The Yorkshire Geological Society, founded in 1837, is an unincorporated membership society and a registered charity. It is governed by Officers and a Council who serve as Trustees of the Society, elected annually in accordance with the Rules of the Society, which were last revised and updated on 8th October 2005, and with relevant charity law.
Annual Report 2018
(Adopted at the Annual General Meeting, Leeds, 8th December 2018)
General Secretary's Report (Mr P. N. Hildreth)
Annual General Meeting
The 2017 Annual General Meeting was held at Weetwood Hall, Leeds, on Saturday 9th December. Annual reports presented by the General Secretary and the General Treasurer were followed by the award of Honorary Membership to Professor Peter Rawson in recognition of his long and outstanding service to the Society.
The General Secretary reported the election of Officers and Council for 2018:
| OFFICERS | |
| President | Dr Andrew Howard |
| Vice-Presidents | Dr John Knight |
| Prof. Patrick Boylan | |
| General Secretary | Mr Paul Hildreth |
| General Treasurer | Mr John Holt |
| Membership Secretary | Dr John Varker |
| Programme Secretary | Vacant |
| Proceedings Editor | Prof. Steven Donovan |
| Website/Circular Editor | Prof. Patrick Boylan |
| OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL | |
| Dr David Blythe | Mr David Hill BSc |
| Dr Sarah King | Dr Stewart Molyneux |
| Mr William Paley MSc | Dr Tim Pharaoh |
| Dr Nick Riley | Mr Richard Saville BSc* |
| Dr Noel Worley | |
| *joint website editor | |
The Phillips Medal for 2017 was presented to Dr Nick Riley (Director of Carboniferous Ltd) for his distinguished contributions to and work bearing upon knowledge of the stratigraphy and palaeontology of Yorkshire and the north of England.
The award of the Bisat Medal to Dr Helen Reeves of BGS, as an acknowledgment of distinguished work in applied geology in relation to northern England, was announced at the AGM. Owing to Dr Reeves’ work commitments, presentation of the Medal was postponed until the Society's January 2018 meeting in Newcastle.
The Fearnsides Award for 2017 was made to Ms Laura Eddey (University of Sheffield) to support her geological research on Quaternary deposits in the Vale of Pickering, recognised by Council as having outstanding potential.
The President, Dr Andrew Howard, then delivered the first of his presidential addresses: ‘Yorkshire's Ancient Storms’, a review of examples of ancient storms preserved in the geological record of northern England ranging from early Carboniferous to mid Jurassic. The President's address was followed by the President's Reception and Buffet in the Jacobean Room of Weetwood Hall.
Council structure was unchanged from 2017. Dr Mike Rogerson joined Council in January 2018 as a co-opted member, and further strengthening was provided by the co-opting of Professor Mike Bowman in June and Dr Joanna Thomas in November.
The Science Steering Group led by Vice–President John Knight oversaw the submissions of applications to the Research Fund. The Society's sponsorship of a revised edition of Colin Speakman's book on the life and work of Adam Sedgwick came to fruition in May. The group also made recommendations to Council on nominations for the Sorby and Moore Medals and the Fearnsides Award in 2018. At the time of writing, there have been 12 applications to the Research Fund and five for the Fearnsides Award. The Society has also launched a trial of an Undergraduate Fieldwork Bursary, supported by a very generous donation to the Society. The first bursaries will be awarded to students in 2019.
Business meetings of the various other steering groups and committees of Council have taken place before the afternoon lecture programmes at Newcastle, BGS Keyworth, Sheffield and York, and in Leeds at the mid-year Council meeting. The Governance Steering Group focused on the Society's review and update of its personal data holdings and privacy policy in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation, and the Society's Health and Safety Policy. Two working groups set up in 2017 continued with their brief into 2018. The ‘Sedgwick Book’ working group, working with Colin Speakman and Gritstone Publishing, completed its mission in May when a book launch was held in Hawes. The second group, established to provide geological expertise to a proposal by the North York Moors National Park Authority and Sirius Ltd, did not meet in 2018, but is expected to be involved in further developments during 2019.
