[from Proc IoMNH&ASoc vol2 #2 1923]

MEETING AT RAMSEY, 12 MARCH, 1914.

H.E. the Lord RAGLAN, in the Chair.

Fifteen members attended and one visitor. The following were elected members: --Messrs. J. F. Clucas, R. G. Fargher, T. M. L. Quayle, and Miss Gell.

Mr. F. Kermode, at the Society's request, had sent an account of the Ursus kermodei, a new species of White Bear, of small size, discovered in N.W. America.

The Rev. S. N, Harrison, in his Report of the Geological Section, referred to the destruction of the cliffs around the north of the Island, which had been greater this year than the last. Some fresh boulders had been noticed, andrasite, granite conglomerate and dolerite, also limestone and sandstone. Under Shellag an angular boulder of Shap granite was uncovered, 30 in by 14 in, by 12 in., and at Cranstal were many of Gneiss and an Arran conglomerate. He had found, too, an Arran porphyry on the Michael shore, with limestone, granite, and basaltic rocks. The list of Fossil Shells from Shellag brooghs had been considerably increased; these had now been examined by Mr. A. Bell, the total result at present being : -

Species extinct or unknown as living,....... 32
" still living but outside the British area..... 26
" " " in the British seas ........... 77
Total of species.... 135

Besides the shells, the Fauna included: -2 mammals, 1 fish, 4 or 5 annelids, 3 polyzoa, 5 balani, 1 starfish, 6 entrornostraca, 2 sponges, and nullipores, besides foraminifera.

The Governor expressed the thanks of the members for this valuable Report. He was concerned about the erosion of the N.W. coast, but when some years ago he wanted to have tried experiments with a couple of groynes at Michael, the landlords concerned declined to make any contribution towards the cost.

Mr. W. C. Cubbon then gave an interesting account of excavations recently made by him at Rushen Abbey. They had come across the foundations of what appeared to have been a tower at one corner of the cloister-garth ; and had found the low sill of an archway looking on to the cloisters, in the middle of which was the very neatly finished base of a pillar, consisting of a column with four ribs.

Deemster Callow, who had seen the excavations, mentioned a pectoral cross of beaten and rolled copper found with human remains.

Mr. Cubbon was complimented on his discoveries; Lord Raglan thought he had shown that in the Isle of Man there had been a monastery to compare with those across the water.

In the absence of Canon Quine, the Secretary read a Note by him on the name ' Blackman' which occurs twice in Anglian runes on early cross-slabs from Maughold. He showed that King Ida. of Northumbria had a grandson of that name (about A.D. 580-640), during 15 or 16 years of which period the Ida Dynasty was in exile. Edwin's conquest of Man and Anglesey was possibly for the purpose of taking it out of the hands of Bleacman, or some chieftain of his family,

It seemed not impossible that these two Angles, buried at Kirk Maughold, were members of the family, and directly related to the Bleackman of the Chronicles relating to that period.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received MNB Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2008