaeology. The Hon. Sec. reported the finding of a Flint Core of Neolithic age at Cusworth
Geology. Mr. Jordan exhibited a piece f wood from the Boulder Clay at Balby. The wood is apparently part of the root stock of a White Thorn (C. oxycantha). Some doubt was expressed as to the specimen being really of the age of the Boulder Clay.
The Hon. Sec. exhibited & remarked upon a portion of large ammonite (probably Phylloceras heterophyllus) from the Upper Lias of Frodingham.
Mr. Moore exhibited & ascribed natural pitch from La Brea, Trinidad.
Botany. Mr. Parlin exhibited & presented to the society a specimine of the Gulf Weed (Sargassum bacciferum). Also a specimine of Sugar Cane & described the manufacture of sugar from the cane as he had lately seen it in the West Indies.
Mr. Jordan then read his paper entitled “A few days Geologising on the Yorkshire Coast”.
The paper described the scenery & structure of Holderness & then went into some detail with regard to the stones & fossils to be found in the Holderness Boulder Clays. These were compared & contrasted with the Balby clay. The essayist brought forth several theories as to the original places where the Liasic fossils & igneous rocks had been derived.
This, needless to say, that such a debatable subject as glacial geology much lively discussion followed.
A unanimous vote of thanks to the essayist was passed.
Signed H. Culpin.
Apr 5th, 1899
Meeting held in the Police Court
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair & 12 members & visitors.
Through an error on the part of the Hon. Sec. this meeting was called for the wrong date, the 12th of April being the date on which it should have been held.
A vote of members present was taken as to postponement, but the majority decided to continue the meeting.
New Member. Mr. T Pill, 39 Ch. Ch. Rd. was elected.
Sectional Reports.
Botany. Mr. Stiles exhibited a specimine of Lycopodium clavatum (The Sheep’s Horn Moss) from Hatfield Moor. Mr. Stiles said that he had not seen the plant growing at Hatfield, but the specimine had been given to him by a Hatfield resident who knew the locality & that the plant was truly wild. The Hon. Sec., as leader of the Botanical Section, said that the record was most interesting the arality [?] being extraordinarily low for this important species.
Dr. English then read a paper entitled “The Life & Works of Louis Pasteur.”
The essayist described as fully as time permitted the tremendous amount of original & invaluable scientific work that had been accomplished by the great chemist. Beginning with his researches into the nature of the ferments of beer & wine. His frial & conclusive distinction of the brig trenched fable of Spontaneous Generation, & the great effect that these researches have had upon modern sanitation & hygiene. His enquiry into the nature of Silkworm disease & the ensuing prophylactic measures for the prevention of this scourge. His similar work upon Anthrax & Fowl Cholera with the grand results accruing from them. His investigation into the effects of attenuated viruses or vaccines as preventatives of diseases, and lastly that by which Pasteur’s name is most generally known, his enquiry into the nature of Rabies & its treatment. The essay concluded with some well deserved condemnatory remarks with regard to the backwardness of his nation in recognising the work of the great savant.
A short discussion followed the reading of the paper in which Messrs. Culpin, Thomas, Moore took part & a vote of thanks terminated the meeting.
Signed Mitchell Wilson.
Apr 26th, 1899
Meeting held in the County Court Room, April 26th 1899
Present – Dr. J. M. Wilson, in the chair & 19 members.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
Sectional Reports
Vertebrate Zoology. – Mr Corbett reported for this section that he had come into possession of a Polecat which was being set up for the Doncaster Museum.
Mr. W. G. Young, F.S.C. delivered a lecture on the various methods of detecting impurities in drinking water.
The advantages & disadvantages of the different systems were pointed out, & the superiority of the (blank) system was applied ably by the lecturer.
Some discussion followed in which Dr. Wilson & Messrs. Stiles, & Chowler tool part.
A vote of thanks to the lecturer was proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Culpin & carried mem. con.
Signed Thos. Cuttriss
12 June 1899
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place 12/6/99
Present – Mr. Bisat in the Chair & Messrs, White, Culpin, Gledhill, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The Hon. Sec. explained that he had called this meeting to discuss the advisability of cancelling the Excursion Programme for the remainder of the present session. 3 members only having taken part in the first excursion to Frodingham, & 6 in the second to Scrooby; he said that he could not afford to spend his time in organising excursions if so few members took advantage of them.
After some discussion it was decided to continue the excursions & to accept the offer of the President – to pay the expense of sending a special programme of the next excursion to every member of the society. (Proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. White.)
Carried mem. con.
Signed Edward Gledhill
Sep 20th, 1899
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Gledhill in the chair & Messrs. White, Plant, Bisat, Bellamy, Stiles, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
The following suggestions for officers for the ensuing session were made, to be submitted to the General Meeting.
President – Mr. Cuttriss
Vice-president – Mr. Geo. Winter
Committee – (2 vacancies) Messrs. A. A. Clarkson, A. Jordan & Mrs. Corbett
Proposed that no meetings be held during the time that the Gilchrist Lectures are in progress. (proposed by Mr. Bisat, seconded Mr. Plant, carried mem. con.
Proposed that the time of meetings be discussed at the General Meeting.
Signed Thos. Cuttriss
Winter Session 1899-1900
Oct 11th, 1899
The Annual General Meeting was held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday October 11th, 1899
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 18 members present.
The minutes of the last general meeting were taken as read.
The Hon. Sec. then presented a draft of the following Annual Report.
Doncaster Scientific Society
Annual Report, Session 1898-99
Ladies & Gentlemen
Your Committee, in presenting their Annual Report for the past year, are sorry that they are not able to give as good an account of the Society as was the case last year.
For some unaccountable reason, interest among the bulk of the members appears to have flagged, & there has been a marked falling off in the attendance at meetings.
During the winter Session, 13 meetings were held; at 10 of these, essays or lectures were given; the other three being, the Annual General Meeting; A special General Meeting; & a Conversatzione & Exhibition.
There was a large attendance at the Conversatzione, about to members & friends being present. But at ordinary meetings the average attendance was 21, against 26.7 last year.
A slight innovation in the programme was introduced by having some essays read by gentlemen from outside the society, & your committee would recommend further steps being taken in the same direction.
The greatest falling off in attendance is, however, to be reported from the Summer Excursions. The average attendance of members at these has only been 5.8; & of members & others 9.3; against 19.25 last year; & notwithstanding the special request in last years report, Photographers have been conspicuous by their absence.
The Sectional work of the Society has been fairly active in the Botanical, Microscopical, & Geological branches, while the remaining sections have done little or nothing.
The reports of the various sections are as follows.
Botany. In this section, the work of compiling a list of the local flowering plants, still goes on, together with the formation of a local Herbarium. The chief work of the year has been among some of the critical genera, e.g. Batrachium. Viola, Rubus, Polanogeton, & Carex.
Geology. In this section most of the work of the year has been among the Jurassic Rocks of North Lincolnshire, Some enjoyable rambles, with hammer, chisel & bag have resulted in the acquisition of a number of Characteristic fossils of the Lower & Middle Lias, for the Museum.
Perhaps the most interesting facts established by these rambles, are, the presence of Rhoctic Shales at Scunthorpe & of Middle Lias at Saxby near Gainsboro’.
Mr. Jordan has again received some good fossils from the Middle Coal Measures at Wickersley.
Microscopy. Mr Stiles reports as follows.
During our excursions to Roche Abby I made several gatherings, which have since been cleaned, & partially examined. The more notable Diatoms present were –
Brook near Stone Mill
Diatoma vulgaris – very fail & plentiful
Encyonema pustratum
Roche Abbey Spring
Melosira arenaria
Meridion circulare
Amphyplura pellucida
Roche Abbey Stream
Diatoma vulgaris, very bold & fail
Diatoma elongatum
Loversal Mill Stream
Nitzschia amphyoxis
On August Bank Holiday, I visited Hatfield Brickpond where, many years ago, in company of our old friend, Mr. Kirk, I first found Volvox globator. Here I made a gathering of the ????accous material adhering to the submerged moss of one of the ponds. This proved extremely rich, & amongst other interesting forms, there were
Pleurosygma attenuatum
Pleurosygma spenccrii
Pleurosygma scalporiodes (new to Yorkshire)
Of the Archaeological Section we have heard nothing during the year. The same remark applies to the Zoological & photographic Sections.
The Society has purchased Albums, as notified in the Excursions Programme. They remain empty.
It is with great pleasure that we are enabled to state that your committee, in conjunction with the C0-0perative Society & the Camera Club, have secured a course of Gilchrist Lectures for Doncaster during the ensuing winter.
It will be a surprise to our members to hear that the long-promised “Museum Case” is nearly finished & will shortly be placed in a room at the Guild Hall for the reception of specimens. Your committee will be glad to receive specimens of Archaeological, Geological, & Natural History objects for placing in the museum.