The YGS Council would like to thank all members of the Society and their guests who have supported the programme of meetings during 2018. Constructive comments on the programme and any suggestions for future meetings are welcome. So too are offers to serve on Council, particularly to fill any of the vacant Officer positions.
I am pleased to report that no Council members are stepping down at the end of this year, but Professor Steve Donovan resigned his post as Principal Editor in June. Dr Stewart Molyneux assumed responsibility for the Proceedings as acting Principal Editor. Dr John Varker intends to step down as Membership Secretary during 2019, but has agreed to stay on Council to guide a successor into the role. John has served this Society for many years since joining in 1959: as Honorary Librarian (1989–93), General Secretary (1994–97) and Vice-President (1999). The Society acknowledged this service with his election to Honorary Membership in 2002. On a personal note I wish to express my gratitude to all fellow officers of Council to whom I occasionally forward requests from members and the general public, and which are handled most effectively. I must also include former Council colleague Dr Claire Dashwood of BGS, Keyworth, who has continued to handle requests for YGS publications.
Council's thanks go to all those who, over the last year, have worked hard in promoting our Society and have supported and facilitated its smooth running, especially the local organizers and speakers at indoor meetings, the leaders of field meetings and all those helpers and providers of refreshments at General Meetings. I also wish to acknowledge the support and hard work of individuals, members of local societies and the education team from the Yorkshire Museum in York, who all contributed to the successful programmes of Yorkshire Geology Day at the National Coal Mining Museum for England in April and Yorkshire Geology Month activities in May 2018.
Membership Secretary's Report (Dr John Varker)
(Figures in parentheses indicate 2017 membership) Membership at the end of August 2018 included 360 (362) Ordinary, Life and Honorary Members, 104 (106) Retired Ordinary Members, 38 (31) Associate Members and 9 (13) Student Members, a total of 511(512). This figure includes 24 new enrolments for the year, which is down from 38 for 2017, but a further 8 new members were enrolled soon after the August deadline. The small number of student members continues to be of concern. The proportion of members paying their subscription by direct debit or standing order now stands at 86% (84%), which is a welcome increase.
The deaths of the following long-standing members were reported during 2018 (year they joined the Society in parentheses):
Dr Arnold E. Currall of Ellesmere, Shropshire (1953);
Prof. Martin H. P. Bott of Durham (1955);
Dr B. M. N. Fletcher of Harrogate (1960);
Dr Robert H. Wagner of Cordoba (1962);
Dr Neil Aitkenhead of Addingham (1965)
Subscriptions remained unchanged at £33.00 for Ordinary Members, £23.00 for Retired Ordinary Members, £13.00 for Associate Members and £15.00 for Student Members. Associate Members receive all the benefits of Society membership except the Society's journal.
Membership Cards were introduced for all members in January 2018 and I would like to thank all Council members and the staff at City Press for their contribution to their smooth introduction. The difficulties experienced during late 2017 and early 2018 following software upgrades by the Bankers Automated Clearing Service (BACS) were eventually resolved, thanks to negotiations with BACS, principally by the General Treasurer, John Holt, and other measures taken by the Society. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became enforceable from 25th May 2018. Annual renewal of membership provides the Society with the consent needed for compliance.
I would like to thank all Members, and particularly members of Council Members, who have made 2018 such an enjoyable, successful and memorable year.
Programme Committee Report
Indoor Meetings and Outreach Events
The year began in January with a joint meeting with the Natural History Society of Northumbria (geology section) in Newcastle. Four speakers contributed to the theme of ‘Geoscience and Sustainability in the Built Environment’, covering the transformation in the way geoscientists work with urban communities using web-based sharing of models and data, the effectiveness of urban soils in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, 3D and 4D subsurface modelling as a method of improving the efficiency of construction and regeneration projects, and a study of background contamination levels in north east England.
The March meeting on ‘Deep Geological Foundations of Northern England’ was held with the East Midlands Geological Society at the British Geological Survey, Keyworth, with over 80 attendees. The four talks highlighted the Môn-Deemster-Ribblesdale fold-thrust belt, a new age for the Wensleydale Granite, the age of the Acadian deformation and Devonian granites of northern England, and a re-appraisal of the regional geophysical data of northern England based on new analysis techniques.
