LATEST...... Sad news. We have just learnt that one of our long standing members, Les Langham passed away suddenly last week (end of September). He was with MKGS friends when he collapsed and died, despite efforts to revive him. Our hearts and sympathies go out to his family and friends.An obituary is being compiled by Ken for the newsletter.

Competition Winners for 2008

Congratulations to our Best Mineral and Fossil Competition winners! Well done to everyone who took part - as usual it was well represented and the specimens were of a very high standard!! BEST FOSSIL WINNER : KEN MACHIN with an Ammonite sp.Lytoceras Fimbriatum from Blockley. Steve Burchmore was a close runner up with a large Proplanulites Ammonite. BEST MINERAL WINNER : MARION STRATTON with a super specimen of Pyrite / Marcasite from Samphire Cliff, Dover. The runner up was Clive Minker with a fabulous example of metallic needle -like Millerite from the Welsh coal fields. Thank You to everyone who managed to attend the AGM - even if it was a month later than normal, due to the snow!

FUTURE EVENTS: Themed meetings 2009 January 2009 :- Dinosaur 'models' (this does not in any way refer to members);Mammals' Invertebrate fossils; carved Minerals;Jewellery. February 2009 : AGM and Best Finds Competition. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE AGM IN FEBRUARY CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW / ICY CONDITIONS.THE AGM WILL NOW BE HELD AT THE MARCH MEETING. THIS INCLUDES THE 'BEST FIND' COMPETITIONS FOR 2008. FURTHER THEMES FOR THE COMING YEAR - 2009 - June 2nd: Fish Teeth;spines;vertebra and/or Piscean minerals (birthstones). July 2nd: Holocene fossils and sub -fossils (under 12,000 years old) and/or Fluorites. August 4th is a Swap & Sell evening, and/or tablle displays and slide show - i may even do the long awaited Bulgarian Trip Epic Tale....you have been warned! October 6th : Single Item:best fossil and/or mineral. November 3rd: Swap & Sell evening - clear out those sheds!!! December 1st: Cowries & Cones ancient and modern. Geodes. These themes may be subject to change. Recent 'finds' and items that need identifying are very welcome at any meeting.Informal talks and slide shows by members and guest speakers, may be added nearer to the date.EVERYONE WELCOME FIELD TRIPS: = contact Dave for details.

Ray Fox It is with great sadness that we have to announce the untimely death of Ray Fox. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to Kerrie and all family and friends. An article and Obituary has been written by Ken Machin and is available in the newsletter. It will be featured on site shortly. Ray was the only member of the MKGS (so far) to have submitted photos to the website. Unfortunately he didn't get around to sending the relevant article or text to go with them. I am however, going to show these photos, along with some others of Ray in his element,and some of the specimens collected at Warboys by Ray and Kerrie, featured in the 'Deposits' magazine.(Please note: this feature is not permanent) NOTE if you cannot see the slideshow, please click on this link: http://www.slide.com/r/i5XdJ6qd4j_VFfE7TIAyfLeFKJIV9IK0?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

2007 AGM and 'Best Find' Competition The AGM was held in February 2008 at our usual venue for the club monthly meetings. It was well attended, though no huge surges of enthusiasm were generated by the offer of two posts on the Committee. The 'melee of potential new Editors,'...'jockying for position in a democratic manner until a winner emerged' alas, did not come to pass. So our existing editor, Ken Machin, of the club newsletter, 'Rocks in Print'was returned by default! As were the other Committee members. Our librarian/Archivist post was taken up by James King, after David Graby was forced to step down due to family commitments. More detailed reports of the AGM, including those by the Chairman and Treasurer, are to be found in the MKGS Newsletter, Issue #130, March 2008. The annual 'Best Finds' Competition, this year had no 'Junior' entrants, therefore no competition. However, the entrants in both categories for the main competition was really high, as usual. There were 5 entrants for the 'Best Fossil' - 1)Crocodile Tooth 2) Ammonite Oxynotoceras 3)Ammonite Liparoceras 4)Nautilus with Ammonite and Belemnite in Body chamber. 5)Ammonite Tragophylloceras. The winner was #4 , a fabulous Fossil Combo, found by Ray Fox (see photos) The 'Best Mineral' category also had an interesting mix of cabinet to micro specimens, including - 1) Marcasite 2)Marcasite 3)Calcite 4)Woodwardite etc 5) Cacoxenite on Quartz. The winner was #5 an aesthetic miniature specimen of bright orange micro-spheres of Cacoxenite perched over Quartz crystals, collected in Bulgaria, by Colleen Thomson.