62
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB
THE 271st ORDINARY MEETING.
Saturday, March 6th, 1909.
The fourth meeting of the Winter Session, was held in the Physical
Lecture Theatre of the Municipal Technical Institute, Stratford, at six o'clock. Mr.
Miller Christy, F.L.S., and afterwards Mr. J. C. Shenstone, F.L.S., in the chair.
New Members.—The following were elected :—
Mr. Robert Atkin, F.E.S., Member of the Entomological Club, 4,
Lingard's Road, Lewisham, S.E.
Miss L. A. Benson, 67, Park Avenue, Barking.
Miss M. A. Clark, 13, Stanhope Road, Walthamstow.
Mr. Charles Oldham, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., Essex House, Wellington Road,
Watford.
Nominations of Members of Council and Officers.—These were made
in the usual form, in anticipation of the Annual Meeting.
Prehistoric Deposit at Loughton.—Mr. Hazzledine Warren, F.G.S.,
exhibited some specimens from Loughton, discovered during excavations for
making a storm-water drain in December, 1908. Mr. Warren made some
extended remarks on the specimens, which will be published in the Essex
Naturalist, and he presented specimens to the Club for preservation in the
Museum.
Mr. F. W. Reader said that the pottery seemed to be similar to that found
in the Forest Camps, preserved in the Forest Museum at Chingford.
Charcoal Burning in Epping Forest.—Mr. Warren also exhibited some
lantern slides from photographs, of his own taking, of the industry of charcoal
burning now being carried out in the Forest. Mr. Warren put forward a theory
as to the formation of "Hut-Circles" in connection with the erection of the
primitive huts made by the burners to live in while at work in the woods. Mr.
Warren's observations will form the subject of a short paper in a future part of
our journal.
Remarks were made by Mr. Christy on this ancient industry, and of the
prevalence of "Place-Names" in various parishes in Essex connected with it.1
Papers Read.—Mr. William Whitaker, F.R.S., read a paper giving
further Well-sections in continuation of his papers already published in the
Transactions and Essex Naturalist. The paper brings up the number of
well-sections recorded to 420, with a few yet to come in.
Remarks were made by the Chairman and others.
Mr. Francis W. Reader read "Remarks on a Bone Object found at
Braintree, Essex, and comparison of similar specimens found elsewhere." Mr.
Reader showed some photographs of these curious objects, and specimens, some
of which he presented to the club. The original object was found by the Rev.
J. W. Kenworthy some years ago, and presented by him to the Club.
Remarks were made by Mr. Shenstone, F.L.S., Mr. E. T. Newton, F.R.S.,
and the other, and votes of thanks were passed to the readers of papers and for
the donations to the Museum.
1 Reference may be made to Mr. Dymond's paper on "Charcoal Burning in Essex," in The
Essex Naturalist, vol. xiii., pp. 240-243, and to the same writer's account of the subject in
The Victoria History of the Comity of Essex, vol. ii., pp. 447-450. Both these papers have
illustrations of the work of the burners and their huts. See also a communication on Charcoal
Burning in Epping Forest in 1879, made by Mr. Christy at the meeting of the Club on
April 20th, 1907 (E.N., vol. xv., p. 46). Mr. Christy on this occasion presented to the Forest
Museum a framed copy of an engraving depicting the scene, taken from the Illustrated
London News of November 8th, 1879.—Ed.