In April, Yorkshire Geology Month was launched at the National Mining Museum with a morning session of activities aimed at children and families, provided mainly by local groups and societies, notably those from Leeds, Huddersfield and Sheffield. Staff of the education section from the Yorkshire Museum, York, provided stimulating activities for the youngest visitors. The popular underground tours and surface walk were also available and members of Council supported the event with a YGS sales area, a specimen identification desk and a rock-cutting and polishing service. Though I reported last year that the YGD of 2017 had been the most successful yet, I think 2018 was even better! The afternoon indoor meeting, ‘Quakes and Shakes’, consisted of illustrated talks on seismicity associated with mining and unconventional energy exploration in the UK, the use of historical earthquake records to produce an up-to-date catalogue of events, and the life and work of John Milne, the Lancashire-born founder of the Seismological Society of Japan. The last of the four talks, on the use of pseudotachylytes to help us understand ancient earthquake behaviour and variations in deformation was presented by 2016 Fearnsides awardee, Lucy Campbell.
A launch event for a new edition of Colin Speakman's book Adam Sedgwick - Geologist and Dalesman, published by the Society and Gritstone Publishing, was held at the Dales Countryside Museum at Hawes on 23rd May. The morning (by invitation) event included two illustrated talks on the life and geological inspiration of Adam Sedgwick by the book's author and Dr Nigel Woodcock of Cambridge University. The talks were followed by a public book signing by the author, and an afternoon field trip to the Sedgwick Geological Trail near Sedbergh, led by John Knight. The event was a highly successful outreach and promotional event for the Society, opening up new contacts and collaboration opportunities with the Yorkshire Dales community. The Society should like to thank the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Hanson in the Community and Gritstone Publishing Co-operative for their generous sponsorship of the event, and the staff of the Dales Countryside Museum for their support and assistance with set up and management on the day.
A two-day joint societies’ commemoration event was held in early June to celebrate the life and work of Dr Trevor Ford OBE. More than 80 attended sessions on Saturday 2nd June, hosted by the University of Derby at the Devonshire Dome, Buxton, More than 20 speakers, including Trevor's daughter Jan Baxter, contributed to an entertaining programme that included personal reflections and talks on Trevor's interests and achievements, notably in caving, mining history, mineralization in the Peak District and of course the first recognition of undisputed Precambrian fossils in 1968. Three field excursions, to sites in the Peak District, including the National Stone Centre and Wirksworth areas, Ecton Copper Mines and the Magpie Mine Heritage Site, Bakewell, were offered on Sunday 3rd June.
The Society supported the annual Yorkshire Fossil Festival, held this year at the University of Hull, in September. Thanks are due to the YGS members who participated and contributed.
The October meeting, focused on ‘New insights on the deglaciation of northern England’, was held at the University of Sheffield, and was organized jointly with the University's Department of Geography and convened by Professor Mark Bateman. The meeting was well attended with more than 75 attendees. Contributions covered Cenozoic tectonics and climate, the rise and fall of the British-Irish Ice Sheet, information provided by icebergs and ice-rafted debris, the retreat of the Stainmore ice stream and new information on the chronology of pro-glacial Lake Pickering and subsequent climate change in the surrounding Vale during and after deglaciation. One of the speakers, Laura Eddey, was the recipient of the Society's 2017 Fearnsides Award.
‘Mammals, dinosaurs and sea dragons of the Jurassic: Recent developments in vertebrate palaeontology’ was the theme of the meeting held jointly with the Yorkshire Philosophical Society in the Yorkshire Museum, York, in November, and attracted an audience of over 100. The four contributors spoke on mammalian discoveries on the Isle of Skye, from rocks with a fauna similar to that of the Ravenscar Group in Yorkshire, contrasting dinosaur tracks from Yorkshire and the Isle of Skye, the Carnian pluvial episode and the evolution of the dinosaurs, and the Scunthorpe Pliosaur, a recently excavated find from Kimmeridgian rocks of North Lincolnshire.
