Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 5
Final Years
Abstract Visit by Professor Kendall to Harmer in his late 80s and their concern
about the loss of geological field sites due to increasing man-made activities.
Reference to Harmer's last two outstanding published works: a map of Pleistocene
boulder-clay types and erratic trails, and a monograph on Pliocene mollusca.
History of the Crag Sea, Doggerland, mollusca as indicators of past climatic
conditions and the re-classification of the Red Crag in the geological table.
Keywords Geological field sites
Boulder-clay
Erratics
Pliocene
Pleistocene
Mollusca
East Anglian Crags
Crag Sea
Doggerland
Following his father's death in 1923, Sir Sidney Harmer when writing to a col-
league stated:
In his later years my father had been cut off from his scientific friends, but it was always a
satisfaction to him to know that his work was appreciated. His work was practically
completed, because although there is still something to be published by the Palaeonto-
graphical Society he had passed for press the Part which is to appear in due course, and he
had completed the MSS, with one Plate, of what he had intended to be actually the final
instalment [Volume II, 1925]. His scientific work was a great resource to him, and he was
engaged with it almost to the end.
Thus Harmer in his late eighties would have been pleased that in the summer of
1922 one of his esteemed colleagues, the geologist Professor Percy Kendall
(1856-1936) made 'a long desired visit to my old friend, F.W. Harmer. I found
him in delicate health, as was not surprising in view of the fact that he was then in
his 88th year'. Harmer was particularly happy to meet his friend again as earlier
Kendall had handed over the results of his own research on Waltonian Red Crag
fauna to Harmer with regard to his friend's work on the same formation at the
Little Oakley site.
Indeed, one of the subjects that arose during their conversation was the
increasing loss of geological field sites; Kendall remarked that increased industrial
activities for road-making and building materials, especially the concentration of
