130
PRESENTATION TO MR. WILLIAM COLE.
Forest. He worked with consummate knowledge in bringing about the arrange-
ments for establishing a beautiful collection of objects and so arranged the
specimens as to make them most valuable, not only for pleasure, but also for the
teaching of those who visit the Forest.
I may say on behalf of the Verderers that they are delighted to testify to the
great work accomplished by Mr. Cole.
Knowing (as I do) the Corporation of the City of London and its Epping
Forest Committee, I am sure they will cordially join with me in expressing their
admiration for the important work so admirably carried out by Mr. Cole, and
would thank him for the educational advantages bestowed on this neighbourhood
and the County, if not the country at large.
Mr. W.Whitaker, F.R.S., said when he saw the proposal that a dinner should
be given to Mr. Cole, his brothers, and his sisters, it seemed to him a very nice
idea. Mr. Cole did not want it all for himself— (laughter)—but he wanted his
relations and friends to join him. He (Mr. Whitaker) had been a lonely man :
that was to say he never had brothers or sisters and never understood what use
brothers and sisters were, but he began to understand it now. He wished he
had had brothers and sisters: he should have got them to do his work for him
(Laughter'.
The Essex Field Club was a natural history society which had the whole of a
large county to itself. That meant that it had a wide range for its work, but it
also meant that it had great responsibility. That Club had to encourage the
scientific work of a large county, and it had done it well so far, largely through
the steady work of their good friend Mr. Cole. That it would continue to work,
he did not doubt. He looked forward to a long life of the Club with Mr. Cole
as secretary, and to a still longer life when most of them had gone, as they must
all go.
Mr. Horace B. Woodward eulogised the work of Mr. Cole, and said that
the publications of the Essex Field Club were the most interesting and the best-
edited published by any of the Field Clubs. He sympathised heartily with this
acknowledgment of the great services that Mr. Cole had rendered.
Mr. John Spiller, speaking as one of the original members of the Club,
heartily endorsed all that had been said with regard to their indebtedness to their
founder, Mr. Cole, and the members of the family who had so heartily supported
him in the endeavour to spread the knowledge of science amongst those who had,
in that glorious county, so many opportunities of studying nature at first hand.
Mr. Wilfred Mark Webb, Hon. Sec. of the Selborne Society, said his
Society very cordially accepted Mr. Christy's invitation to take part in
honouring Mr. Cole. He pointed out the fact that Mr. Cole had given
hundreds of people great pleasure by his work in the county.
The Chairman: On your behalf, ladies and gentlemen, I have now pleasure
in handing Mr. William Cole the following address:—
To Mr. WILLIAM COLE, F.L.S., &c.,
Hon. Sec. Essex Field Club,
Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
We, whose names are appended, desire to express to you our very warm
appreciation of the scientific, educational and other public work in which you have
been engaged for many years,