Outreach activities included visits to two schools, in Scunthorpe and Northallerton, to deliver the National Curriculum (Key Stage 2) statutory requirements on the classification of rocks, and collaboration with the RSPB to produce an information leaflet on the geology of the Bempton Cliffs reserve on Flamborough Head.
Field Excursions
The first outdoor meeting of the year was an afternoon visit to the Sedgwick Trail led by Dr John Knight following the launch of Colin Speakman's book in Hawes on May 23rd. This was followed in mid-June by a weekend event held jointly with the Edinburgh Geological Society at Coldingham in Berwickshire and Berwick-upon-Tweed. The first day was led by Dr Emrys Phillips of BGS (Edinburgh) to examine the Lower Palaeozoic succession at Coldingham and their associated complex structural history. The second day, led by Alison Tymon, was based on Berwick and focused on cyclothems, fossils and the Berwick Monocline.
A weekend excursion in early August provided two stand-alone geological mapping experiences led by Professor Colin Waters and YGS President Dr Andy Howard. Both trips offered practical demonstrations of the techniques used in producing the published geological maps of these strata and their value in elucidating late Carboniferous stratigraphy, sedimentation and environments in the Pennine Basin. Mapping on the first day of Millstone Grit and lowermost Coal Measures strata, in a moorland environment on Curbar Edge near Baslow, was followed on the second day by mapping in Graves Park, Sheffield, which illustrated the challenges and uncertainties of geological mapping in an urban setting.
A third weekend event, held at the end of September on the Holderness coast and led by Rodger Connell, demonstrated the Quaternary deposits at South Landing and Danes Dyke, occupying palaeo-valleys cut into the chalk bedrock on Flamborough Head. Professor Mark Bateman treated a smaller group of members to an impromptu demonstration of the Sewerby buried cliff and raised beach deposits later in the afternoon. The Skipsea Till and Holocene deposits occupying a former Holderness mere, and containing evidence for plant colonization and the probable activity of beavers, were examined on the second day. The final site involved a lengthy drive to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's Spurn Discovery Centre to meet Dr Ada Pringle, who demonstrated the impact of cyclic and storm-driven coastal processes on Spurn Point and its evolution since World War 2, and the effects of recent major storm surges.
Yorkshire Geology Month
The 2018 programme once again offered a variety of indoor talks, in York, Leeds, Brigg and Scarborough, a ‘Rock and Fossil Roadshow’ in Flamborough, and outdoor meetings based on Mappleton, East Yorkshire, Roundhay Park, the Burbage valley, York and Hull.
The most ambitious project was a two-day symposium on ‘Uncovering the Yorkshire Jurassic’, organized by the Yorkshire Philosophical Society in association with the YGS, to support the major exhibition ‘Yorkshire's Jurassic World’ which had been opened in March by Sir David Attenborough. Talks from eight speakers on a range of topics relevant to the theme on the first day were followed on the next day by three field excursions, each of which catered for different levels of geological experience. These were visits to South Bay, Scarborough, Burniston and Betton Farm Quarry (including a detour to Hackness to pay homage to William Smith) and an afternoon trip to the continuous exposures of the Jet Rock in the cliff and foreshore between Deepgrove Wyke and Keldhowe Steel, north of Sandsend. As well as members of this society, contributions to Yorkshire Geology Month were made by the York Philosophical Society, Leeds Geological Association, Hull Geological Society, Brigg Geology Group and the Sheffield Area Geology Trust. Without the continuing support and input from these and other groups and individuals, Yorkshire Geology Month could not happen.
Publication Committee Reports
Proceedings Editor's Report (Dr Stewart Molyneux)
Steve Donovan stepped down as Principal Editor in the summer after being elected to the prestigious position of President of the Palaeontographical Society, and Jessica Pollitt, our long-standing Production Editor at the Geological Society Publishing House, left at the end of August to take up a position with the Natural Environment Research Council. We thank Steve and Jessica for the work they have put into the Proceedings during their respective periods in post, and Jessica in particular who looked after the Proceedings for more than 10 years. We send them our very best wishes for success in their new roles. Lucy Bell is our new Production Editor at the Publishing House, and oversaw final production of Volume 62, part 2, as well as handling any papers received or still in production after August. The position of Principal Editor remains vacant, but I have been overseeing editing of the Proceedings in the meantime.
