GEOLOGY

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Earthquakes

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Britain experiences about 400 tremors a year, however, only about one in twenty is noticed by members of the public. There is a geological fault that runs from Kent to Belgium.

Archbishop William Courtenay had been the Bishop of London during the Peasants Revolt. In 1382 he summoned a council to try John Wycliffe. An earthquake occurred during the trial. The body condemned 24 conclusions that had been drawn from Wycliffe's writings.

In 1580 there was an earthquake that was centred on Straits of Dover; its strength was probably 5.5. Two apprentices killed by stones that fell from Christchurch Newgate. It is mentioned in Romeo & Juliet; the Nurse (it is since the earthquake now eleven years).

Location: Christ Church Newgate Street, King Edward Street, EC1A 7BA. Only the tower survives. (red, red)

White s, 37-38 St James's Street, SW1A IJG (blue, purple)

Website: www.bgs.ac.uk www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk

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Madstock

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In 1992 the music promoter Vince Power staged the Fleadh in Finsbury Park. He appreciated that the infrastructure that he had paid to be erected could be used to stage another concert after the event prior to it being taken down. He invited the group Madness to perform for a couple of nights, they not having done so for several years. 35,000 people turned up for the first concert. During it some locals experienced what they believed to be an earthquake. They did not appreciate what was happening and contacted the British Geological Survey. Its seismologists were unable to explain the phenomenon to the police. The following night it recurred. This time the Old Bill appreciated what was happening.

Location: Endymion Road, N4 IEE

Website: www.haringey.gov.uk/libraries-sport-and-leisure/parks-and-open-spaces/z-parks-and-open-spaces/finsbury-park www.madness.co.uk www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx2sCZ8ZBHc

The Geological Society

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The Geological Society was founded in 1807 and incorporated eighteen years later.

Location: Burlington House, 50 Piccadilly, W1J 0BG (orange, brown)

The Freemasons Arms, 81-82 Long Acre, WC2E 9NG (red, orange)

Website: www.geolsoc.org.uk

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Mary Anning

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Following Mary Anning's (1799-1847) death Sir Henry de la Beche (1796-1855) was the President of the Geology Society. He had lived in Lyme Regis for a period and had known her. He honoured her by writing an obituary of her that was published in the Society's journal, which was a rare honour for someone who was not a member of the organisation.

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William Smith

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The Geological Society owns the first geological map to be made of the whole country of Britain. It was created by William Smith, who had been born a member of an impoverished Oxfordshire family. A bright lad he was hired to assist a road surveyor. His ability led to his being appointed as the surveyor for a canal venture, selecting which would be the best route for it. The need to take into consideration how much work would have to be done to excavate the route underscored his interest in geology. He was commissioned to assess the potential of a mine, which gave him - quite literally - a deeper appreciation of his subject. He worked across the country advising landowners and businessmen on how they could use their land more efficiently. Through these commissions he deepened his knowledge of Britain's substrata.

Smith made the unprecedented decision to synthesise what he knew onto a single map and to add to it about information about what he had not yet seen. The project took many years and helped to devastate his finances. His creation was finally published in 1815. However, it fell foul of the dilettantish clique that then had the prevailing influence within The Geological Society. As a result, his chances of making good his fortune were curtailed. Four years later he left London and withdrew to Yorkshire. However, within the organisation an intellectually more rigorous group began to emerge. They recognised Smith as one of their own number. A process of rehabilitation began. In 1831 the Society's highest honour - the Wollaston medal - was duly bestowed upon him.

The Natural History Museum Earth Galleries

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Henry Thomas de la Beche was the first Director of the Geological Survey. He persuaded the Board of Works to financially underwrite the establishment of the Museum of Economic Geology. In 1841 the institution opened in Craig s Court, Whitehall.

The Museum in Exhibition Road opened in 1935. Half a century later it became part of the Natural History Museum.

Location: Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD (blue, red)

Website: www.nhm.ac.uk/business-services/filmming/earth-galleriesl

David Backhouse 2024