existing between the pottery of Northern Europe and that of North America. Mr. Andrew Oliver read a paper upon "Old London", which was profusely illustrated by plans and old engravings of many nowvanished buildings. Mr. Oliver confined his remarks on this occasion more particularly to the west end, beginning at Hyde Park Corner, and traversing Piccadilly, Regent Street, the Haymarket, Charing Cross and the Strand, and Adelphi. The historical associations of each of these localities were dwelt upon, and the noble mansions and other buildings which in the past existed in these thoroughfares were described and illustrated by many interesting views. Mr. Patrick, Hon. Sec., read a paper by Mr. J. T. Irvine, in the absence of the author, upon "Some Specimens of Early Simple Headstones"-illustrated by many sheets of measured drawings and careful sketches. Mr. Irvine remarked that "as in medieval times stone coffins and their stone lids were kept by the masons ready for sale, so headstones in great variety were kept ready prepared for those whose purses could only afford so simple a class of memorial". Of these, the better specimens were rounded into shape, their edges only moulded, and the sides left to be fitted in afterwards according to the desire of the purchasers. Amongst the stone districts of Northants, specimens of the oldest and simplest types are to be met with, as well as of those which exhibited the gradual change to the more richly ornamented body stone slabs. They dated mainly from early Norman times to about A.D. 1200. Mr. Earle Way made an interesting exhibition of Roman and other relics found in Southwark, also a pot of slip ware, with an inscription and date, 1656, found at Wrotham, in Kent. WEDNESDAY, 21ST APRIL, 1897. R. DUPPA LLOYD, ESQ., IN THE CHAIR. Thanks were ordered by the Council to be returned to the respective donors of the following presents to the Library : To the Society, for "Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland", vol. vii, Part I. for "Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian Society", vol. xiv, Part 2, 1897. for "Societé des Antiquaires de la Morinie; Bulletin, St. Omer", Parts 2 and 3. for "Archæological Collections of the Sussex Archæological Society, vol. xl. 1897 12 Mr. Patrick, Hon. Sec., read a paper entitled "Memorials of the Charter House", illustrated by many photographic views, plans, and other illustrations. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. WEDNESDAY, 5TH MAY, 1897. T. BLASHILL, Esq., V.-P., Hon. Treas., IN THE CHAIR. The ballot was declared open, and, after the usual interval, was taken, with the following result:— President. THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD MOSTYN. Vice-Presidents. Ex officio-THE DUKE OF NORFOLK, K.G., E. M.; THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND; THE MARQUESS OF BUTE, K. T.; THE MARQUESS OF RIPON, K.G, G.C.S.I.; THE EARL OF MOUNT-EDGCUMBE; THE EARL NELSON; THE EARL OF NORTHBROOK, G.C.S.I.; THE EARL OF WINCHELSEA AND NOTTINGHAM; THE LORD BISHOP OF ELY; THE LORD BISHOP OF LLANDAFF; SIR CHARLES H. Rouse Boughton, Bart.; THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD MAYOR OF LONDON; JAMES HEYWOOD, ESQ., F. R.S., F.S.A. COLONEL GEORGE G. ADAMS, F.S. A. C. BRENT, Esq., F.S.A. H. SYER CUMING, Esq., F.S.A.Scot. SIR JOHN EVANS, K.C.B., D.C.L., COLONEL GEORGE LAMBERT, F.S.A. J. S. PHENÉ, Esq., F.S.A., LL.D. ALLAN WYON, Esq., F.S. A. Honorary Treasurer. Sub-Treasurer. SAMUEL RAYSON, Esq. Honorary Secretaries. GEORGE PATRICK, Esq. REV. H. J. DUKINFIELD ASTLEY, M.A. Mr. S. Rayson laid on the table the Balance-sheet (see p. 172), which was accepted unanimously. Mr. Rayson said : "As compared with the previous year, 1895, the subscriptions show £6 68. increase, and the entrance fees £13 13s. ; the sale of books also give an addition of £12 16s. 5d.; while the profits of the Congress show an excess of £41 10s. 7d.; but with regard to the Congress, the amount netted in 1895 was below the average, while in 1896 it was somewhat above the average amount. "With reference to the expenditure, there was a considerable saving in the printing and illustrating the Journal; indeed, the