All papers accepted from the beginning of 2018 onwards will be published in full colour in print as well as online at no cost to authors, and further developments in train for 2019 will see a redesign of the cover. Meetings have been held with Publishing House staff during the year to identify and put into action future developments for the Proceedings.
Volume 62, parts 1 and 2 of the Proceedings were published on in May and November respectively. The two parts comprised 148 pages in total, slightly less than the annual page budget. The first part of 2019, Volume 62, part 3, will include papers arising from the Chalk Symposium held at Hull in 2015.
Circular Editor's (Prof. Patrick Boylan) and Web Editors’ (Prof. Patrick Boylan and Rick Saville) Reports
Eight full colour Circulars of either 20 or 24 pages were published in 2018. Special thanks are due to City Press Leeds for their design, printing and mail-out services. We aim to ensure that each Circular is received by UK members at least three weeks before each meeting. PDF versions of each Circular are now posted on the website on the day that the final proof is approved, typically a week before the print edition is received by mail.
New web pages created in 2018 provide information on the available grants and awards offered by the Society, details of the launch of the Adam Sedgwick book, and a YGS archive containing a back catalogue of YGS Circulars and other information related to the Society. This will continue to be updated with content as it becomes available, and as new incentives/projects get underway. In coming years it will continue to expand to provide access to archive content and information.
Details on forthcoming Society events are updated on the website as they are finalised so that it always has the most current information for members. YGS opened a PayPal account in 2018, initially for purchase of the Adam Sedgwick book directly from the YGS website, but a link has since been added to the Membership page for payment of membership fees.
The Society's Twitter account, opened in March 2018, is steadily amassing followers, and is used to promote meetings, outreach events and grant opportunities. Please follow the Society @yorksgeolsoc
General Treasurer's Report (Mr John Holt)
The independently examined accounts for the year ending 31st August 2018 were presented to the 8th December 2018 AGM and approved by the membership.
This has been an interesting year for the Society's finances. For ease of comparison the 2016/17 figures are shown in brackets. An income of £23006 (£45670) and an expenditure of £24423 (£18804) resulted in a deficit of £1417 (£26866) for the year. However, working capital and reserves increased by £3660 (£29177) to £99386 (£95726) as a result of the unrealized gains made by the two COIF investment funds. The high income last year was primarily due to the donation received to establish the Research Fund. The detailed breakdown of the financial position is shown in the accompanying ‘Receipts and Payments Account'.
A number of significant financial decisions have been made by Council during the year: In conjunction with Colin Speakman and Carnegie Press of Lancaster the book ‘Adam Sedgwick Geologist and Dalesman’ was reprinted at a cost of £3400 (from reserves) for 1000 copies. This book was launched in January 2018 and at the year end 153 copies had been sold with an income of £1240.
The £15000 one year bond with United Trust Bank matured on 20th October 2017. £10000 was transferred to the COIF general investment fund and the balance retained in the Barclays current account to fund the Sedgwick book reprint. A PayPal account has been set up and has proved very effective for book sales and also for overseas subscription payments. No awards were made from the Research Fund this year. The Fearnsides Award was funded, as in previous years, from the annual income.
The sum of £787 was incurred in the printing of the GDPR compliance paperwork. The Society is again very keen to acknowledge the strong relationship which it enjoys with institutions and other organization who have allowed the use of premises for indoor meeting with either no or preferential charges and with partner organization for the sharing of meeting costs. We are similarly very grateful to speakers and field meeting leaders who have provided their services either free of charge or for reimbursement of nominal expenses. The increased cost of meetings has been, to date, covered by the consistent annual income of the Society without the requirement to utilize any reserves.
The importance of Gift Aid on subscriptions and donations to the Society's finances is clearly evident with all eligible UK residents encouraged to register via the Membership Secretary.
The Finance Committee, chaired by the Treasurer, held formal meetings twice during the year. The Treasurer presented financial reports, either in person or electronically, to each of the full Council meetings which included progress reports against the agreed annual budget.
