THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 161 
day.’’ Halting before some dwarf Hollies, which had been eaten off to a 
rounded outline by the deer, Mr. Buxton demonstrated how easily the 
depredations of these forest animals could be controlled, and a ‘“‘ leader ’”’ 
allowed to develop, by the simple expedient of thrusting a stout stick vertic- 
ally into the centre of the bush, which served as a protection from these 
browsing animals. 
Crossing the golf links in “‘ Thames Valley,” the party made its way 
to Epping Thicks, where two of the three larger unpollarded hornbeams 
of this part of the Forest were inspected with interest, and their girths at 
three feet from the ground taken, these being respectively, 5ft. 4in., and 
5ft. roin. These “‘spears,’’ although of less girth than many of the surrounding 
pollards, are well-shaped, and promise, after further clearing, to become 
fine specimens ; the opinion was expressed that they were probably 80 to 
100 years old, and they have somehow escaped the almost universal pollard- 
ing that has overtaken their neighbours. 
A recent clearing, which gives a charming view from the Epping Road 
down a stream-valley, into the heart of the woodland, was inspected and 
pronounced to be a distinct improvement of the scenic beauties of the Forest. 
Ambresbury Banks, the ancient British camp, was next visited. Mr. 
Buxton informed us that modern Britons, in the persons of Boy Scouts, 
still frequent the camp and engage in sham conflict with poles upon its 
banks by night. 
Rain now commenced to fall, and it was therefore deemed advisable to 
cut quickly across the Forest to Birch Hall, where the visitors were hospitably 
welcomed by Mrs. Buxton and tea was served in the Library. 
After tea a short meeting of the Club was held, with the President in the 
Chair. 
The Hon.-Secretary said that before the business of the meeting was 
entered upon, he had to make the sorrowful announcement of the death of 
Mr. William Cole, founder of the Club, which took place on the 27th June. 
In the unavoidable absence of the President, Miss G. Lister, as a past-presi- 
dent of the Club, had attended, with himself, the funeral at St. Osyth on the 
preceding Saturday, and had deposited, in the name of the Club, a wreath 
upon our Founder’s coffin. The speaker said it seemed strange, before mem- 
bers of the Club, to have to remind them of the work done in the past by 
our deceased Founder, but he realised that a new generation had arisen 
“which knew not Joseph,”’ that some of them had been members for years 
and yet had neither seen nor heard of William Cole except by seeing his name 
bracketed with his own as a honorary secretary of the Club. He recalled 
briefly some of the former activities of the deceased, and traced his gradual 
breakdown in both bodily and mental health during the later years. 
The President supplemented the former speaker’s remarks, and asked 
those present to signify their concurrence with the suggestion that a letter 
of sincere condolence should be sent to the surviving brother of our deceased 
Founder, Mr. Henry Cole; in the name of the Club. This was agreed to in 
silence, the members standing. 
The Hon. Secretary read a letter of thanks to the President and members 
of the Club, from Mr. Councillor Hughes, of West Ham, for the co-operation 
given in connection with the recent ‘‘ Education Week ”’ in that Borough. 
The President proposed the thanks of the party to Mr. Gerald Buxton 
L 
