Part of Collection

University Archives and Manuscripts

Title

Notebook No.260

Creators/Contributors

Rights

Out of Copyright. Free use.

Collection

Papers of Sir Charles Lyell

Production Date

27 September 1871 - 7 May 1872

Shelfmark (Identifier)

Coll-203/A1/260

Catalogue Record

https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/180418

Subjects

Penrith (England)
Lancaster (England)
Lichfield (England)
Folkestone (England)
Museums
Fossils
Mammalian remains (Archaeology)
Martello towers
Malta
Amiens (France)
Paris basin (France)
Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, France
Caves
Aurignacian culture--France
Elephant bones
Bones
Toulouse (France)
Geology, Stratigraphic Miocene
Bordeaux, France
New Caledonia (Colony)

Description

Red leather Notebook starts at Penrith, as Lyell then travels south, via Appleby, Lancaster to Lichfield, to London then Folkestone and into France. He travels with Mary, Hughes, Beovill, and meets with many experts along the way. Most of the notebook is written by Buckley, who orders the narrative by date using the Itinerary – with sections added by Lyell in poor writing, and others – perhaps Mary, as well as local people noting down journey times. Whilst travelling in France, Lyell makes many geological observations – on the train, by the side of the road, at their accommodation, on excursions along rivers, visiting sites of significance and at Museums. Arriving in France, Lyell revisits the caves at Aurignac and visits local museums and collectors to see related specimens - almost like a reinvestigation - and concludes the evidence is proof of 'cave-men'. The notebook contains several hand drawn maps and sections, and concludes with measurements of Lake District lakes compiled by Harriet Martineau.