Council, in view of the level of reserves now available to the Society, have established a Reserves Policy. In summary this specifies the desire to maintain two year's anticipated operating cost together with the cost of producing the Proceedings for one year and to have funds available for specific, one off, projects and initiatives. The Treasurer expressed, on behalf of Council, thanks to Mr Andrew Riby for undertaking the Independent Examination of these accounts. The meeting unanimously approved the proposal that Mr Riby be appointed Independent Examiner for 2018–19.
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of the Yorkshire Geological Society
Responsibilities and basis of report
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’). The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act; to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act; and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
A Riby BA FCA
8th December 2018
Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 August 2018
Receipts and payments during the year ended 31 August 2018 related entirely to Unrestricted Funds.
Approved by the Members at the Annual General Meeting 8 December 2018 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by:
JM Holt
Honorary Treasurer
Presentation of Society Awards (Leeds, 8th December 2018)
Presentation of the Sorby Medal by the President to
PROFESSOR MARK BATEMAN
The Sorby Medal was established by Professor W. G. Fearnsides in 1960 and is awarded by the Council of the Society not more frequently than biennially as an acknowledgement of either:
Distinguished contributions to the geological knowledge of Yorkshire and the North of England, or
Distinguished contributions to geological knowledge by a person associated with Yorkshire and the North of England by birth, training or locus of research.
Our 2018 Sorby Medallist, Professor Mark Bateman, amply meets these criteria on both counts. Mark grew up in Kent and went to secondary school in Croydon. Like many other Earth Scientists, he was influenced by an inspirational teacher who, in Mark's case, encouraged him to take up a geography degree at University. Armed with the ability from his schooldays to understand the formation of geomorphological features and draw accurate profiles across them, Mark completed his degree at Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (RHBNC), graduating with first class honours in 1991.
While at RHBNC, Mark was encouraged by Jim Rose to apply for a research studentship at the University of Sussex, to develop the emerging technique of luminescence dating to understand the age and genesis of Late Quaternary coversands. His DPhil at Sussex, completed in 1995, introduced Mark to new research partners in Yorkshire, notably John Catt (Rothamsted Experimental Station) and Paul Buckland (Sheffield University). This led to Mark's appointment to Sheffield in 1995 as a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant to set up the Sheffield Luminescence Dating Laboratory. Under Mark's leadership the laboratory has grown into an internationally renowned facility that uses the technique of Optically-Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to date the last time a quartz or feldspar crystal or grain was exposed to light or heat. This technique is widely used to date both naturally and artificially deposited sediments and archaeological artefacts.
Mark's research interests are very aptly summarised by his Twitter account name @MarkTheSandman. He has extensively exploited the OSL technique as a critical tool to understand the depositional processes, fluxes and dates of Quaternary sediments. From an initial focus on cold climate aeolian deposits, he has broadened use of OSL to become an international authority on dating and formation of aeolian sediments in all climates, and has further diversified use of OSL in a range of periglacial environments and sediments to date climatic shifts and fluctuations in sea and lake levels. He maintains an active methodological research programme to investigate and develop novel geological applications of OSL and to rigorously test existing methods and conclusions.
Following his formal appointment as lecturer in the Department of Geography at Sheffield in 1998 and subsequent promotions, Mark was appointed Professor in Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction in 2011. He has just finished his term as a member of the Editorial Board for the International Association of Sedimentologists, with specific responsibility as Editor-in-Chief for the IAS Special Publications series.
At the time of writing, Mark has published over 220 research papers and articles, which have been cited over 4500 times. In northern England, he is well-known for his research on the evolution of the vales of York and Pickering and their proglacial lakes towards the end of the last Ice Age, and on the age and formation of the Sewerby buried cliff and associated deposits. He is a long-standing member and supporter of the Society, and in October 2018 convened the Society's excellent indoor meeting on the last deglaciation of northern England, held in the Diamond Building at Sheffield University.
It is a great pleasure for the Society to honour Professor Mark D. Bateman with the Sorby Medal for 2018, in recognition of his leadership and development of OSL dating at Sheffield University, his internationally renowned research on aeolian depositional systems, and his contribution to understanding of Quaternary environments and depositional systems in the north of England.
