116 



]:>heriisa, as they were over before he visited their locality. 

 During a Tiionth they had experienced only two storms in Sicily. 



JULY 5th, 1913. 



Field Meeting at Westerham. 



Conductor. — Robert Adkin, F.E.S. 



Just twenty-three years ago the Society held a Field Meeting at 

 Westerham for the first time. On that occasion the late John T. 

 Carrington, than whom few were better acquainted with the 

 neighbourhood, or more capable as a leader, conducted the party. 

 The morning had been vei-y wet, but that did not prevent twenty- 

 four members venturing on the trip ; and although on their arrival 

 they found the whole place so saturated as to make collecting 

 almost out of the question, enough was seen of the promising 

 nature of the surrounding country to induce the holding of two 

 further field meetings there within the following three years. 



Since that time the Society has frequently visited the locality, 

 their activities on some occasions extending over the wooded 

 commons to the South of the town, known locally as " Charts," 

 and at others to the chalk downs to the north, all good collecting 

 grounds ; and those of our members who have not yet explored 

 them, and wish to gain a rough idea of the district, will find it 

 described on referring to the " Proceedings " for 1905-6, page 42. 



On the present occasion the route taken was by the footpath 

 entering Squerryes Park, near the ponds, to Crockham Hill 

 Common ; and although the public are allowed to use this path at 

 will, they are not permitted to stray from it. However, the owner 

 of the park, the Hon. Mrs. Warde, on being informed of our 

 proposed field-meeting, very kindly gave her permission for the 

 members to wander as far as they pleased within the confines of 

 the park, a liberty that was much appreciated ; but what was our 

 surprise on entering the path to find her factor awaiting us with an 

 invitation to view the private grounds, and it need hardly be said 

 that it was readily accepted by all present. We were accordingly 

 conducted through the delightful old time gardens, by the house 

 where General Wolfe, the hero of Quebec, was wont to spend much 

 of his leisure.^ We were shown the spot where he stood when he 



1 The house where General Wolfe was born stands at the farther end of 

 the town from the park, the one where he afterwards lived being opposite to it, 

 and now kept as a Museum of Wolfe relics; he was, however, a frequent visitor 

 at Squerryes Court. 



