Mug mystery solved
The Society engraved tankard mystery case has been solved, writes Dawne Riddle.
Prof. Emer. Alec Kenyon-Smith has recognised the mug pictured in the February issue as a relic of the 1970s. “The mugs were a small part of that tumultuous period” he told Geoscientist.
“In 1970-71, I, then Alec Smith, became Treasurer - succeeding William Bullerwell, and inheriting stewardship of the Society’s finances, which were in a parlous state.” He goes on to spill the beans on Council’s cunning plan to prepare the Fellowship for a full-scale appeal for donations to ease the situation. Step one, he says, was to be a campaign of “increasing the Society’s profile”. This was to be achieved (partly) by re-desigining the logo. The tankards (and the lovely polyester Fellow’s tie in various shades of drab) were both manifestations of the redesign (now long abandoned).
“I cannot recall how many mugs were made – we had no spare funds” Kenyon-Smith admits. “Whether they helped financially is – doubtful.” He concludes: “If you would care to have mine, I would be delighted to donate it.”