TERTIARY RESEARCH GROUP

The Tertiary Research Group

Programme No. 58 for 2012
Programme Organiser: Mike Lowe
Telephone: 01243 543572 Email: mikejenny1@btinternet.com
TRG Homepage: http://www.trg.org/

Details of the Programme are as complete as possible at the time of printing. Updates will appear as necessary and will be posted on our Web site.

The Tertiary Research Group cannot accept liability for any loss or accident incurred whilst on out field meetings. Everyone who attends does so at his or her own risk. Always wear suitable footwear and clothing and for quarry visits, please bring your own hardhat and high visibility vest.

Some visits have restricted numbers and occasionally a visit may have to be postponed or cancelled. For these reasons, it is imperative that you notify the Programme Organiser at least 10 days before the event if you wish to attend and leave a contact phone number please.

This list may be amended to include additional joint visits with the Essex Rick & Mineral Society.

Mid July to Mid September is likely to be a difficult time to travel because of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, so no field meetings have been arranged in that period.

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Saturday January 14th Field Meeting to Tankerton, Whitstable, Kent.
Director: Fred Clouter

An opportunity to look at the London Clay exposed on the foreshore on a very low tide. This site has occasionally yielded some outstanding specimens of remains of fish/sharks, crabs, turtles etc.

Meet at 7.30 a.m. near the beach huts at Tankerton [TR 127 674]. An early start is necessary to take advantage of the low tide at 9.43am. At this time of the year, the trip will be weather dependent.

Waterproof boots are essential as the foreshore is muddy

Joint visit with the Essex Rock and Mineral Society.

18 February Visit to Natural History Museum, London
Speakers: Jerry Hooker and David Ward

The purpose of this visit is to examine the museum’s specimens from Abbey Wood. In addition David Ward will bring some shark and fish specimens.

Meet in the foyer at 10.30am. There will be a break for lunch at approximately 12.30pm.

This visit is restricted to 8 attendees (TRG members only) due to security and space restrictions. Details of all attendees have to be given to the museum well in advance so please book your place early and at least 2 weeks before the visit (ring Mike Lowe 01243 543572).

Saturday 17^th March AGM at 81 Crofton Lane, Orpington, Kent.
Hosts: David and Alison Ward

All TRG members are welcome to the Annual General Meeting. Please bring any interesting, spectacular or unidentified finds from the previous year.

Arrive from 12.30 pm onwards. The formal meeting starts at 2 pm. Cold food will be available from 1pm; hot food and drink for those attending the AGM from about 4 p.m. Nearest railway station: Petts Wood - 15mins.

For further details, contact David Ward (landline: 01689 871 565, mobile: 07971 567 325).

The date of this meeting may change. If you wish to attend, it is essential that you telephone David Ward to confirm.

Saturday May 5th Field Meeting to Bognor Regis, West Sussex and TRG Summer BBQ
Director: David Bone

A chance to examine the London Clay at Bognor Regis. Exposures are sporadic but hopefully there will be plenty to examine and at least get an idea of the stratigraphy of the site for future reference.

The visit will be preceded by the TRG Summer BBQ at the kind invitation of David and Anne Bone at 4 Kensington Road, Chichester PO19 7XR (01243 788474; david@dajbone.plus.com) at 12 noon. All TRG Members are welcome, provided that you notify David and Anne at least 10 days before the event so that the correct number of attendees can be catered for.

For the field visit, meet at 3pm at the Aldwick end of the promenade where the beach huts end, by the sailing club (SZ 922 985). Low tide around 5.10pm.

Waterproof boots are recommended on the foreshore. Hammers will be needed if you intend to attempt demolition of some Bognor Rock for the fossils.

Saturday June 2nd Bawdsey and Sutton, Suffolk.
Director: Bob Markham

The main objective is to examine the London Clay exposed at low tide at Bawdsey, there are also Red Crag deposits to examine in the cliff. However, Bob suggested we visit the Sutton site first to examine Pliocene deposits and the new plantation of tree species which are survivors from that time period.

Low tide at Bawdsey is at 4.33pm

Meet at 10.30 a.m. at the car park on the east side of the B1083 Woodbridge to Bawdsey Road approx. 1.5 miles south of Sutton Hoo [TM 306 475].

Joint visit with the Suffolk Natural History Society and the Essex Rock and Mineral Society.

London clay exposed on the foreshore can be very slippery, so please wear suitable footwear.

Saturday 15th September Field Meeting and Workshop to Hordle, near Lymington, Hampshire.
Director: Volunteer please!

This is an interesting site where the Totland Member (Headon Hill Formation, late Eocene) can be examined. There is evidence of more scouring out at the base of the cliffs recently and it seems timely for the TRG to re-appraise the site. We should be able to relate the stratigraphy to the excellent paper produced by N Edwards and B Daley (1997). Mollusc, fish, reptile and mammal remains can be found here.

Meet at 10.30am at Taddiford Gap car park [SZ 261 923]. You will need coins for the car park meter.

Access to the beach can be slightly challenging after extensive rainfall and Wellington boots are recommended.

Digging tools, sieves (down to 0.5mm) and sediment bags/buckets will be needed for collecting vertebrate remains.

Sunday 7th October Abbey Wood, Kent.
Director: Jerry Hooker

This trip continues to be the most popular of recent years, with individuals and extended families taking the opportunity to dig and sieve the richly fossiliferous early Eocene Blackheath shell bed.

Attendance requires all participants to retain and search all material over 0.5mm. Participants may keep all they find, with the exception of reptile, bird and mammal remains, which should be brought to the Director’s attention. Please bring a digging tool, a large bucket or bowl, bags and your own set of graded sieves.
Water for wet sieving and a few sieves should be available. Meet at 12.00 a.m. at the excavation within the woods. Abbey Wood station is within walking distance. Drivers please park on Abbey Road (the B213), not in the woods.
As previously, we must hire a mechanical digger. This is a costly undertaking, so it is hoped that all active participants will make an appropriate donation, in the order of £20 (Members) and £25 (Guests). Without this voluntary donation we would not be able to afford this excavation.