I make no excuses for reproducing extracts from this report in the January 1992 issue of Eureka. Some hole filling at our first visit to Crouch Farm last year left a lot to be desired and put as at risk of losing a new permission.
“It’s along time since we have had to remind members about bad hole filling on club searches but the chairman has had to do this twice – at Rouse Farm and the Old Broomlands field. The chairman was forced to point out during the Broomlands search that, if the culprit who had failed to backfill one hole at all was discovered, then he or she need not bother applying for membership renewal at the next AGM!
It shouldn’t be too difficult to fill holes leaving a minimum of evidence behind you. As a general guide, if, after backfilling, you walk off a few paces, look back and can still see where you dug, then it is not good enough. Go back and improve it until it cannot be seen. You might think there is little point in filling holes carefully where the land is to be (or has been) ploughed soon anyway, but that is not the point – we should search and leave little – if any – evidence behind us. It should be a matter of pride in our competence as detectorists.”
I noted in the same issue (1992)that the renewal fee was £10. 31 years on the charge remains the same. Inflation busting or what? (The 2023 rate is yet to be ratified).
From January 1991.
“ARCHAEOLOGISTS DIG FOR ANCIENT HOLLYWOOD.
An article of unknown source states that American archaeologists, apparently desperate for somewhere to carry out digs, have started excavations in the desert 150 miles from Los Angeles in the hope of finding one of the sets of The Ten Commandments! They are financed by the Bank of America.”
Reminds me of a visit to The Venetian in Vegas, resplendent with a canal, gondolas and Doges Palace. I overheard an American: “They’ve got a copy of this in Venice, you know.”
I kid you not.
Chairman Joe.
