210 THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
he said, were "dole-hutches." The adjoining cottage, also of Tudor
date, was originally the schoolmaster's residence.
The recently acquired Astronomical Observatory, a gift to the School
from a local doctor, was next inspected. Mr. Owen's private collection
of skins of British and Canadian Hawks and Owls was also exhibited
and generously presented as a whole to the Club's museum.
Tea was taken in the garden of the Old School House, the party being
the guests of the School Scientific Society for the occasion.
After tea, the visitors were received by the Headmaster, who conducted
them personally through the various buildings : the Hall, the Dining
Hall, the Library, the Swimming Bath, Engineers' workshop, various
classrooms, dormitories, etc., being in turn inspected by the appreciative 
guests.
In the Museum, the last building visited, a formal meeting of the
Club was held, with Miss G. Lister, F.L.S., vice-president, in the chair,
when the Misses Daisy and Emma Hawes, of 43, Palmerston Road, Buck-
hurst Hill, were elected members ; and the warm thanks of the party were
accorded to the various conductors, especially to the Headmaster, Mr.
J. H. Owen, the Rev. E. J. Robson, Mr. E. H. Lockwood and Mr. J. R. E.
Howard, for their kindly services.
A visit to the School Chapel, and a further short botanical ramble,
had perforce to be omitted from the programme owing to the lateness
of the hour.
At 7.15 o'clock the return drive homewards was made, via Chelmsford
and Ongar. Unfortunately, a breakdown of the motor coach some
three miles short of Ongar led to a delay of over one hour, while an emer-
gency charabanc was being obtained from Ongar. This in turn punctured,
fortunately not until within a mile of Loughton station, so that the
stranded wayfarers were able to board a passing omnibus and at long last
reach their homes.
VISIT TO ROCHFORD AND DISTRICT (645TH MEETING).
SATURDAY, 15TH SEPTEMBER, 1928.
This visit was organised and conducted by Mr. Laurence S. Harley,
its principal object being to inspect some of the more interesting buildings
in the neighbourhood : opportunity also offered to collect botanical and
other natural history specimens during the field path walks between the
various objectives.
The party, numbering over 30 members, assembled at Prittlewell
station at 11.30 o'clock, and proceeded to the remains of the Priory, now
occupied by the Corporation of Southend as a museum. Here, in the
unavoidable absence of the Curator (our member, Mr. W. Pollitt), his
deputy, Mr. Ninnis, met the party and led the way through the various
portions of the building, the history of which he recounted with evident
familiarity. The Priory was founded by Cluniac monks about the year
noo a.d., and remained in their possession until the Dissolution of the
smaller monasteries in 1536, after which it was in private ownership
until recent years, when it and the magnificent park which surrounds