Southampton Mineral & Fossil Society Meetings Programme 2018
Unless otherwise advised all evening meetings take
place on the third Tuesday of each month at The
Friends' Meeting House, Ordnance Road, Southampton
beginning at 19:30. Entry is by the side door on the
left hand side of the building. Parking is on the road
outside and charges apply until 20:00.
Directions from Google Maps UK can be accessed from
here
Venue map. Refreshments are served at
meetings, after our activities, and we usually finish
between 21:30 and 22:00.
At most evening meetings there will usually be
a "Members' Display" of rock, mineral & fossil specimens
(or any other related material) bought along and displayed by the members
on a theme loosely related to the evening activity.
There are sometimes specimens
for sale, and for free, at some meetings.
Guests are very welcome to come along to any evening
meeting as a visitor to meet SMFS and the members
before considering joining the Society.
Download the complete SMFS Programme for 2018 (PDF
file).
You can also download an ICS calendar file for import into your electronic calendar SMFS iCalendar for 2018
(ICS file).
Pyrope variety of garnet.
January
Tuesday 16th January 2018
SMFS Annual General Meeting followed by the
"Recenseo Annus for 2017",
Gary Morse reviews the previous SMFS year in pictures,
words and humour!
Annual subscriptions are
due and can be paid on the evening.
Members' Display: Your favourite finds & acquisitions from 2017.
Quartz variety amethyst.
February
Tuesday 20th February 2018
The popular Annual SMFS photographic competition. Prizes for best
photographic print in five different categories and the
Philip Bampton trophy for the overall best photograph
judged by the members present.
Members' Display: None this month.
Beryl variety aquamarine.
March
Tuesday 20th March 2018
"Minerals of the Bible" Presentation by Nick Hawes,
Chairman of Sussex Mineral & Lapidary Society https://www.smls.online
Members' Display: Minerals mentioned in the Bible. A chance to do some research.
Diamond in matrix.
April
Tuesday 17th April 2018
"Rocks and Radiation" Presentation by Dr Mike Fowler,
Reader in Geochemistry, University of Portsmouth.
Mike's biography.
Members' Display: Rock specimens but no radioactives!
Sunday 29th April 2018
Field Trip: Eype, Dorset, fossil and mineral collecting.
low tide 12:35, meet at Eype Mouth at 09:30 to 10:00.
Eype fossils information on UK Fossils.
Eype minerals information on Mindat.
See the Field Trip Secretary for more details.
Beryl variety emerald.
May
Tuesday 15th May 2018
"Geological History of the South West of England" Presentation by Alan Holiday,
Chairman of the Dorset Geologists' Association Group.
Dorset Geologists' Association Group.
Members' Display: Dorset minerals, rocks and fossils.
Thursday 17th to Monday 21st May 2018
Long weekend Field Trip to Cornwall based in the Liskeard area.
Mineral sites should include Restormel Iron Mine, Herodsfoot Mine,
Holmbush Mine. Fossils at Maer Cliff, Bude. Further details including
confirmation of sites from the Field Trip Secretary. Numbers are limited.
Orthoclase feldspar variety moonstone.
June
Tuesday 19th June 2018
"Sophie the Stegosaurus" Presentation by
Dr Susannah Maidment, Department of Earth Sciences,
Natural History Museum, London.
Members' Display: Minerals and Fossils from North America.
Corundum variety ruby.
July
Tuesday 17th July 2018
"Dinosaurs and their Bowels!" Presentation by
Dr Jeremy Lockwood, Chair of The Friends of Dinosaur Isle,
and researcher at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences,
Portsmouth University.
The Friends of Dinosaur Isle.
Members' Display: Fossils and minerals from the Isle of Wight.
Olivine variety peridot.
August
Sunday 5th August 2018
Field Trip: Mendips, a walk round the ancient lead and zinc mining areas
looking at the history and industrial archaeology with Gary Morse.
Meeting at Smitham, contact Gary for more details.
Tuesday 21sth August 2018
Our Annual Swap & Sale Evening. Bring along any specimens,
books or equipment for sale, swap or even give away.
A great opportunity to clear your shed or add to your collection.
No Members' display this month.
Corundum variety sapphire.
September
Saturday 1st September 2018
Hampshire Mineral & Fossil Show, 10:00 - 16:30,
Lyndhurst Community Centre, Lyndhurst, Hants. A day not
to be missed. Further details on the Show can be
obtained HERE.
Tuesday 18th September 2018
"The Dinosaurs of Crystal Palace, and a
world of spin-off illustrations" Presentation
by our Chairman, Phil James.
Members' Display: The always popular dinosaur fossils and memorabilia!
Date to be confirmed in September 2018
Field Trip: The Prehistoric Animals of Waterhouse Hawkins
in the Crystal Palace Park, south London, plus another
surprise venue! Please see Phil for more details.
Opal.
October
Tuesday 16th October 2018
Presentation on one of the most common minerals "Quartz" by
our Secretary Gary Morse and always with a bit of chemistry thrown in.
Members' Display: Quartz varieties. There are very many examples of crystalline
and cryptocrystalline quartz, how many can we get?
Topaz.
November
Saturday 3rd November 2018
Festival of Geology. The annual Geologists' Association
event at University College London. More information:
http://www.geologistsassociation.org.uk/festival.html
Saturday 17th November 2018
Sussex Mineral Show, Clair Hall, Haywards Heath, West
Sussex, 10:00 - 16:30.
More information:
www.smls.online/show
A date to be confirmed in November 2018
"Blast from the Past" at Dinosaur Isle, Sandown,
Isle of Wight. Society members to have display tables on one
of the two days. More information:
http://www.dinosaurisle.com
Tuesday 20th November 2018
"On the Origin of Species in Forty-Five Minutes!"
Presentation by Dr Neil Gostling, Senior Teaching Fellow in
Evolutionary-developmental Biology at Southampton University.
Neil's biography
Members' Display: Minerals and fossils from South America.
Turquoise.
December
Tuesday 18th December 2018
After sixteen years a change to the end of year meeting.
Instead of the "Recenseo Annus",
we shall be having an informal Fun Quiz with
Christmas nibbles. Time to put your thinking heads on as
we will be asking questions about what went on in 2018,
that will keep you awake at meetings.
Members' Display: Your favourite Minerals and Fossils from 2018.