In numerical strength the society is almost as it was last year; the roll numbering 90 members. Several resignations from various causes have taken place, & it is with sorrow that we have to record that death has removed our Honorary Member, Mr. John Cordeaux. Among ornithologists, his place will be impossible to fill. Only a few weeks before his death he presented to our societies library a copy of his “List of Birds of the Humber District”, a work that he only was in a position to compile.
Financially, the society if flourishing, Subscriptions have come in better than last year & the expenses have not been to heavy.
The annexed balance sheet awaits auditing.
Doncaster Scientific Society 1898-1899
|
Receipts |
Expenditure |
||
| Subscriptions | Balance due to treasure | ||
| 67 for 1898-99 @ 3/6 |
11 14 6 |
From 1897-98 | 1 15 7 |
| 26 for 1897-98 @ 3/6 + 1/- |
4 12 0 |
||
| 5 for 1896-97 @ 2/6 |
12 6 |
Exhibition & lantern meetings |
4 0 11 |
| 1 for 1895-96 @ 2/6 |
2 6 |
Hire of C.C. Room, Guild Hall |
1 16 0 |
| Sub to Y.N.U. |
8 0 |
||
| Tickets | |||
| Exhibition meeting etc. |
1 5 6 |
Printing & Advertising | |
| Gazette Office |
6 0 |
||
| Balance in Bank |
20 7 4 |
Henderson & Black |
1 17 6 |
| Postage |
3 7 6 |
||
| Stationary |
3 4 |
||
| Cash in Bank |
20 7 4 |
||
| Balance in hand |
2 6 8 |
||
|
£38 14 4 |
£38 14 4 |
Compared with vouchers & found correct J. W. Hainsworth 5 Oct 1900
Oct 25th, 1899
Meeting held in the Ante Room, Guild Hall
Present – Mr. Cuttriss, President in the chair & 13 members & visitors
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
The following new members were duly elected, viz
Messrs. Crommack, Reynor, & Button.
Proposal for new Honorary Member.
Mr. Corbett proposed & Mr. Moore seconded the name of Mr. A Patterson as an Honorary Member of the Society.
Sectional Reports.
Geology.
Mr. Jordan exhibited a small collection of fossil seeds (Trigonocarpus) etc. from the Wickersley Rock, Middle Coal-measures.
Mr. Culpin exhibited a very pure example of Rock Salt from (blank)
Zoology.
Mr. Corbett exhibited a specimen of Acherontia atropos (the Deaths Head Moth), taken at the Fever Hospital.
Mr. Bayford exhibited a specimen of a American grodephagous Beetle (blank) taken at Doncaster some years ago, by Mr. Patterson.
Auditor
Mr. Hainsworth was elected auditor for the accounts of the past year.
Mr. Brayford then read his paper entitled “A Naturalist at Spurn”.
The paper included a sketch of the Geology of Holderness generally. An account of the old system of Beacon Telegraphy & an account of the peculiar district of Spurn itself. The promontory consists of a sandy waterless neck of land, with a peculiar maritime flora & fauna. A collection of the Coleoptera of Spurn was exhibited. Reference was made to the phenomenon of the Humber mud. It has been proved that the quality of mud deposited in the Humber is much greater than that which is brought down by the rivers that form the estuary. This huge deposit of mud is found to be the washings of the Holderness coast.
Remarks & questions on the essay were made by Messrs. Jordan, Bowskill, Moore, Allen, & Corbett. A vote of thanks to Mr. Bayford & his reply concluded the meeting.
Signed J. Lovel Atkinson.
Nov 8th, 1899
Meeting held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall.
Present – Mr. T. L. Atkinson in the chair & 26 members & visitors
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
New members. Mr. A. Patterson was elected an Honorary & Mr. Poynter an ordinary member of the Society.
Sectional Reports – none
Mr. Clarkson read an essay entitled “What is Science?” of which the following is a synopsis.
[here a sheet of paper containing the typed essay in blue ink, is pasted into the minute book over two pages.]
The paper was an attempt to indicate the method and scope of Science. The writer pointed out that the mere collection of natural objects, if undertaken on aesthetic grounds, was not Science, though collections had their legimate [sic] purpose in certain branches of enquiry. A protest was made against the term “Science” being limited to connote certain departments only of natural phenomena, as is common in ordinary parlance, and the wider conception of science enforced that wherever facts where obtainable there was there material for scientific observation. In consequence of a defective conception of the scope of Science there was a strong tendency to restrict it to physical science whereas its ultimate value lay soley [sic] in its applicability to those problems which most directly concern man, and that in the conditions of life if the individual, and of society there was constant need for purely scientific methods and a readjustment of individual and social action in accordance with scientific conclusions reached in the domain of History, theology, Sociology, Political, Economy, Hygiene etc.
In treating of the nature and application of the scientific methods stress was laid on the need of wide and correct observation, cautious inference, constant verification, and the utmost care in the deductions of general laws. The ideas attached to certain scientific terms was considered, and the essayist pointed out the importance of eliminating from our ideas of natural law, and element of command such as properly attached to the word when applied to the regulation of human action. All we knew was the existence of a certain definite order, but we had no knowledge why phenomena occurred in a certain order, and it was incorrect to assert that there was any coerciveness as between what is called “Cause and effect”.
An Interesting discussion followed the reading of the essay in which Messrs. Atkinson, Armitage, Moore, Edgar, Stiles, Corbett, Thomas, Taynor, Culpin took part
Mr. Clarkson ably replied.
A vote of thanks to the essayist, proposed by Mr. Atkinson, seconded by Mr. Culpin, terminated the meeting.
Nov 22nd, 1899
Meeting held at the County Court Room.
Present – Mr. Cuttriss (President) in the chair & 31 members & visitors.
The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed, subject to a more full report of Mr. Clarkson’s paper being inserted.
Sectional Reports
Botany
Mr. Corbett reported Rubus sylvaticus from Sandal Beat & Wilby, This species has not heretofore been recorded north of Shropshire.
Geology
Mr. Corbett showed some fragments of Lower Lais Ironstone from near Nottingham. They were crowded with fossils of Terebratula & Rhynarella.
Zoology
Mr. E. Moore exhibited land shells found in moss on the Doncaster race course. The species were Zua lubrica, Pupa umbilicate, Helex hispida, Hyalina cellarius.
The Hon. Sec. asked for suggestions with regard to the management of the Museum. After considerable discussion the matter was referred to the committee.
Mr. Halliwell Thomas then read his paper entitles “Goethe as a Precursor of Recent Science”.
[here, six sheets from a writing paper book, all still attached together, are pasted into the minute book]
Goethe as an Anticipator of Recent Science
Nov. 22nd 1899
Goethe is a palmary example of those thinkers who, without founding or perfecting any department of scientific knowledge, yet throw out fruitful suggestions which subsequent investigation pursues, modifies and develops.
His works comprise treaties on botany, osteology, geology, mineralogy, meteorology, and especially optics, together with a considerable mass of papers on the mutual relations of these and other branches.
In meteorology he thankfully received the A???-nomenclature of Luke Howard which was a novelty in the beginning of the present century; but Goethe through a painstaking ???? struck out an original track in meteorology. His hypothesis for weather changes was a sort of systole and Diastole in the energies of the earth, that is an alternation of periods of attraction and repulsion which he assumed as modifying the conditions of the atmosphere.
Neither in geology, through he made strenuous efforts to advance this subject, travelling much, examining mines, observing continually and writing about thirty essays upon different problems in it, did he open any new or important path. In his day the principal theoretical controversy bore upon the respective rhuses of fire and water in bringing about present earth conditions. Goethe was neither Plutonist nor Neptunist, bur regarded the attempt to separate the respective shares of these agencies as mostly futile.
The greatest part of Goethe’s endexorum in science was given to optics. In this branch his successes and his failures testify to the signal differences of results obtained in working upon quantitature or upon non-quantitature theories in physics. He was no mathematician, and rejected the aid of arithmetical calculations and algebraic reasoning, and had recourse, therefore, as his only instrument to empirical observation.
His theory was that light and darkness are positive and opposite entities, and that all shades and colours are results of the varying admixtures of light & darkness as conditioned by objects and their relative positions. Founding himself upon fallacies in detail, which he fancied he detected, he rejected Newton’s emission theory, together with the explanations derived from it as to refraction, reflection, and other optical problems.
The undulatory theory of hygiene was revived by Young in Goethe’s time; Goethe notices it in his history of optics; but does not seem to have had sufficient mathematical knowledge to discern its power and range. In order to establish his hypothesis he laboured indefatigably, and, having eyesight of unusual keenness, and exceptional powers of close and persistent attention, he succeeded in accumulating a mass of hithate unknown, or at least unrecorded optical detail, which makes his work of great value for printers, but has been of no service to scientific prevision: no fruitful general results whatever have followed from it.