Presentation of the Moore Medal by the President to
PETER KENNETT
The Moore Medal was established in 1988 by former students in memory of Professor and Mrs L. R. Moore, and is now awarded not more frequently than biennially in acknowledgement of services to geology in the north of England.
Born and brought up in Croydon, Peter Kennett recalls that, at age 9, he had emerged ‘starry eyed’ from a showing of Scott of the Antarctic at his local cinema, resolving to become a polar explorer. In his teens, and guided by inspirational Earth Science school teaching that was to influence his later career, he completed an A level in geology before going on to study for his geology degree at University College London. His first polar wanderings were conducted in Arctic Norway while completing his undergraduate mapping dissertation. He went on to complete an MSc in Applied Geophysics at Durham University before landing his ‘dream post’ as a geophysicist with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS, then called the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey), carrying out magnetic, gravity and seismic surveys on and around the Antarctic Peninsula. During his five years with BAS (1960–1965), he contributed to seven BAS papers and also wrote up a paper in the Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society with John Mansfield (Mansfield & Kennett 1963), following up on their MSc fieldwork.
Returning to the UK in 1965, Peter re-kindled his teaching ambitions by completing a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education. A long career as a geology teacher followed, initially in Ashby de la Zouch and then almost 30 years at High Storrs School in Sheffield. Very early in his career, Peter recognized the need to develop the Earth Science education profession and approaches to teaching in schools in response to the very rapid advances in the science at the time (and since!). This dedication to sharing his experiences as a teacher led him to become a founder member of the Earth Science Teachers Association in 1967, which he went on to chair in 1992–1994, becoming an Honorary Life Member in 1996. He also represented educational interests as a Council Member of the YGS between 1999 and 2002, also serving as a Vice President of the Society in his last year on Council.
Though the record shows that Peter retired from teaching in 1999, the reality is that he became busier than ever as a tireless and enthusiastic mentor and workshop presenter for the Earth Science Education Unit, established at Keele University by Peter's long time ESTA colleague Chris King. He has also been co-editor and a principal writer for the EarthLearningIdea website www.earthlearningidea.com, a fabulous resource of practical teaching ideas and tools that have found their way into classrooms worldwide. His retirement activities have also extended to geoconservation, including a long stint as current Chair of the Sheffield Area Geology Trust, a tutor of the Ecton Hill Field Studies Association and a trustee of the Ecton Mine Educational Trust.
Peter has received many awards for his work in Antarctica and his services to education. He was awarded the Polar medal in 1967, bestowed by the Queen, and Mount Kennett, a 1360 m high rocky peak on the Antarctic Peninsula, was officially named after him in 1975. For his work in education he was awarded the Geologists’ Association Halstead Medal in 2001 and the Geological Society of London R.H. Worth Prize in 2011. The Yorkshire Geological Society is delighted and honoured to add to these awards with its Moore Medal for 2018, in recognition of Peter's services to education, his endless dedication to sharing his experiences as a teacher and to geoscience conservation in northern England.
Society Activities, 2018
Indoor Meetings
January 27th: Newcastle upon Tyne: Joint Meeting with the Natural History Society of Northumbria – Geology
Geosciences and sustainability in the built environment
H. REEVES. Geoscientists’ opportunities to contribute to the management of ground related risks in cities.
D. MANNING. Carbon capture in urban soils as a passive climate mitigation tool.
S. BRICKER. Towards a better understanding, and sustainable use of, the urban subsurface – good news from Glasgow, Europe and beyond.
M. COOKE. Background contamination levels in North East England.
March 24th: Keyworth: Joint Meeting with the East Midlands Geological Society
Deep geological foundations of northern England
T. PHARAOH. The Môn-Deemster-Ribblesdale fold-thrust belt and its Caledonian crustal substrate: a case study in crustal accretion followed by extensional and compressional reactivation
