THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
187
5 o'clock, following which a formal meeting of the Club was held, with
Mr. R. Paulson, acting president, in the chair.
The Honorary Secretary read a letter from the President, who ex-
pressed his regret not to be able to be present with the party, and stated
that he was progressing satisfactorily towards complete recovery.
Miss Edith A. Robin, of 27, Claremont Road, Forest Gate, was elected
a Member of the Club.
The Chairman proposed the thanks of those present to our three
conductors, which were cordially given.
Mr. Wrigley replied for himself and his colleagues, and made some
comments upon the nature of the fossil contents of the local London Clay.
After a stroll through the town the 7.9 o'clock train back to town was
caught, and a very pleasant and interesting day's excursion brought to
a close.
VISIT TO KELVEDON (597TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 23RD MAY, 1925.
Favoured by good weather, a party of thirty members visited this small
old-world town on the above date, in response to a kind invitation from
Miss Nina F. Layard, F.L.S., F.S.A., to visit her at "Dowches," and to
inspect her private museum of pre-historic implements.
The visitors travelled by train leaving Liverpool Street at 10.47 o'clock,
arriving at Kelvedon at 12.22, and at once proceeded to "Dowches";
here they were cordially welcomed by Miss Layard and Miss Outram,
who conducted them round the beautiful garden, which contains some fine
timber, including Cedrus atlantica, Deciduous Cypress, Larch, Flowering
Ash, Tulip Tree, and a magnificent Beech.
Lunch was taken in the garden, after which the visitors proceeded
to the Museum, where Miss Layard and Miss Outram described the various
specimens to groups of interested listeners, and Miss Layard described
in fascinating manner some of her personal adventures and discoveries
in East Anglia and on the Continent while in pursuit of her treasures.
Particularly interesting and convincing was her demonstration of the
working of special finger-grips on certain flint implements found by
herself in Suffolk.
At 2.30 o'clock the party was joined by Mr. C. R. L. Farran. the
master of the Kelvedon Boys' School, and under his guidance the visitors
entered upon a botanical ramble in the neighbourhood of the village; but
first a visit was paid to the parish church of St. Mary the Virgin, where
the party was received by the Vicar, the Rev. R. W. Croft (formerly of
St. Osyth, and a friend of our late Founder), who gave a brief architectural
description of the building. The Early English nave-arcades, especially
the north arcade of circa 1230, with its capitals of stiff-leaved foliage,
were much admired. Mr. Croft exhibited the church plate, comprising
a silver chalice dated 1562, and a silver paten, also of 16th century date,
having an engraved Tudor rose on the base of the stem.
In the Register, the botanists of the party were interested to read
the record of the burial on April 27th, 1887, of Ezekiel George Varenne,