In morphology his labours were much more fortunate.
In botany his name is associated with a theory of plant-modifications which lay in the direct path formed the now prevalent doctrine of evolution. Early a student of Linnaeus and having all possibility of belief in instantaneous or miraculous creation taken away by the sufficient speculations of the eighteenth century, he was lead to seek for some theory of the origin of living creatures. As regards plants, he became convinced that genera, species, and varieties are artificial distinctions. He has many essays on this subject, the most elaborate of which, as regards the vegetable world, is a treatise entitled the Morphology of Plants; the object of which is to trace a propusine modification of plant-organs from the cotyledon to the fructified seed. The deficiency in Goethe’s botanical speculations is, though he incidentally mentions natural selection as a cause of modification, he nowhere systematically elaborates his conception of it, and evidently did not foresee to him many former mysteries it would be the clue.
In osteology his anticipation of recent science consists in his verification of the existence of the supramaxilla sutures in man. The existence of these sutures had been affirmed by Galen, but of course without any sense of their morphological significance. Goethe, ever in search of unity of type underneath all differences of genera, species and variety, was led to question the statement commonly made in the third quarter of the last century, in opposition to the authority of Galen, that a radical distinction between man and the mammalia nearest to him in structure is the absence in him of supramendlary sutures. Goethe made practical experiments, discovered his hypothesis to be true, and thus laid an immovable stepping stone for all subsequent advances towards the complete affirmation of the law of animal evolution.
Thus while it was his ill-fortune to labour much and yet contribute nothing fruitful to science as regards inorganic matter, in biology he was three quarters of a century before his time and his general prevision is every day being confirmed.
Signed Halliwell Thomas
Dec 12th, 1899
An Ordinary Meeting of the Society was held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday Dec. 12th 1899
Present – Mr. Curtiss (President) in the chair & 18 members & visitors.
Mr. W. H. White read a paper entitled “The Eye, its Sight & its Power”.
The paper, which was of an interesting & instructive nature was illustrated by numerous diagrams etc., exhibited by the lantern. In the course of his remarks Mr. White alluded to the intimate connection between sight & thought. Sight carries impressions to the mind, & mind in return gives power of observing & discriminating to the sight. The anatomy & phycology of the eye were then briefly & clearly treated. The defects of sight were described, short-sight, long-sight & irregular refractional lens power, or astigmatism. The latter defect was described at some length, together with apparatus for detecting irregularities of refraction. Methods of correcting defective sight by means of appupreal (?) lenses were shown by means of diagrams.
In conclusion Mr. White showed some of the psychological deceptive effects that may be produced by suggesting ideas to the mind through sight.
An interesting discussion followed in which Messrs. Cuttriss, Thomas, Clarkson, Corbett, Smith, Stiles, & Culpin took part & on the proposition of Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Culpin a hearty & unanimous vote of thanks was given to the lecturer, to which Mr. White briefly replied.
March 13th, 1900
A Committee Meeting was held at 9 Priory Place on Tuesday March 13th 1900.
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair & Mrs. Corbett, & Messrs. White, Gledhill, Stiles, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The suggestion that Mr. Cuttriss is unable to deliver his lecture on Wireless Telegraphy, his brother be asked to give a lecture on “Cave Hunting in Yorkshire” was adopted.
Messrs. Corbett & Stiles were deputed to see Mr. Burgess with regard to his suggested alteration in the programme.
Mr. Hallsworth was nominated for membership.
The discussion on Museum Management was postponed until a copy of the Museum Rules be obtained from the Town Clerk.
The Hon. Sec. was requested to write to Mr. Tate, asking permission for members of the Scientific Society to visit Wheatly Wood.
The Hon. Sec. was instructed to write to Miss Hawley, thanking her, & accepting the collection of the late Mr. Hawley for the museum on the terms suggested in her letter.
March 14th, 1900
Meeting held in the County Court Room on Wednesday March 14th, 1900
Present – Mr. Cuttriss, President in the chair & 22 members & visitors.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
Mr. Hallsworth was elected a member of the society.
Sectional Reports.
Botany.
Mr Corbett described the economy of the flower of Daphne laureola (The Spurge-laurel).
Geology
Mr. Culpin drew attention to the sections exploring Boulder Clay & Trias in the drainage works connected with the new workhouse.
Zoology
Mr Corbett reported a white variety of Mustela erminea (The Stoat) captured in Wheatley Wood & being mounted for the Museum.
The Hon. Sec was instructed to get notices of the fact that the Museum is now in process of being made, inserted in the local press.
Mr. Bellamy then delivered his Lantern Lecture entitled “A Holiday at Knaresboro’”. The lecture was illustrated by a great number of slides of exceptional quality, showing many of the beauties of Nidderdale.
The specimen of the stoat was presented by Mr. Chanter & very kindly mounted by Mr. Paterson.
Signed T. H. Cuttriss 28/3/00
March 28th, 1900
Meeting held in the county Court Room
Present – Mr. Cuttriss (President) in the chair & 39 members & visitors.
New member. Mr. Sugden (Town Clerk) was elected a member of the Society.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & after some additions, confirmed.
Mr. Cuttriss explained why he was unable to give his lecture on “Wireless Telegraphy”, & then introduced his brother who gave a most interesting lecture on “Cave Hunting in Yorkshire”.
The lecture was illustrated by a large number of most beautiful slides, many of which were obtained under conditions of great difficulty.
At the close of the lecture a vote of thanks to Mr. Cuttriss was proposed by Mr. W. E. Atkinson, seconded by Mr. Percy & carried mem. con.
Signed M. H. Stiles.
[No date shown]
Committee Meeting held at the Museum
Present – Mr. Cuttriss (President) in the chair, & Dr. Wilson & Messrs. Culpin, Stiles, Bisat, Winter, Gledhill, White, Jordan & Corbett.
Proposed by Dr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Stiles, that in compliance with the suggestion ina letter from the Town Clerk, a sub-committee, consisting of the President, Secretary & 3 other members of the Committee of the Scientific Society be elected, to act in conjunction with the Corporation representatives, to form a Museum Committee. Such sub-committee to continue in office until the Annual Meeting of the society. (Mem. con.)
Proposed by Mr. Bisat, seconded by Mr. Jordon. That Dr. Wilson, & Messrs. Stiles & Culpin be elected to the Museum sub-committee (mem. con.)
Proposed by Mr. Jordan, seconded by Mr. Winter, That the Hon. Sec. write to the Town Clarke re his letter & the appointment of the committee (Mem. con.)
Signed Tho. Cuttriss April 17/00
April 11th, 1900
Meeting held in the county Court Room
Present -Mr. Stiles in the chair & 12 members & visitors.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
Sectional Reports.
Geology
Mr. Culpin described the ridge of rock in the Don Valley, near Warmsworth, exposing the shell bed of the Magnesian Limestone; & also the section of Boulder Clay & Trias exposed in making a main drain from the New Workhouse to Balby.
Mr. Burgess not being present, Mr. White read for him a paper on some methods of making lantern slides.
A vote of thanks to Messrs. Burgess & White was proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Woodley & carried.
Signed H. Culpin 24.10.00
April 17th, 1900
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Mr. Cuttriss (President) in the chair, Mrs. Corbett, Messrs. Stiles, Winter, Culpin, Jordan, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The minutes of the last committee meeting were read & confirmed.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Culpin. That the County Court Room be engaged for the Annual Conservatzione for Thursday the 26th April or Thursday 4th May.
Messrs. Stiles & Winter undertook to furnish Micrographs for the Conversatzione.
Mr Cuttriss undertook to see Mr. Woodhouse about music.
Mr. Winter’s offer of slides & specimens from Messrs. Watson was accepted.
Messrs. Bisat & White were deputed to see about photographs material from the museum to be shown, on permission being gained from the museum committee.
Messrs. Culpin & Winter to see what slides should be obtained from Messrs. Watson.
Mrs. Corbett to see to the refreshments.
Signed M. H. Stiles (Chairman)
May 14th, 1900
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair, Mrs. Corbett and Messrs. Jordan, White, Bisat, & Corbett, Hon. Sec.
The minutes of the last committee meeting were read & confirmed.
After some discussion, it was proposed & carried that three excursions be held during the ensuing summer, the dates & places to be visited being as follows.
Thursday June 14th Brodsworth & Hooton Pagnell (18)
Thursday July 26th Wroot (4)
Thursday Aug 23rd Smeaton & Wentdale (11)
Signed Thos. Cuttriss Aug 31/00
Aug 8th, 1900
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place 31/8/00
Present – Mr. Cuttriss (chair) & Mrs. Corbett, Messrs. White, Gledhill, Culpin & Corbett & Stiles.
