William Boyd Dawkins the Victorian Science of Cave Hunting by Mark White

Author:Mark White [White, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, Adventurers & Explorers, Social Science, Archaeology
ISBN: 9781473823358
Google: LL-wDQAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2016-11-30T00:24:54+00:00

The British Association Goes to Creswell, August 1879

Mello and Dawkins read their paper on Mother Grundy’s Parlour before the Geological Society of London on 11 June 1879. They were back at Creswell six weeks later, on Saturday 23 August 1879, leading a field excursion for the 49th Annual Meeting of the BAAS in Sheffield. The excursion turned out to be quite a jamboree event, The Derbyshire Times for 30 August painting this picture of the spectacle:

‘The party which went to Cresswell Crags on Saturday had a most enjoyable and instructive outing. It was originally intended to limit the party to 100, but the known picturesqueness of the chosen locality induced such a plentitude of applications that the Committee of Management decided to extend the number. The excursionists left Victoria Station at Noon in a special train comprising several saloon carriages. The arrangements of Professor W. Boyd Dawkins, M.A., F.R.S., and the Rev. J. Magens Mello, M.A., F.G.S, the directors were all that could be desired. Arrived at Cresswell, a walk brought the party to the Board Schools, where luncheon was partaken of. They then wended their way to the Crags, and on arrival there all were charmed with the lovely spot, which on the programme was correctly described as “a romantic glen in the Permian rocks. On both sides, towering far above the head of the spectator, are the crags, grand in all their ruggedness, and rich in all that the geologist holds dear, while between them runs a winding stream. Shortly after arriving at the crags, Professor Dawkins delivered a short speech, in which he referred to the formation of the glen and its general characteristics. This formed a sort of introduction to a geological address by the Rev. J.M. Mello, who dealt in detail with the foundation of the scheme for the working of the caves in the crags and the discoveries that have been made. The Pin Hole, Robin Hood’s cave, and Church Hole were then severally visited. In these and other caves in the Crags the Rev. Mr Mello has discovered numerous Romano-British remains, and also abundant traces of the occupation of the caverns by hyaenas, whose varied prey consisted of the mammoth, rhinoceros, bison, reindeer, horse, and many other animals. The rude implements and the works of man were also frequent. The caves were lighted by candles and the magnesium light, and the view presented was a very pleasing one. The digging out of “Mother Grundy’s Parlour”, one of the caves, was shown, and the party were also afforded an opportunity of witnessing “cave hunting”. At five o’clock they returned to the school room at Cresswell, where dinner was partaken of, and the directors were accorded the hearty thanks of those who, under their guidance had spent a thoroughly delightful day. The party returned to Sheffield at 7.15” (see figures 5.7-5.8).

Figure 5.7: Reconstruction of Creswell Crags showing a naked human hunter stalking a reindeer, by Rowe. Robin Hood Cave maybe shown in the background, with

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