135 
XI. 
Notes on the Geological Position of the Human Skeleton 
LATELY FOUND AT THE TlLBURY DOCKS, ESSEX. 1 
By T. Y. Holmes, F.G.S., M.A.I. 
[Read February 23rd, 1884.] 
[Owing to the publication of Sir Richard Owen’s book,— 
‘ Antiquity of Man as deduced from the Discovery of a Human 
Skeleton during the Excavations of the East and West India 
Dock-Extension at Tilbury, North Bank of the Thames.’ By 
Sir Richard Owen, K.C.B., E.R.S., &c. London (Van Voorst), 
[August], 1884,—it is deemed fitting to print this paper 
somewhat in advance of its order of date.— Ed.] 
Most members of the Essex Field Club must have been 
interested in learning that a human skeleton has lately been 
found in the Tilbury Dock excavations, and placed in the 
hands of Sir Richard Owen. On the publication by the Royal 
Society of Sir Richard Owen’s paper [now printed as men¬ 
tioned above.— Ed.] , we shall be in full possession of the 
anatomical details of this skeleton, which the brief newspaper 
reports now available show to be a remarkable one. I need 
hardly say that my own remarks will bear upon the geological 
interest of the strata in which the Tilbury man was found, 
and their evidence as to his age, not upon his anatomical 
peculiarities. 
Tilbury Docks are being excavated in the most recent 
alluvium of the Thames Valley. But as this statement may 
not in itself suffice to give a clear view of the geological 
position of the Tilbury skeleton to the non-geologist, a brief 
1 Some additional details obtained since this paper was read are 
incorporated. The conclusions, however, are unaltered. ee the note 
at the end for the latest remarks. 