Suggested Alterations of Rules 3 & 4.
Proposed by Mr. Cuttriss, seconded by Mr. White & carried. That rule 4 be altered to read “That the Annual Meeting be held in April” etc.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Gledhill & carried. That rule 3 be altered to read “That the officers of the Society consist of a President, who shall be elected annually, & who shall not be eligible for re-election to the same office two years in succession; 4 Vice-Presidents, & 6 members of Committee, half of each to retire annually in rotation, & be eligible for re-election.
The following names were suggested to fill official vacancies for the ensuing session.
President. Dr. J. M. Wilson
Vice-president. Mr. Cuttriss
Committee. Messrs. Culpin, Clarkson & Bellamy.
Proposed that the Society be asked at the Annual Meeting to subscribe £5 towards the expenses of the Museum.
Proposed that the Hon. Sec. be instructed to write to the Town Clerk, stating that the members of the Scientific Society are helping to finance the Museum, & asking what the Corporation are going to do.
Signed H. Culpin.
Session 1900-1901
October 10th, 1900
Annual General Meeting was held at the Danum Rooms on Wednesday October 10th, 1900
Present – Mr. Cuttriss (President) in the chair & 16 members.
The minutes of the last Annual Meeting were taken as read.
The following names were submitted for membership. Messrs. Fisher, Mapleson & Pruesmann.
The Hon. Sec. the read the following report.
Ladies & Gentlemen.
Your Committee have the honour of presenting the following report of the status of the Society, & of the work done during the past year.
As you heard in the last Annual Report, a course of Gilchrist Lectures was arranged to be held in Doncaster last winter, the arrangements being in the hands of a committee, comprised of members of the Camera Club, the Co-operative Society & the Scientific Society. The course which consisted of five lectures was given on Thursday evening during January, February & March. It is with regret that we have to announce that these lectures were financially & so far as attendance went, a failure. Doncaster holds the unenviable distinction of being the only town in Great Britain &Ireland that does not have crowded houses for Gilchrist Lectures. The War, the weather, & the Influenza have all been used as an excuse for the bad attendance; but these items affected other places where the audiences were good.
Happily, the small attendance at these public lectutres has not influenced our own meetings, & we are pleased to be able to say that the numbers present at these have been better than last year. The average attendance at the meetings at which lectures or papaers were read being 26 as compared with 21 last year, & 26.7 (the highest average the society has ever had) the year before.
The essays read have been of a high order of merit & some evinced much care & original work & thought on the part of the authors.
The Summer Excursions have also been better attended than last year, & on the whole the Society may be congratulated upon a successful year.
In the various Sections of the Society, good work has been done on some & little or none in others.
In Botany, the list of local plants still progresses & several records new to the district have been made during the year. The more important of these are
Hesperis matronalis (alien)
Cirastium quarternellum (native)
Sagina apetala (native)
Rubus plicatus (native)
Rubus sylvaticus (new to 63)
Rubus fuscus (native)
Rubus Pallidus (native)
Rosa obtusifolia v frondosa (native)
Peucedanum palustre (native, now nearly extinct)
Galium uliginosum (native)
Asperula cynanchiea (native)
Schoenus nigricans (colonist or native?)
In Zoology, as usual;, the chief observations made have been among the Lepidoptera. The year has been a remarkable one for the number of species that belong to the British fauna only as migrants, that have made an appearance. Among these are
Clouded Yellow (Colias edusa)
Painted Lady (Pyramcis cardui)
Deaths’ Head moth (Acherontia atropos)
Humming Bird moth (Macroglossa stellatarum)
Have all been seen in our neighbourhood. Th only other insect worthy of note is the
Elephant Hawkmoth (Choerocampa elpenor) at Armthorpe.
In Geology, a remarkable ridge of rock on the Don side between Conisboro’ & Warmsworth, has been found to expose the fossiliferous bed of the Lower Magnesian Limestone & several species of fossils not found elsewhere near Doncaster have been collected e.g.
Relepora sp.?
Terebratula etc.
The Boulder Clay at Balby still yields an occasional erratic of interest. The latest additions being Yoredale Limestone with corals, Brachiopods & Westmorland Slate.
In Microscopy, we are glad to see a notice of the work done by Mr. Stiles in the Monograph of Yorkshire Algae, which is now being published by the Y.N.U. under the authorship of Mr. West. When the list of Diatoms in “The Flora of the West Yorkshire” numbering only 113 spp. Is compared with Mr. Stiles list for Doncaster district alone of 125 spp., it will be seen that much work has been done in our Society in this branch of Natural History.
The Museum, under the management of a committee composed of members of the Corporation & members of our own committee is progressing slowly. We have already a good geological collection, a local herbarium, a large number of conchological specimines [sic], a local collection of land & fresh-water shells, some very valuable archaeological specimines [sic}, a collection of British lepidoptera & other valuables. What we greatly want is more Zoological material. The arrangement of all these is a matter of time & money. The former will come; we hope the latter will.
Numerically, the society is much as it was last year, the roll mustering about 90. Financially, we may congratulate ourselves upon the fact that altogether the Gilchrist Lectures cost us £12, the excess of expenditure over receipts during the year has not been more than 6/11, and against this there are still 20 subscriptions unpaid. Were these paid up, we should show on the years workings an excess of receipts over expenditure of £3. 3. 1.
1899-1900 Session
| Receipts | Expenditure | ||
| Subscriptions | |||
| 1897-98 – 4 | 14 0 | stamps | 1 16 6 |
| 1898-99 – 16 | 2 16 0 | New Book | 1 6 |
| 1899-00 – 74 | 12 19 0 | ||
| 1900-01 – 1 | 3 6 | Printing | |
| Henderson | 6 0 | ||
| Bal forward from 1898-99 | 2 6 7 | Gazette Office | 4 0 |
| Bisat | 19 8 | ||
| Bal in Bank | 21 7 4 | ||
| Hire of room (9/- + 15/-) | 1 4 0 | ||
| Bal due treasurer | 6 11 | Lantern expenses | 15 0 |
| Gilchrist Trust Fund | 12 0 0 | ||
| Expense of Exhibition meeting | 1 13 4 | ||
| Bal in Bank | 21 7 4 | ||
| 40 13 4 | 40 13 4 |
Audited & found correct 24/3/1902 W. E. Lister
Election of Officers 1900-1901
President.
Proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. Button, & carried with one descendant. “That Mr. Fisor be elected President.”
Vice-President
Proposed by Dr. J. M. Wilson, seconded by Mr. White & carried mem. con. “That Mr. Cuttriss be elected Vice-President.”
Committee
A ballot resulted in the election of Messrs. Culpin & Clarkson
Museum Committee
Proposed by Mr. White, seconded by Dr. Wilson, “That the President & Secretary be ex-officio members of the museum committee, & that the other three members be elected annually from members of the Scientific Society”. Carried mem. con.
A ballot resulted in the election of Messrs. Culpin, Stiles & Wilson.
Donation towards Museum expenses
Proposed by Mr. White, seconded by Mr. Thomas. “That £5 of the funds of the Society be granted to the expenses of the Museum.”
Alteration of Rules
After much discussion, it was proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by (blank) & carried. “That Rule 4 stands as before”
Proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. Button & carried. “That the recommendation of the Committee with regards to Rule 3 be altered to “(blank) “
A vote of thanks to the retiring President (Mr. Cuttriss) was carried mem. con.
Oct 16th, 1900
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair, Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Bisat, Gledhill, Stiles, White & Corbett
Mr. Fison’s letter declining the Presidency was read, & the Hon. Sec. was instructed to reply, with thanks.
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Bisat & carried mem. con. “That the next meeting of the Society be a Special General Meeting, for the alteration of Rule 4; & for the election of a President.
Rule 4 to be altered & to read “That the Annual General Meeting be held in April, for the election of Officers, for reading the Annual Report, & for the transaction of any other Special business.”
Suggestions for President
Proposed by Mr. Gledhill, seconded by Mrs Corbett & carried mem. con. “That Mr. Beck be asked to be President, & that should he be unable to accept the office, Mr. Culpin be elected.”
Signed M. H. Stiles. Vice-President.
Oct 24th, 1900
Special General Meeting held in the County Court Room, Guild Hall.
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 21 members
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Bellamy & carried, mem. con. “That the proposed alteration in Rule 4 be confirmed.”
Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Golledge & carried mem. con. “That Mr. Culpin be President of the Society for the current session.”
Oct 24th, 1900
Ordinary Meeting held in the County Court Room.
Present – Mr. Culpin, President in the chair, & 27 members
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
The following new members were elected, Messrs. Prussman, Fisher & Mapleton.