decrease on that head was as much as £51 9s. 7d., through the economy exercised by the Editor by cutting his garment according to his cloth. While it should be the aim of the Editor not to starve the Journal, it must be at the same time his object to keep the cost of its production within the amount the funds will allow for it. It is a satisfactory reflection that while in 1895 there was a balance of £8 18s. 9d. against the Association, in 1896 the year closed with a balance of £23 13s. 5d. in its favour." WEDNESDAY, 19TH MAY, 1897. C. H. COMPTON, ESQ., V.P., IN THE CHAIR. Thanks were ordered by the Council to be returned to the respective donors of the following presents to the Library : To J. Chalkley Gould, for "Notes upon the Romano-British Settlement at Chigwell, Essex"; Pamphlet, 1895; and "The Site of Camulodunum or Colchester versus Chesterford. Pamphlet, 1895. To the Society, for "Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society", vol. ix, No. 2, 1897. for "Journal of the Brussels Archæological Society" April, 1897. Kent Archæological Society, for "Cantiana", vol. xxii, 1897. British Archaeological Association. BALANCE SHEET FOR THE YEAR ENDING THE 31ST DECEMBER 1896. Postage, stationery, and incidentals £2 8s. 9d. Consols bo't. Balance at Bank of England, 31 Dec. 1896 69 14 5 Post Office Savings Bank with Sub-Treasurer Less printing account, unpaid Nett Balance in favour of the Association 279 12 6 3 4 0 23 13 5 11 61 16 6 14336 Mr. Quick, the Curator of the Horniman Museum, exhibited some curiosities recently brought from Benin by some of the officers engaged in the late expedition. These curious objects had been saved from destruction by fire at the time of the capture, by reason of their having been in a stone house. One of them was a carved ivory staff of office, having the representation of a human figure holding a peculiar form of bell in an inverted position: this form of bell, it was said, was found only on the west coast of Africa. This staff was carried by the executioner, or one of his attendants, and its ornamentation showed evidence of Portuguese influences. Another object from the same. region was a carved wooden case, having a sliding cover, bearing the image of the sacred bird (the Ju Ju bird). This case was used for the transmission of documents. An armlet and bracelet belonging to one of the wives of the king were also exhibited. Mr. Quick also exhibited some prehistoric implements found in excavating for the foundations of a house near the Victoria Embankment, consisting of the remains. of a weapon or instrument formed from the antler of a deer, also the shank-bone of a horse or an ox. The Rev. J. Cave-Browne exhibited a seal, bearing a foreign coat-ofarms and coronet, which seal was given by a dying French officer to an English officer, who had given him a drink of water upon the field of Waterloo. Papers were read in the absence of their authors by Mr. Patrick, Hon. Sec., one from Mr. J. T. Irvine, descriptive of some prehistoric flint implements found at Orton Longville, in Huntingdonshire, by the Dowager Marchioness of Huntley, which was illustrated by some very careful drawings. The other paper was explanatory of some recent discoveries on Brandon Hill, Bristol, by Dr. Fryer, where, at an early date, a hermitage and chapel were erected; but the first known occupant of which was Lucy de Newchurch, in 1351. These discoveries were made during the excavations for the foundation of the Cabot Memorial Tower, which is to occupy the site of the ancient hermitage. The excavations had been carried down to the millstone grit rock, of which the hill is composed, when a flooring of thin cement was met with, and on the removal of a portion of the floor a well-made grave was found, measuring 5 ft. 6 ins. in length and about 2 ft. deep, tapering from the shoulders to the feet. The grave lay east and west, and was carefully lined with masonry. The grave contained a skeleton, and close by were found the remains of two other skeletons. Some fragments of green glazed tiles were also found. The excavation produced several beds of ashes and dark-coloured earth, and some early tobacco |
