Quaternary Research in Britain and Ireland": A history based on the activities of the Subdepartment of Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, 1948 - 1994

214 Pages·2014·4.607 MB·English

by  Richard West

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Quaternary research in Britain and Ireland
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During the later part of the last century there was rapid development of the study and d

understanding of the changing environments of the last 2 million years. This came to W
provide a firm background for today’s knowledge of the significance and importance e
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of climatic change. Interdisciplinary research has been a prominent, if not essential, t
contributor to the successes achieved. In illustration of this connection, I describe here
such developments in the University of Cambridge. In 1948 the University established a
Subdepartment of Quaternary Research, with teaching and research activities covering
geological, biological and archaeological topics. An interdisciplinary approach was an
essential ingredient, and the research covered both terrestrial and marine spheres. The
book traces the history of Quaternary research in Britain and Ireland, particularly the
continental influences which stimulated research and indeed led to the establishment
of the Subdepartment.
The early years of the Subdepartment were an exceptionally exciting time for
Quaternary researchers. This period saw the development of radiocarbon dating and
of marine geochemical studies, together with the improvement of interpretation of
palaeobotanical data, and the consequent incorporation of a vast accession of new
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information relating to these subjects. Stratigraphy, the binding topic of Quaternary Bu
research, became much better understood: first, in the terrestrial sphere with the ra
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formulation of divisions of the Quaternary based on accepted geological principles te
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and providing a measure of the passage of time to students of the several disciplines in
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involved, including landscape history, ecosystem history and archaeology, and secondly aar
in the marine sphere a formulation of units defined by isotope studies. ny

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The organisation of the Subdepartment and the problems of developing interdisciplinary e
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science are considered. An important aspect is the variety of staff and students involved re
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in interdisciplinary research and teaching. In order to give a complete an account as lr
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possible of the activities of the Subdepartment, a listing of staff and students and nh
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their interests is compiled, which I think is necessary to give a rounded view of the
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Subdepartment as a whole.

Research topics and their development are considered one-by-one, and the numbers
of publications in each sphere are summarised over the life of the Subdepartment,
giving a clear view of how research developed over the period of 45 years. These quaternary research in
activities were brought to an end in 1994, with the dissolution of the Subdepartment,
Britain and Ireland
which is described, together with a discussion of achievements and the voicing of
some reflections.
In a final part, I take a wider view of the history of Quaternary research, with aspects 2 A history based on the activities of the Subdepartment of
of geology and biology considered, together with notes on the Quaternary community, Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, 1948 - 1994
research support and journals.
ISBN 978-90-8890-257-4
Sidestone Press S
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ISBN: 978-90-8890-257-4 d Richard West
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9 789088 902574 e

quaternary research in
Britain and Ireland
Sidestone Press

quaternary research in
Britain and Ireland
A history based on the activities of the Subdepartment of
Quaternary Research, University of Cambridge, 1948 - 1994
Richard West
© 2014 R.G. West
Published by Sidestone Press, Leiden
www.sidestone.com
ISBN 978-90-8890-257-4
(PDF e-book: ISBN 978-90-8890-258-1)
Lay-out & cover design: Sidestone Press
Photograph cover: Hand-boring of Holocene diatomite at Kentmere,
Cumbria, c.1955 (R.Ross, D.Walker, A.T.Grove, R.G.West)
Contents
Part I - Antecedents 9
Preface 11
1 The contribution of Clement Reid (1853-1916) to the foundation of
Quaternary research 13
2 From the early 1900s to 1929 17
Scandinavia and Britain: two regions, two histories 17
Developments in Scandinavia 17
Developments in Britain 18
Pollen analysis in Britain 21
3 The early 1930s 25
Progress on the Continent 25
The post-Congress period 28
4 Research Committees of the early 1930s 31
The Fenland Research Committee 31
The Committee for Quaternary Research in Ireland 31
5 Progress in Cambridge 35
The beginnings 35
Fenland investigations 36
Extension of Fenland research 38
Basic principles 39
The expansion of research in Britain 42
6 Developments in research to the 1950s 45
The Devensian late-glacial 46
Man’s influence on vegetation history 47
Interglacials 48
7 Establishment of the Sub-department of Quaternary Research 49
A proposal in 1938 49
Re-iteration of the proposal in 1943 50
The General Board’s proposal 50
References 51
Part II - The Subdepartment of Quaternary Research 61
Introduction 63
1 Organisation and people 65
Organisation 65
Laboratories 67
Academic staff 68
Assistant Staff 70
Post-Graduate students 74
Researchers 75
2 Teaching, reference collections, databases, research 79
Teaching 79
Colloquia 81
Reference collections 81
Databases 82
Research 85
3 Research: vegetational history, including palaeoecology and
palaeolimnology 87
Vegetational history: Devensian late-glacial and Flandrian 87
4 Research: vegetational history of pre-Flandrian temperate stages
and cold stages 99
Pre-Flandrian temperate stages 99
Cold stages 104
5 Research: geology 107
Coring and sediment recognition 108
Quaternary stratigraphy 109
Contributions to geology, glacial and fluviatile 110
Glacial limits 110
Regional studies 110
Periglacial phenomena 111
Changes of relative land/sea level 112
Overseas research 114
6 Research: faunas and archaeology 115
Faunas 115
Archaeology 118
7 Research: radiocarbon dating 121
Establishment of the Radiocarbon Laboratory 121
Publication of dates 123
Laboratory history 123
Research activities 124
8 Research: mass spectrometry, palaeotemperatures and deep
sea sediments 127
Establishment of the laboratory 127
Development 129
Subsequent research areas 132
9 Research; TL and ESR dating, palaeomagnetism, dendrochronology
and dendroclimatology 135
Thermoluminescence 135
ESR dating 135
Palaeomagnetism 137
Dendrochronology, dendroclimatology 137
10 Dissolution, achievements, reflections 139
Dissolution 139
Achievements 140
Reflections 141
References 143
Part III - A wider view 147
Introduction 147
1 Aspects of the geology 149
Stratigraphy: the search for a system 149
Sediments and structures 155
Periglacial phenomena 156
Palaeopedology 157
Geology and archaeology 157
Dating 159
2 Aspects of the biology 163
Developing interest 163
Palaeoecology and ecology 165
Pollen analysis 166
Treatment of data 167
Macroscopic plant remains 170
Faunas 171
Interpretations 172
Analogues 172
Processes 173
3 The Quaternary community 177
Quaternary associations, especially the Quaternary Research Association 177
Quaternary research centres 180
Research support 180
Journals 181
Envoi 183
References 185
Appendix A - Graduate students, Sub-department of Quaternary
Research 199
M.Phil. in Quaternary Research 202
Other graduate students noted in Annual Reports 203
Appendix B - List of researchers 205
Local co-operators 205
College Fellows 205
Research Council Fellows 206
Grant-supported research members of the Subdepartment 206
Research associates 207
Visiting the Subdepartment for a substantial time 208
Miscellaneous student visitors 208