Sectional Reports
Botany
Mr Corbett remarked upon the unusual number of plants, still to be found in flower, on Sunday the 21st inst., he noted 41 spp. Still blooming.
Archaeology
Mr. Jordan exhibited some beautiful Neolithic Flints from near Bridlington.
Geology
Mr. Moore exhibited & presented to the Society, Dendritic formations in Lower Magnesian Limestone from Levitt Hagg, & photographs of artificially produced Dendritic markings, formed by fluid between plates of glass.
Zoology
Mr. Thomas exhibited & described a living “Meercat” (Cyvictis pencellarin) from South Africa. This little animal is related to the Civets & Mongoose (Viverridae).
Mr. Corbett then read a paper entitled “What is a Species”.
The essayist firstly drew attention to the great variety to be seen in the long ceries [sic] of species contained in the collections of specialists in all branches of natural history, & how one kind appears in its extreme forms to blend with the next. He then drew attention to the mistaken idea as to species held by some of the pioneers in Zoology. Saler(?), by means of specimens of closely allied forms of plants (Batrachia & Rubi) & Lepidoptera he attempted to prove that there is no possible line of demarkation between closely allied species; that classification by definition is a thing of the past & must give way to classification by type.
“What is a Species” must depend upon the personal equation & will appear differently to different minds.
After a short discussion a vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Stiles & seconded by Mr. Jordan.
Signed H. Culpin Nov 14/00
Nov 14th, 1900
Meeting held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall [second ordinary meeting of the session]
Present – Mr. Culpin (President) in the chair & 30 members & visitors.
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
The following new members were elected – Messrs. Finnemore, Stringer & Girdlestone.
Nomination for membership, Mr. Hardy.
Sectional Reports.
Geology
Mr. Culpin exhibited a large Belemnite from near Peterbro’ (Kimmeridge on Oxford Clay).
Mr. Corbett mentioned the fact that near Hooton Pagnell, he had found the shell-bed of the Lower Magnesian Limestone, cropping out. The bed is there 16ft thick. He suggested that this is a probable source of the fossiliferous magnesian limestone, so abundant in the boulder clay at Balby. Mr. Culpin made some remark on the great interest of this discovery.
Zoology
Mr. Corbett exhibited, and made remarks upon a series pf Acherontia atropos (The Death’s Head Moth), bred from larvae & pupae found in potato-fields near Doncaster during this autumn.
Mr. J. Gibbs of Sheffield then read his paper on “Mushrooms & Toadstools.”
A synopsis of the paper, from the Doncaster Gazette Nov. 21st is affixed to the opposite page.
Signed M. H. Stiles
[a newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
Doncaster Scientific Society
Lecture on “Mushrooms and Toadstools.”
The second ordinary meeting of the Scientific Society for the present session was held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall, on Wednesday the 14th inst. Mr. Culpin, the president, occupied the chair, and there were about 30 members and friends present. After the ordinary business of the Society had been transacted, Mr. T. Gibbs, a well known Sheffield botanist, and member of the Yorkshire Mycological Committee, delivered a lecture on “Mushrooms and Toadstools.”
A fungus was defined as a multi-cellular plant, the cells being arranged in rows called hyphae, and containing no chlorophyll. Their nearest allies in the vegetable kingdom are the Algae (sea-weeds, etc.) Some of the lower forms of fungi and algae are only distinguished by the former having chlorophyll. This chlorophyll is the green colouring matter of plants, and by its means the carbon di-oxide contained in the air is converted into carbon to be used in building up their tissues. Fungi not possessing chlorophyll are obliged to get their carbon from living or dead plants or animals. Hence they are always found growing upon other organisms and not directly from soil. They are divided by botanists into many families. That to which the lecturer chiefly confined his remarks was a part of the gill-bearing group or Hymenomycetes, known as Argarics, [sic] of which the common mushroom may be taken as a type.
The structure and mode of growth of a mushroom were explained, by means of lantern slides, special attention being drawn to the structure of the gills and the spores upon them.
It was explained that mushrooms and toadstools are not themselves complete plants, but only the reproductive organs, as are the flowers and fruit of higher plants. The spores or seeds produce a growing network of fine fibres called mycelium. This represents the growing plant, and only under certain conditions of climate and season are the fructifying organs (mushrooms, etc.) developed from the creeping and permanent mycelium.
The number of different species is very great, about a thousand being known in Britian alone. They are distinguished by the form of the gills, their colour, taste, smell, etc. Fungi cannot be well preserved in a herbarium, as other plants can, their soft and juicy tissues soon shrivelling and losing form and colour. The best method of keeping a record of species is to make carefully coloured drawings of all the kinds found.
On the subject of edible and poisonous species the lecturer said that there was no method of distinguishing them, except by learning to know them by sight. Some genera, for example the puff-balls (Lycoperdon) were all edible, others were all deleterious, while many contained both poisonous and edible forms.
The lecture was well illustrated by lantern slides and drawings. At the close there was a good discussion, and a vote of thanks to the lecturer.
Oct 28th, 1900
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair, Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Jordan, Clarkson & Corbett.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
Proposed by Mr. Corbett, seconded by Mr. Clarkson. “That Mr. Bellamy be elected to the vacant post upon the committee” (carried mem. con.)
Proposed by Mr. Jordan, seconded by Mr. Stiles. “That Mr. Cuttriss be elected to fill the vacant post on the Museum Committee”. (Carried mem. con.)
Messrs. Finnemore, Stringer & Girdlestone were nominated for membership.
Rule 7 having been copied from an old list of rules on last year’s programme, to be brought up to date this year.
Recommended that a box be bought for the papers of the Society & that the labels belonging to the Society at the Old Free Library be sold, the Museum to have the first refusal.
Signed Tho. Cuttriss, 20/00
Nov. 28th, 1900
An Ordinary Meeting of the Society was held at the Danum Rooms on Wednesday November 28th, 1900.
Present – Mr. Stiles in the chair & 16 members & visitors
The minutes of the last meeting were read & confirmed.
The following new members were elected. Messrs. Duffy, Hardy, & cox.
Sectional Reports
Geology
The Hon. Sec. called attention of the Society to the handsome present made by one of the new members (Dr. Finnemore) viz. “A Monograph of Silurian Cephalopoda”.
It was resolved that the thanks of the Society be conveyed to Dr. Finnemore.
Microscopy
Mr. Stiles exhibited & made remarks upon a series of photographs of Spirogyra in various stages of conjugation.
Mr. Moore read a paper on “The Structure of Agates”
The following digest of the meeting & paper is from the Doncaster Gazette.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Moore brought the meeting to a close.
Signed H. Culpin 12.12.00
[a newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
An ordinary meeting was held at the Danum Rooms on November 28th.
“A monograph of Silurian Cephalopoda” presented to the Society by Dr, Finnemore, was laid on the table.
Mr. Stiles showed some very interesting micro-photographs of Spirogyra in various stages of conjugation. Mr. E Morre read a paper on “The Structure of Agates,” of which the following is a digest: –
The usual definition of an agate is that it is a stone composed of alternate layers of chalcedony and quartz, which are different forms of silica. This definition is found to be insufficient in some instances. They are formed in the cavities of amygdaloid rocks, which cavities were caused by the presence of vapour and gasses, when the rock was molten. The Scuir More, [sic] a huge igneous rock in the Isle of Rum, one of the Hebrides, forms a striking example of this formation, owing to the widely different contents of the various cavities, which in many instances were only I line apart. Heliotropes, or blood stones, were deposited in some of them, chalcedony in others, quartz crystals in others, etc. Water percolating downwards dissolves the constituents of these eruptive rocks, which consist chiefly of silica, and re-deposits them in the amygdaloid cavities of the same. The layers of the agates vary with the nature of the solution, which is weak, watery jelly, passing into the solid state as the liquid solvent escapes. The various colours are attributed to metallic oxides. It was attempted to be shown that the cause of cavities in close proximity containing widely different matter was the alternate widening and contraction of percolating stream, which, of course, would at one time just miss a cavity, and at another, when a different matter was held in solution, would fill it up.
The question was broached as to the possibility of the deposition of agates in the alluvium; an apparent instance of it was quoted from Col. Tod’s Rajasthan, and a coarse specimen of agate produced, which was found by the writer near Rossington; also a specimen of conglomerate from the same place, showing the solvent effect on silica of exposure to atmospheric agencies. A strange flinty-looking specimen from the boulder clay of the beach at Cleethorpes was produced, which, for the sake of discussion, the writer attempted to show was an opaque kind of carnelian; certain structural peculiarities were pointed out, and the authority of Ruskin was quoted.
Discussion chiefly turned on the question whether the solution and re-deposition of silica took place under conditions of heat or cold.
Nov 20th, 1900
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Cuttriss, in the chair, Mrs. Corbett, & Messrs. Stiles, White, Gledhill & Corbett.
