54 



In Memoria?n — Robert Law. 



almost compelling, and he soon extended his labours to Bacup, 

 Halifax, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield, Oldham, Rochdale, 

 and other towns. He was very, successful in passing 

 his pupils ; in exciting in them a lively interest in Geology, 

 and in winning their enthusiastic regard. 



The following appreciation by an old student, Mr. F. 

 Dewhirst, may prove of interest. (Todmonien Advertiser, 

 3rd January, 1908) : — 



' Though more years have passed than one cares to remember since on r 

 " evening-school " days, how vividly has Mr. Law's personality remained, 

 despite new scenes and impressions ! What a potent force there was in 

 our old geology teacher to draw us week after week to his fascinating 

 discourses couched in such forceful, homely phrases. 



Not even the glamour of Mr. Abm. Crossley's electrical wonders, or 

 Mr. Stenhouse's chemical marvels, or even the absorbing dissections of 

 Mr. Langstreth, could for long draw us away from " rocks and fossils." 

 Irreverent we were and lacking in obedience to constituted authority, 

 but somehow Mr. Law could claim even our wandering attention. Well 

 we knew how laboriously our teacher had toiled to acquire the knowledge 

 he was so generously giving to us ; how even the odd moments at the looms 

 had been utilised through an open text-book in the cop basket. 



But best remembered of all are the field excursions — when equipped 

 with hammers and chisels, we wandered forth in the search of treasures 

 new. No geological feature was ever allowed to pass without a careful 

 description. Mr. Law knew all the hunting grounds. He knew where the 

 flints could be found above Wardleworth ; where the lingula bed was in 

 Green's Clough ; where the best finds could be made in the shale pile at 

 Cloughfoot ; where the encrinites were at Clitheroe ; and could guide us 

 along the " way " of the glaciers on the moors on the Blackstone edge side. 

 And when we made a " find," how patient he would be about our often 

 absurd identifications. 



Our greatest treat was to be asked to go to his home on the hill above 

 Walsden Church (Hollingworth, I believe), to see his geological collection. 

 What wonders he showed us ! How lovingly he handled his specimens ! 

 And how generously he shared his duplicates ! And, last of all, he would 

 show us his Canadian collection, and tell us of his trip with the British 

 Association, and (culminating joy ! ) give us a wee fragment of that most 

 ancient of fossils — Eozoon Canadense. 



Never while memory lasts can we forget " Bob " Law, and justly and 

 well may he be called the " High Miller " of these mountains and valleys 

 of ours.' 



He now diligently worked out the sequence of the rocks of 

 Walsden and the surrounding district, and constructed sections 

 and diagrams thereof before any of the geological maps came 

 under his notice, at the same time collecting and studying the 

 local fossils. 



He began to extend his visits to more distant fields. One 

 of his earlier favourite districts was Derbyshire, where he 

 collected Carboniferous Limestone fossils, and where, at a later 

 date, he discovered at Matlock Bath a cave containing bones 

 of extinct mammalia, and is said to have found the first remains 



Katurallst, 



