THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 303
The Secretary said that he had received a letter from the City Solicitor,
stating that the Epping Forest Committee had referred the matter of the
plans for the refitting the Museum to Mr. Buxton and the Superintendent of
the Forest, to meet him (the Secretary) and make a final agreement. He
would in accordance with this request confer with Mr. McKenzie, and lay the
plans which had been accepted that afternoon before him, and report at
the next meeting.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Buxton for presiding at the meeting was proposed
by Mr. Walter Crouch, and seconded by Mr. W. Cole, who referred to the
great interest and support which Mr. Buxton had given to the idea of the
Museum and to the restoration of the Lodge for many years past.
The vote was carried by acclamation, and in reply Mr. Buxton commended
the support of the Fund to their neighbours who would be benefitted by the
restored Lodge and the Museum.
THE 199th ORDINARY MEETING.
Saturday, December 15th, 1900.
This meeting was held at half-past six in the Physical Lecture Theatre of
the Institute, Mr. D. Howard, President, in the chair.
The following were elected members of the Club :—Mr. Henry C. Norris
and Mr. Robert E. Seabrook.
The President asked for an expression of opinion as to the most conveni-
ent hour for the winter scientific meetings, whether 6, 6.30 or 7 p.m. On
being put to the vote, 6.30 was chosen. In the future, therefore, there will
be the usual service of light refreshment in the Tea-room at 5.30, and the
Ordinary Meetings will commence at 6.30 p.m.
A pencil drawing of Old Bow Bridge, made just before its demolition,
was exhibited by Mr. Walter Crouch, which had been lent to him by his old
friend, the Rev. G. Townshend Duffield, Rector of Bow from 1844 to 1880, or
over 36 years, when he accepted another Brazenose living in Northampton-
shire. The drawing, of large folio size, was made for him by his nephew,
Mr. Duffield, now of Liverpool, and depicts the ancient structure from the
south-east bank of the River Lea on the Essex side. Mr. Crouch remarked
that it was certainly the best view of the Bridge he had ever seen ; and shows
well the massive starlings and buttresses, with the iron stanchions which had
been inserted to keep the Bridge from bulging, and also to strengthen the
north side which had to bear the thrust-strain of a wooden footway which
was in part supported by cantalivers of wood fixed on the starlings on that
side.
The river-side of the "Bombay Grab" is wall shown, a quaint old inn on
the Middlesex bank with a tier of three large bay windows. This house was
pulled down when the New Granite Bridge of one span (which cost £12,000)
was erected under Sir John Rennie in 1837-39, during which period the traffic
was served by a temporary wooden bridge constructed in 1835.