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
The following nomination for membership were passed, viz. Messrs. Duffy, Hardy & Cox.
It was resolved that the next meeting (28/11/00) be held in the Danum Rooms, or if these rooms be not available, at the Camera Club Room.
Signed Thos. Cuttriss.
Dec 12th, 1900
An Ordinary Meeting of the Society was held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday Dec. 12th 1900.
Present – Mr. Culpin (President) in the chair & 34 members & visitors.
The evening was devoted to the reading of short essays, & the exhibition of Lantern Slides.
The programme being as follows.
Lantern Slides from photographs taken by Mr. Stringer, in Rome & Venice. These a beautiful & interesting series were briefly described by Mr. Stringer.
Essay on “The Weathering of Rocks” by Mr. E. Moore. In this paper the aqueous-solution theory of quartz vein was upheld on the strength of an example illustrated in Jukes-Brown’s ‘Physical Geology’, of a vein harvesting granite & the weathered Kaolin above, the granite. It was argued that the vein was not only newer than the hard granite but was also more recent than the decomposed rock above.
A discussion followed the reading in which Messrs. Corbett, Culpin & Stiles took part.
Lantern Slides exhibited by Mr. Stiles. These were a varied assortment, Archeological, Landscape, Zoological etc., many of them were exceedingly good.
Address by Mr. Culpin on Incandescent Lights, & how to use them. A short history of the development of the incandescent light & the mantle, together with descriptions of the Bunsen Burner etc. Followed by a very practical account of how to produce the best light with the least gas in the newest style lamp. The interest aroused by this subject was shown by the members who took part in the subsequent discussion. Viz. Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Plant, Stiles, Crommack, Culpin, Thomas & Corbett.
Lantern Slides. Mr. Bellamy. These consisted of views in & around Doncaster, together with a group of three members of the Y.N.U. taken at Went Moor. Conspicuous among these was out late Hon. Member, Mr. Cordeaux.
Essay “Some Doncaster Trees”. Mr. Mapleson. The trees selected for description were The Plane & The Elm. In describing the Plane, attention was directed to the curious habit of shedding the bark in large flakes, to the (??nmunity) of the foliage, to the attacks of insects & fungi; to the elegant hanging fruit etc.
Good samples of Plane trees are to be seen near the junction of Wood St. & Cleveland St. & along the Bennitthorpe Road, but the latter have been much mutilated lately.
Elms are very characteristic of Doncaster, as witness the avenue near the Race Course. Many of these have lately been felled & their place occupied by young ?enies.
The habit of losing limbs during gales & a legend connected them with was mentioned.
Lantern Slides & Paper by Mr. Gledhill. These consisted of illustrations of Protozoa & other low forms of animal life. Mr. Gledhill described the various species & their peculiarities.
Messrs. Corbett, stiles & Moore took part in the discussion that followed.
Signed H. Culpin, Jan 23/01
Jan 7th, 1901
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Culpin, President, in the chair, Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Gledhill, White, Clarkson, Jordan, Bellamy, Cuttriss, & Corbett.
The Hon. Sec., having announced that owing to a misunderstanding, the Mansion House was not available for the evening of the 24th inst. It was resolved that Mr. Sheppard be asked to occupy the evenings of either Jan 23rd or Feb 13th; Mr. Stiles offering to take whichever date Mr. Sheppard could not take.
Opening of the Museum
The Hon. Sec., having asked for volunteers to take charge of the Museum during the hours that it be open, all the members present offered to help, & it was suggested that other likely helpers be asked.
Tables
It was proposed by Mr. Jordan, seconded by Mr. Bellamy & carried mem. con. That the two tables belonging to the Society be presented to the Museum.
Change of subject of Mr. Stiles paper.
Mr. Stiles asked & received permission to alter the subject of his paper to “Arsenic in Beer, its source & its detection”
Nomination for membership.
Mr. J. C. Boyes, 76 Upper Oxford St.
Signed H. Culpin 12.2.01
Jan 23rd 1901
Meeting held at the County Court Room
Present – Mr. Culpin (President) in the chair & 23 members & visitors.
The President, before the business of the meeting commenced spoke of the great national loss sustained by the death of Queen Victoria the Good.
The following new members were elected.
(blank)
Sectional Reports.
Geology
Mr. Mapleton exhibited & described some rolled flints from (blank)
Mr. Jordan exhibited some curious specimens of Magnesian Limestone, holyroidal, columnar, etc.
Zoology
Mr. Corbett mentioned that a living specimen of a Gecko had been found in Doncaster, imported in a bunch of bananas.
Mr. Thomas announced that the Zoological Society had promised to send the body of the Suricate [Meerkat] lately presented by him to their collection, to Doncaster for our society as soon as it was dead.
Tables
It was proposed by Mr. Culpin, seconded by Mr. Percy & carried mem. con. “That two tables belonging to this Society be presented to the Museum.”
Opening of the Museum.
The Hon. Sec. asked for additional names of members willing to help taking charge of the Museum during opening hours.
Mr. Stiles delivered a lecture on “Arsenic in Beer, its source & its detection.”
[no details recorded]
Feb 2nd, 1901
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Mr. Culpin (President) in the chair, Mrs Corbett & Messrs. Cuttriss, Clarkson, Stiles, Gledhill, White, Jordan, & Corbett.
The minutes of the last committee meeting were read & confirmed
There was a long discussion upon the advisability of negotiating for the purchase of a cabinet & slides (microscopic) which had lately been bought before the notice of Messrs. Stiles & Corbett.
It was decided that a sum, not exceeding £4 be offered for the cabinet & slides.
This proposed purchase is in view of the museum, at any future time being wishful to obtain such a collection of slides, the Scientific Society being willing to sell the collection for the same sum as they give for it.
Conversatzione
Proposed that a short lecture on “Coal” with lantern illustrations be arranged. Mr. Stiles to see to suitable slides being obtained.
The discussion of farther arrangements to be postponed until Thursday 14th inst. at 8.30 in the museum.
The Museum Committee to be asked to loan such specimens as may be required for exhibiting at the Conversatzione
Nominations for membership.
Mr. Goode, Hallgate.
Mr. Dickinson, 11 Ch. Ch. Rd.
Signed H. Culpin 18/2/01
Feb 13th, 1901
An Ordinary Meeting of the Society was held at the County Court Room, Guil Hall on Wednesday Feb. 13th 1901
Present – Mr. Culpin (President) in the chair & 29 members& visitors.
Sectional Reports.
Geology
Mr. Moor exhibited & remarked upon some large pebbles of Clay-ironstone from Balby Gravels.
Archaeology
Mr. Jordan exhibited neolithic flints from the neighbourhood of Bridlington.
Mr. Corbett drew attention to the cuttings in the low sandstone hill near Cooper St.
Mr. T. Sheppard F.G.S. of Hull then gave a lecture entitled “Early Man in East Yorkshire”.
The following account of the lecture is from the Doncaster Gazette 11/3/01
[A newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
Doncaster Scientific Society
Lecture on “Pre-Historic Man in East Yorkshire”
The Doncaster Museum
Mr. T Sheppard, F.G.S., Curator of the Hull Museum, lectured on the above subject on February 13th. Mr. Sheppard is well-known throughout, not only Yorkshire, but England itself, for his wide and deep knowledge of the Geology and Archaeology of the East Riding.
It is needless to say that his lecture, which was illustrated by lantern slides and specimens, was of the greatest interest.
The lecturer divided his remarks into two sections; first, he dealt with the remains of pre-historic man that are found in Holderness, which is a low-lying tract of land east of the Yorkshire Wolds, and secondly, he described the remains of primitive man which occur in the Wold area.
In Holderness the principal objects of this kind are the well-known lake dwellings at Ulrome, the earthworks at Skipsea, and various relics of great interest that have been unearthed from time to time. These were all described in detail, and the lecturer stated that undoubtedly the pre-historic objects which had been found in Holderness showed that the former inhabitants of this area were probably of a peaceful disposition – agriculturalists rather than warriors. The case seemed quite different however in regard to the former inhabitants of the Wolds. The thousands of implements of stone, flint, and bronze that had been picked from the Wolds from time to time indicated that the dwellers there were anything but peaceful. This was borne out by the presence of many remarkable earthworks, or entrenchments, which traversed the Wolds in all directions. Principal amongst these was the truly wonderful structure, erroneously called “Dane,” Dyke, which was an enormous earthwork, which was further strengthened by a ditch.
The late Major-General Pitt Rivers made a series of excavations in this earthwork and obtained quite a large collection of pre-historic implements of stone and flint therefrom. On a smaller scale, but of quite as interesting a character, are the Argan Dykes, Huggate Dykes, etc. In some instances, two, three, four, or five parallel rows of earthworks existed. A plan, showing the various entrenchments that had been detected on the Wolds through the labours of the rev. Cole, Mr. J. R. Mortimer, and others, was exhibited. But it was to the tumuli, or barrows, that Mr. Sheppard principally referred to.
