Geology Matters website shows the history of the Earth

Chris Broughton (UK)

The Black Country is an area located just to the west of Birmingham, right at the heart of the UK. It lies between the towns of Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and is noted for its industrial past. It is so named because of the concentration of coal mining and metalworking in the area in the past. American visitor, Elihu Burritt was impressed with what he saw and said in 1869:

The Black County, black by day and red by night, cannot be matched for vast and varied production by any other space of equal radius on the surface of the globe.”

There is a website that gives visitors an insight into the rich geological heritage of the Black Country and the UK. Geology Matters (https://geologymatters.org.uk/) shows images of a wide range of fossils, rocks and minerals, which are found within museum collections in the Black Country.

Collectively, the Black Country geology collection forms one of the largest collective collections in the UK with specimens housed in Dudley Museum & Art Gallery, Wednesbury Museum & Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. These 30,000 specimens include some rare fossils such as soft-bodied worms as well as more common fossils, including the ‘Dudley Bug’ trilobite. Dudley has the largest collection with almost 18,000 specimens.

Fig. 1. Wenlock Limestone fossil slab from the Wren’s Nest, Dudley.

The website has almost 3,000 records of geology specimens from across these museums, with almost 2,000 of these records having high quality images showing a variety of views of the objects. Information provided with specimens tells the story of where they were found and their age. The collections cover the full geological history of the UK, from the Precambrian though to the present day.

The Geology Matters blog introduces people to the basics of geology, including how fossils form and how to care for geological collections. This is done though a series of short articles written by local geologists and includes videos featuring the current Keeper of Geology at Dudley Museum & Art Gallery, Graham Worton. The blog is constantly updated with new content.

Fig. 2. *Pecopteris plumosa* fern in mudstone from Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

There is also information about key people in history who have used the Black Country as a base for their geological knowledge, including Sir Roderick Murchison, who used fossils found at the Wrens Nest in his book on the ‘Silurian System’ in the early nineteenth century. The website also offers a brief overview of the collectors who have made the collections special and unique within the geological world.

Fig. 3. *Aeger tipularis* shrimp from the Solenhofen largerstatten, Germany.

The site is aimed at people with very little geological knowledge. Everyone visiting the site will learn something new and find something interesting, which they may not have seen before. However, both professional and amateur geologists will also find this a useful resource.

Fig. 4. Smokey quartz specimen from Arkansas, USA.

Many of the specimens are in permanent storage with dedicated displays at Dudley Museum & Art Gallery. Visitors wishing to see specimens will find information on where they are stored and how to see them by using the information on the website.

Renaissance West Midlands and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
Geology Matters has been funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives council through their Renaissance in the Regions programme and the Esmée Fairbairn. Renaissance is the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council’s £150million programme to transform England’s regional museums. For the first time ever, investment from central government is helping regional museums across the country to raise their standards and deliver real results in support of education, learning, community development and economic regeneration. A network of ‘Hubs’ has been set up in each English region to act as flagship museums and help promote good practice. Alongside the Hubs, MLA Regional Agencies and Museum Development Officers are providing advice and support, Subject Specialist Networks have been set up, and national museums are sharing their skills and collections to ensure Renaissance benefits the entire museums sector. It is also helping museums to meet people’s changing needs – and to change people’s lives. Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK, aiming to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK both now and in the future. It commits £25 million annually towards a wide range of work, including cultural life, education and learning, the natural environment and enabling disadvantaged people to participate more fully in society.

Renaissance West Midlands and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Geology Matters has been funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives council through their Renaissance in the Regions programme and the Esmée Fairbairn. Renaissance is the Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Council’s £150million programme to transform England’s regional museums.

For the first time ever, investment from central government is helping regional museums across the country to raise their standards and deliver real results in support of education, learning, community development and economic regeneration. A network of ‘Hubs’ has been set up in each English region to act as flagship museums and help promote good practice. Alongside the Hubs, MLA Regional Agencies and Museum Development Officers are providing advice and support, Subject Specialist Networks have been set up, and national museums are sharing their skills and collections to ensure Renaissance benefits the entire museums sector.

It is also helping museums to meet people’s changing needs – and to change people’s lives. Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK, aiming to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK both now and in the future. It commits £25 million annually towards a wide range of work, including cultural life, education and learning, the natural environment and enabling disadvantaged people to participate more fully in society.

For more information go to https://geologymatters.org.uk/.

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