﻿Vol. 64. J ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT. Ixvii 



that capacity, resided for twelve years at Allenheads, and introduced 

 great improvements both in Allendale and Weardale, which he was 

 enabled to do through the enlightened policy of the owner of the 

 mines, who was ever anxious to promote the education, recreation, 

 and general welfare of the mine-workers.^ 



John Eeancis Walker was born at York on November 25th, 1839. 

 He began the study of geology and chemistry at the age of 18, when 

 he went to the Eoyal Agricultural College at Cirencester, whence 

 in 1863 he proceeded with an open scholarship in Natural Science 

 to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. Three years later he was 

 bracketed first in the Natural Science Tripos, and took his degree in 

 the following year. It was in the same year (1867) that he was 

 elected into the Geological Society. Por a time he continued in 

 residence at Cambridge, superintending the laboratory-teaching of 

 his college, until he went to Germany for the purpose of enlarging 

 his chemical training. Though he qualified as a barrister he never 

 went into the actual practice of the law. His tastes were now so 

 thoroughly linked with scientific studies, that in 1878 he returned 

 to Cambridge and remained as Natural Science Lecturer there until 

 1882. After his marriage and a second sojourn in Germany at the 

 University of Bonn, he returned to his native city, where he spent 

 the rest of his life. 



During his second residence at Cambridge, though he devoted 

 himself mainly to the teaching of chemistry, his great deliglit was 

 to gather the geological students round him, to aid them in their 

 collections with encouragement and gifts, to help them with advice 

 and stimulus, and to extend to them the privilege of his friendship. 

 Most of the geological students of that date at the University owe 

 him a debt which, though difficult to express in words, will always 

 keep his memory green among them. 



His earliest geological efforts were given to the investigation of the 

 fauna of the Lower Cretaceous phosphatic deposits of Cambridge- 

 shire and Bedfordshire, and more particularly to the brachiopoda. 

 From these days (1866-1868) onward his chief occupation was the 

 collecting of Mesozoic brachiopoda from all parts of the world, for 

 purposes of comparison and study. He thus became one of the most 

 accomplished palEeontologists in that department of the science. 

 He published little, but his rich collections and his ample store of 

 knowledge were always at the service of other workers. These 

 ^ This notice has been supplied by Mr. H. B. Woodward. 