The work he had recently had in catalogued the thousands of specimens in the excellent museum of local archaeology at Driffield had enabled him to speak with some authority on the significance and importance of the objects found in the Yorkshire barrows. From all times there appears to have been a desire on the part of almost all tribes, civilised or uncivilised, to perpetuate the memory of their dead. The pyramids of Egypt, the cuious eath structures of North America, and even the small mounds and tombstones of our cemeteries were examples of the manner in which this had been carried out. In the Wold area the pre-historic inhabitants of this land created mounds of earth of varying sizes over the remains of their departed. In some cases, these mounds were of enormous dimensions. Frequently, however, they were ten or fifteen feet in diameter and measured four or five ft. in height. Originally, they would, of course, be higher than this.
Even in pre-historic times there appeared to have been a religion amongst the people of East Yorkshire; they had certainly an impression that the bodies of the dead would eventually be brought to life again and would exist under somewhat similar conditions to those which formerly obtained. For this purpose, food vessels, drinking-cups, stone and bronze axes, daggers, and other weapons, and ornaments – some of exquisite workmanship – were buried with the dead. There could be no question that the objects were placed in the grave in order to be at the service to the chief on his resurrection, whenever that might be. Occasionally the graves were opened and their contents exposed by the plough, by a tree being uprooted, or by other accidental means. In this way a knowledge of the nature of the mounds was obtained, which led to their being opened in a more or less careless manner, for any curios they might contain.
Eventually, however, the systematic and scientific explorations of Canon Greenwell and Mr. Mortimer were commenced, and by their work our knowledge of the mode of living of the pre-historic inhabitants of the neighbourhood was considerably increased. Canon Greenwell opened between 300 and 400 mounds in the northern part of the Wolds. His collections, which are now in the British Museum, were well described in a standard work.”British Barrows.” Mr. Mortimer had opened a similar number of barrows in the southern portion of the Wolds. His specimens are well housed in the Driffield Museum, but so far the lecturer’s “catalogue” just referred to, and numerous papers in various scientific periodicals by Mr. Mortimer and others, were the only descriptions of his work that existed. A book, however, was in course of preparation, which would be a valuable and complete account of Mr. Mortimer’s investigations.
Practically all the barrows in the East Riding were of British age. Some of them had been utilised in Anglo-Saxon and later times for internment. These “secondary” burials, however, were usually at no great depth. The burials of British date were not all alike. In some instances, the body was placed in a deep grave, and in solid chalk, and covered up with earth. In other cases, it was simply laid on the ground and covered up. Sometimes it was placed in a wicker-work receptacle, in a coffin made from the trunk of an oak, or in a stone cist. Cremation was also extensively practised, the remains being placed in huge cinerary urns of earthenware, and covered by a mound, or placed in a small hollow of clay. The remains in this latter instance were probably enclosed in a cloth or covering made of some perishable material.
The vessels found with the bodies were usually of course materials and made without the aid of a wheel. They were frequently ornamented by incisions made in the clay with the thumb-nail, the end of a twig, or a piece of cord. The vases could be roughly classified into four kinds. First, the cinerary urns just referred to. These were generally of large size, of very course material, and usually plain, or rudely ornamented. The cremated remains were enclosed in these urns, together with burnt weapons and implements. Amongst the finest examples of British ceramic art were the food vessels found in the barrows. Theses usually contained traces of food, which had been placed therein, for the use of the persons buried along with them. Drinking-cups were cylindrical vessels, which gradually tapered towards the bottom. Some examples from the Wolds were ornamented to an extraordinary extent.
The fourth type of vessel found in the barrows was the incense cup, a small circular or oval vessel, about the size of an egg. The stone implements obtained from the barrows included some of the finest of their kind that have ever been found anywhere. The magnificent hammer and axe heads occasionally found were of perfect form and exquisite workmanship, and the wonder was that the people of these days were ever able to make them with the primitive means at their disposal, Stone and flint knives, daggers, spears, and arrows were also met with. It was a significant fact that the best and finest of these occasionally had their points broken away, probably in order to prevent the graves being plundered for the sake of the valuables they contained. The bronze objects include pins, daggers, and knives. The daggers had generally been fastened to a handle, and in one example in the Driffield Museum no less than 40 small rivets were used to secure the blade to the haft. Other objects found in the graves included pins and ornaments of bone, hand-picks made from the antlers of the red deer, jet beads, buttons studs, etc. and innumerable others. Photographs of excellent examples of all these were shown on the screen by yje lecturer in illustration of his remarks; several of the slides having been specially prepared for the Doncaster Society.
In conclusion, the lecturer stated that he had brought with him some of the best of the British stone and bronze implements that he could find in the hull Museum, in the hopes that they would be something new to the Doncaster Society, but he was astonished to find that the in little Museum at Doncaster there were many far superior examples. He had had a considerable experience amongst various museums throughout the country, and was pleased to congratulate the Society and the town of Doncaster on their present collection. It was certainly small, but what there was, was well arranged and carefully labelled. There was also ample material for a much larger room, and he hoped that the corporation would see their way to provide this, Amongst the specimens were some of quite exceptional value. He had particularly in mind the very fine greenstone axe head. Found near the Doncaster race-course, and presented to the Museum by Miss Godfrey. It was certainly one of the finest of its kind that he had ever seen. The collection of bronze instruments of British date was also exceptionally representative and complete. A massive silver armlet, of Anglo-Saxon age, was also a very fine example. The ancient glass-ware, old coins, keys, and other objects, part of the Cotterell-Clarke collection, purchased by the Doncaster Corporation, were well worthy of any provincial museum. He wished he could say they had such a fine set of these particular objects in the Hull Museum. The lecturer was also pleased with the collection of fossils, shells etc. It was very gratifying to him to find that the present collection, which could only be looked upon as the nucleus
of a much larger one for the future, was of such an excellent character, and he hoped that every care would be taken to keep the collection of local interest. There appeared to have been too much desire on the part of provincial museums in the past to have a little of everything, and nothing in particular. This was a great mistake. The lecturer also thanked the Society for the opportunity they had given him during the afternoon of visiting the curiously excavated mound at Hyde Park. He felt sure that the building operations, etc. then in progress would reveal some Roman antiquities, and these he hoped would be presented to the deserving town’s Museum.
A discussion followed in which Messrs. Culpin, Stiles, Thomas Woodhouse, Mapleton, & Corbett took part & a vote of thanks to the lecturer closed the meeting.
Signed H. Culpin 13/3/01
Feb 18th, 1901
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place
Present – Mr. Culpin in the chair & Messrs. Stiles, Bellamy, Corbett & Mrs Corbett.
Proposed by Mr. Bellamy, seconded by Mr. Stiles. That £2 be offered for the view-cabinet offered for sale by Mr. Wellborne.
Conversatzione
Proposed by Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. Corbett. That the “Strand” slides on the Beautiful Homes of England be applied for.
Proposed that Mr. G. W. Cuttriss be asked to give his lecture on “Yorkshire Caves”
Proposed that the admission of non-members be by ticket, price one shilling each.
That the arrangements for refreshments be as before.
That Bronzes, Neoliths, Fossils, etc. be borrowed from the Museum.
Signed H. Culpin 6/3/01
Feb 23rd, 1901
The Annual Conversatzione of the society was held at the Mansion House, by kind permission of the Mayor (Mr. Councillor Theobald) on Thursday February 23rd 1901
It seems to be the general opinion of all who were present that this was in all respects the most successful of all similar meetings held by the Society.
The following is from the Doncaster Chronicle 8/3/01
[a newspaper cutting is pasted into the minute book at this point]
Doncaster Scientific Society
A Conservatzione and exhibition meeting was held under the auspices of the above Society in the Ball-room, at the Mansion House (by kind permission of his Worship the Mayor, Councillor Theobald), on Thursday evening. Among those present were
Miss Wheen, Mr. Greenslade, Mr. Crummack, Mr. Hyde, Mr. A. Jackson, Mrs. W. T. Jackson, Mr. Stiles, Mr. E. L. Bingham, Councillor Edgar, Councillor Gyles, Mrs. Pawson, Mr. W./ E. Atkinson, Mr. Plant, the Rev. and Mrs. J. Halliwell Thomas, Mr. Johnson (West Riding Rivers Board), Mr. Cuttriss, Mr. H. Percy, Dr. H. H. Corbett, and many others.