C. THOMAS. A new U/Pb zirzon age for the Wensleydale Granite.
N. WOODCOCK. Age of the Acadian deformation and Devonian granites in Northern England reviewed.
G. KIMBELL. Insights into basement structure beneath Northern England from regional geophysical surveys.
April 21st: National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield
Yorkshire Geology Day 2018: Quakes and shakes
P. STYLES. Seismicity associated with mining and unconventional energy exploration in the UK.
R. MUSSON. Historical earthquakes in the UK.
P. KABRNA. John Milne – the man who mapped the shaking earth.
L. CAMPBELL. Hunting for traces of ancient earthquakes: what can the geological record tell us about ancient seismicity?
June 2nd: Buxton: Joint Societies Commemoration Meeting
Dr Trevor Ford OBE (1925–2017)
P. WILBY. The significance of the Charnwood discovery of Precambrian fossils: ‘The Ediacaran Biota’.
N. MORGAN. White Watson's Tablets - a story of innovation in the understanding of geology as revealed by Trevor Ford.
N. WORLEY. The Blue John - a Life Time Interest of Trevor Ford.
C. HOLLIS, C. BREISLIN, V. J. BANKS, J. B. RIDING. Mineralization and dolomitization in the Peak District – current interpretations.
J. GUNN. Hydrogeology of the Peak District.
R. SHAW. Exploration of new caves and mines in the Castleton area.
J. RIEUWERTS. Early reminiscences of Dr Trevor Ford – caves and mining history in the Peak District.
October 13th: Sheffield
New insights on the deglaciation of northern England
J. LEE. Cenozoic tectonics and climate: the transition to ‘icehouse’ Britain and its long-term record of glaciation.
C. CLARK. The rise and fall of the British-Irish ice sheet.
G. BIGG. Icebergs and ice-rafted debris and what these tell us about past glaciations.
B. DAVIES. Dynamic retreat of the Stainmore ice stream of the last British-Irish ice sheet.
L. EDDEY. A revised chronology of Glacial Lake Pickering,
A. PALMER. New insights into the characteristics of the Last Glacial-Interglacial transition between 18 and 8 ka BP in the Vale of Pickering, North Yorkshire.
November 3rd: York: Joint Meeting with the Yorkshire Philosophical Society
Mammals, dinosaurs and sea dragons of the Jurassic: recent developments in vertebrate palaeontology
M. BENTON. The Carnian Pluvial Episode and the origin of the dinosaurs.
M. ROMANO. Dinosaur tracks from the Middle Jurassic rocks of the Cleveland Basin of Yorkshire and a comparison with those of the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
E. PANCIROLI. Mammals of our Jurassic world: from Yorkshire to the Isle of Skye.
R. FORREST. The Scunthorpe pliosaur: excavating a significant new find.
December 8th: Leeds
Annual General Meeting and Presidential Address
A. HOWARD. Early Jurassic sedimentation in Yorkshire – it's about time.
Field Meetings
June 3rd: Mineralization in Derbyshire
1. Matlock and Wirksworth. Leaders: C. Hollis and C. Breislin.
2. Ecton Copper Mines. Leader: T. Coleman.
3. Magpie Mine Heritage Site
June 16–17th: Coldingham and Berwick-upon-Tweed (Joint meeting with the Edinburgh Geological Society). Leaders: E. Phillips and A. Tymon.
August 4–5th: Carboniferous geological mapping experience, Curbar Edge, Debyshire and Graves Park, Sheffield. Leaders: C. Waters and A. Howard.
September 29–30th: Holderness Coast – in the footsteps of Lamplugh and Catt. Leaders: R. Connell and A. Pringle.
- © 2019 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London for the Yorkshire Geological Society. All rights reserved
- Article
- Annual Report 2018
- Membership Secretary's Report (Dr John Varker)
- Programme Committee Report
- Yorkshire Geology Month
- Publication Committee Reports
- General Treasurer's Report (Mr John Holt)
- Presentation of Society Awards (Leeds, 8th December 2018)
- Society Activities, 2018
- Geosciences and sustainability in the built environment
- Deep geological foundations of northern England
- Yorkshire Geology Day 2018: Quakes and shakes
- Dr Trevor Ford OBE (1925–2017)
- New insights on the deglaciation of northern England
- Mammals, dinosaurs and sea dragons of the Jurassic: recent developments in vertebrate palaeontology
- Annual General Meeting and Presidential Address
- Figures & Data
- Info & Metrics