174A. Geological Society 1895

The Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London actually was published annually. In 1895 the Fifty-first volume appeared, complete with a geological map of Devon. In a paper read on June 5^th to the society George Jennings Hinde and Howard Fox presented their findings On a Well-marked Horizon of Radiolarian Rocks in the Lower Culm Measures of Devon, Cornwall, and West Somerset. As well as including a map (plate XXIII) of the area there were also plates depicting  a photo of a quarry at Launceston (plate XXIV) and of radiolarian (XXV – XXVIII).

George Hinde was a much admired scientist¹ born March 24^th 1839 in Norfolk. He was inspired by scientists such as William Pengelly who he saw in Norwich when he was just 18 and working as a farmer. After a spell of sheep-ranching in Argentina, he studied in Canada.  In 1874 he was elected a member of the Royal Geological Society. He cooperated extensively with Howard Fox of Falmouth at this time on his research into radiolaria. After a stay in England he travelled to Munich to do a doctorate under Professor Karl Alfred von Zittel, an expert on fossil sponges. In 1881 he was back in England, living in Mitcham. Soon after he married Edith Octavia Clark of Street, Somerset. He was made a member of the society's council and served on it for nearly 20 years. He became the Assistant Editor to the society's journal in 1885 and served 32 years. When the society voted on the admission of women he was a supporter (though the motion was defeated). He died in Croydon in March 1918.

Howard Fox, a Quaker, was born in 1836 at Wodehouse Place, Falmouth, one of twelve children of Alfred Fox (1794–1874) and his wife, Sarah Lloyd (1804–1890). He married Olivia Blanche Orme (1844–1930) in 1864 and they had four children. He died in 1922 at Rosehill, Falmouth. His daughters, Olivia Lloyd Fox (born 1868) and Stella (Born 1876), gave Rosehill Garden to Falmouth Town Council.

The Fox family had built up a diversified set of interests beyond the original shipbroking office and Howard led the central board of the Company. He was also chairman of Falmouth Docks Company for 45 years, succeeding his father.

Howard had wide general interests in science and supported the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society and the British Association. At the British Association's Annual Meeting held in Nottingham in September 1893, he read a paper to the Geology Section "The radiolarian cherts of Cornwall". He was a member of the Geological Society of London; he served as president of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall in 1893-1894; and in 1897 was awarded the RGSC's prestigious Bolitho Gold Medal.²

Size: 190 mm x 190 mm.                                                                                                                            Scale, 1 inch = 10 miles. (15 = 38 mm).

GEOLOGICAL SKETCH MAP OF DEVON, WEST SOMERSET AND PART OF CORNWALL (Aa). Volume and plate numbers; Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. Vol. LI. Pl. XXIII. (EaOS). Printer’s signature: Typo, Etching Co. Sc. (EeOS). No roads or railways. Rivers and main towns shown as well as (8) different geological findings given in an Explanation. Almost all of Devonshire shown; only a small section to the east is lost.

[1] See, for example, his obituary on-line at http://journals.cambridge.org.