The various objects of scientific interest were exhibited from 2 to 6.30 p.m. The collection comprised microscopes (with living and other objects), photographs, botanical, zoological, and geological specimens, the whole of which came in for a large share of recognition. The exhibition in some respects was unique, and we believe compared very favourably with anything of the kind ever seen in the town. Now that no education is considered to be complete without something more than mere passing knowledge of the Sciences, it may be readily imagined that such an exhibition would provide an almost invaluable means of acquiring an insight into a number of subjects, albeit that knowledge under those conditions could not be very profound. The question arises as to whether or not, as is the case in so many other subjects, the very best tuition that could be imparted to a student is to create within him a love for learning, to divulge to him sufficient to whet his appetite, and to arouse his interest. If that be so, it is conceivable that he would commence with abstruse subjects, and matters which had not been solved even by the student of many years standing. The executive of the Society appear to entertain this opinion, and the demonstrations which took place on Thursday were sufficient thereto. Had the visitor had served up for their delectation diatribes on the Marconi system of wireless telegraphy or the recently much discussed Martian theory, it is questionable whether a tithe of the interest would have been aroused. The demonstrations and lectures were of an interesting character, and were greatly appreciated by the whole of those who were fortunate enough to be present.
Among the objects kindly forwarded for exhibition were a number of electric meters from Mr. Prussman; shell cameo, in process of cutting, from Mr. Edward Moor; British bronze and stone implements discovered in the neighbourhood of Doncaster, from the Doncaster Museum; a sepulchre urn, found in St. Sepulchre-gate (without the bar) When excavating for a sewer at the rear of the premises now numbered from 100 to 104, St Sepulchre-gate, from E. Anelay; collection of flints from East Yorkshire, from Mr. A. Jordan; flint scraper, neolithic flints, East Yorkshire arrow heads; the lower jaw of a hippopotamus, from Mr. Henry Clarke, Missionary of Madagascar, the specimen being in a fossil state; Lias samples, lent by Mr. Ferguson; Magnesium limestone, from Sunderland; egg of crocodile; shells taken from the crop of a long-tailed duck (anas glacialis) that came from Orkney; the common limpet; aquatic specimens of the conchifera; specimens of taxidermy, mounted, and presented by Mr. A. Paterson, including curlew, sandpiper, the grey plover, kittwake, common bream, sea-gull, gannet, curlew, etc.; an exceptionally large kidney bean grown in Jamaica, from Mr. Henry Percy, High-street, Doncaster; stereoscopes, in charge of Mt. Gledhill, showing the model of a twin mushroom with off-shoots, the photograph having been prepared by Mr. Woodhouse; vibrating plates, manufactured by Mr. Gladhill, which were formerly employed in testing the qualities of a violin; revolving stereoscopes, lent by Mr. Bellamy; a number of hand stereoscopes, with views, from Mr. Cuttriss; Microscopes were exhibited by Mr. George Winter, Mr. Stiles, Mr. James Howard, Mr. W. T. Jackson, Mr. W. Roberts, Master Blight, and Master Jordan, and were in charge of Mr. Stiles, who also exhibited a number of living objects. The bulk of the coal sections were kindly lebt by Messrs. Watson, of London.
Shortly after eight o’clock lantern lectures entitled “Yorkshire Caves” and “Coal and the plants that made it,” were delivered by Messrs. W, Cuttriss and Dr. H. H. Corbett respectively. In the course of his remarks Mr. Cuttriss said that Yorkshire abounded in caves. He referred to the pot-holes around Settle, Ingleborough, the Ribblesdale Valley, Horton, and Giggleswick, and exhibited some interesting specimens of Stalactites. Dr. Corbett, who followed, said what was necessary for the formation of coal was a low-lying tract of land which supported a rich vegetation. [& undergoing periods of depressions below the level of the sea 1] He pointed out that the banks of the River Amazon, and certain portions of the country in the Bermudas were suitable 1 places for the production of coal. Species of peat bog common in Ireland were also fairly plentiful in Thorne & Hadfield. The great bulk of the plants which form coal fields were those known as club-mosses. 1
Suring the interval Dr. Corbett proposed a vote of thanks to the Mayor for having so kindly and readily granted the executive of the Society the use of the Mansion House. Mr. Stiles seconded the proposition, which was carried. The Mayor briefly responded. He said he did not think that the Mansion House could possibly have been used for a better purpose. the education facilities were not by any means too great in thentown, and therefore, it had afforded him great pleasure to place the Mansion House at their disposal on that occasion. In conclusion, he said the adoption of a vote of thanks was quite superfluous, and there was really no occasion for it.
Subsequently an excellent programme of music was gone through, instrumental slections being rendered by Mr. and Mrs. Woodhouse, Mrs. J. H. Rawson, and Messrs. Reasbeck and Boddy, while vocal contributions were rendered by Miss K. Somerset and Mr. Black.
During the evening light refreshments were served, the company dispersing at about 10.30 after having spent a most enjoyable evening. Dr. H. H. Corbett very capably carried out the secretarial duties.
[end of paper cutting]
[Notes. 1. Various corrections were made in the minute book alongside the pa[per cutting/
No accurate record of the numbers present was taken; there would probably be about 140 at the meeting.
Mar 3rd, 1901
Committee Meeting held at 9 Prior Place
Present – Mr. Culpin (President) in the chair, Mrs Corbett, & Messrs. Stiles, Clarkson, Bisat, Bellamy, Cuttriss, White, Gledhill & Corbett.
The minutes of the last committee meeting were read & confirmed.
The following nominations for membership were approved.
Miss Harker & Messrs. Scarbro’, Greendale, Hude, Poulter, Dickinson, & Bingham.
The accs (?) in connection with the recently held soiree were submitted and passed.
Votes of thanks were passed to Mrs. Corbett, Mr. S. W. Cuttriss, Prof Kendal & Messrs Watson, on the proposition of Mr. Stiles, seconded by Mr. White.
A recommendation to the Annual Meeting “That the words October” & “March” in rule 5 be altered to “May” & “December” was passed.
Proposed that in the future receipts be granted for subscriptions paid for the Current Session ending in April
The following places were suggested for Summer Excursions. Anston, Scawthorpe, Medge Hall, Campsall, York, & Lincoln
The President gave a report of the meeting of the delegates from affiliated societies with the Executive of the Y.N.U.
Signed H. Culpin 19/3/01
Mar 3rd, 1901
An Ordinary Meeting of the Society was held at the County Court Room, Guild Hall on Wednesday 13/3/01.
Notice having been sent to all members, that Mr. Pressman was unable through ill health, to keep his appointment on this evening, & that in consequence of this the present meeting would be devoted to such subjects as the Hon. Sec. was able to secure, at two days notice; the members present were much below average.
Mr. Culpin occupied the chair, & there were 18 members & visitors present.
The minutes of the last meeting were read, & subject to some additions, confirmed.
The following new members were elected.
Messrs. Scarbro’, Greenslade, Hyde, Poulter, Bingham, Dickinson & Miss Harker.
Mr. Gledhill read a paper on “The Common Furzes with some remarks upon the origin & Functions of Leaves”.
The growth & structure of the Furze plant were described & attention was particularly drawn to the total absence of true leaves in the plant, their place being taken by the branches & spines which are covered with a layer of parenchyma with Chlorophyll in the cells, imparting a green colour to the plant, & furthermore, having stomata developed in the epidermal cells. It was noticed that the spines & branches though quadrangular are not bounded by straight sides, but on the contrary, the sides are deeply hollowed, this giving a much larger surface for the chlorophyll cells & stomata than would otherwise be the case. The fact that young seedlings of the furze posses ordinary leaves which are soon lost, probably points to a leaf bearing plant as the ancestor of the plant. In self defence the stiff spines having taken the place of the succulent soft leaves.
A discussion in which Messrs. Moore, Mapleton, & Corbett took part, followed.
Mr. Corbett then delivered a lecture on the “Topographical Botany of the district”.
He said that the local collection of plants that he was making were derived from an area comprised in the district bounded in the West by the outcrop of the Coal Measures, on the North by the divisions between the valleys of the Aire & Don, & on the South & East by the County Boundary. Within this lower part of the Don Valley & a small part of the Trent Valley were very varied soils, producing very varied floralas. (?)
The climate was compared to other parts of the West Riding, mild. The flora was much more Southern than Northern in type & while there was an almost complete absence of moorland forms, there were several of Maritime preferences. The differences of the plants of the various soils, e.g. limestone, sand, peat, boulder & warp clays were described & a number of specimens from the different soils were exhibited.
A discussion in which Messrs. Moor, Duffy, Culpin, Gledhill & Armitage took part, followed,
A vote of thanks to Messrs. Gledhill & Corbett for stepping into the breach caused by Mr. Prussman’s illness concluded the meeting.
Signed H. Culpin 27.3.01
Mar 19th, 1901
Committee Meeting held at 9 Priory Place.
Present – Mr. Culpin, President, in the chair & Mrs. Corbett &