Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
'one of the few English geologists with ideas on the grand scale',
led to requests for him to lecture around the world. In 1930 he
was an exchange professor in Switzerland, in 1931 he toured
Finland extensively, and in 1932 was invited to give the presti-
gious Lowell Lecture Series in the United States. In the same
three-year period he published no fewer than twenty-one papers
on his research, which he typed himself on an upright type-
writer, and updated the second editions of his two topics on
petrology. As well as fulfilling his normal teaching duties he
served on several committees, including one to investigate the
age of the Earth. By anyone's standards, particularly in the days
before air travel and computers when everything progressed
much more slowly, Holmes was a busy man. With only one other
lecturer to help him in the department, it was not unreasonable
that he put in a request for extra assistance.
In January 1933, at a meeting of the Joint Board Appointed to
Administer the Departments of Science and Education in
Durham, the head of the Science department proposed, 'That
the time has arrived for considering the necessity of increasing
the sta¬ of the Geological Department'. He submitted details
indicating the excessive amount of work falling upon Professor
Holmes and Dr Hopkins and suggested an addition to the sta¬
of a lecturer in geology. Within a month permission to appoint
the lecturer was forthcoming and a special sub-committee
was set up to advertise the post, consider applications and rec-
ommend a selection for interview. In the latter connection the
sub-committee was empowered to invite Professor Holmes to
act in consultation. No fewer than thirty-seven people applied
for the post, and amongst them was Doris Reynolds. Three were
invited for interview, and amongst them was Doris Reynolds.
With Holmes advising the selection committee it was hardly sur-
prising that she got the job. On the 17th of October 1933 Doris
Reynolds was installed on the opposite side of Arthur Holmes'
large desk - ostensibly because there was no room for her
elsewhere in the department.
