Sussex Mineral Show - Haywards Heath
17 November 2008
The last show of the year for us is the Sussex Mineral and Lapidary Society show at Hayward Heath, Sussex. Always a fun show, this is one of the best mineral shows in the UK for specimens. The show is held in Clair Hall.
View of the Main hall at the show
Part of our booth - two cabinets on display, plus a load of flats to look through.
This year we again shared our booth with Ian's children - Verity's Books and Sam and Joe's Minerals.
Verity is ready with her book price list, and Sam and Joe discuss a possible sale with Jolyon of Mindat.org, whilst Emma looks on (could she be the secret behind the success of this dynamic trio?)
My favourite part of the show - the famous cake stall is set up and ready to go.
Hayward's Heath always has excellent mineral competitions each year. This year the theme was Calcite, one of the most varied minerals known. The displays were all extremely good showing many different forms of Calcite from both the UK and around the world. It must have been a difficult one to judge! The winner was Trevor Devon.
This year's judge Bob Symes congratulates the winner Trevor Devon, and presents him with the Smoky Quartz on Gneiss trophy seen on the table in front.
Trevor had an excellent display of Calcites:
Display by Trevor Devon
A very nice Calcite from Frizington, Cumbria, I particularly liked the labelling on this one.
A bizarre Calcite from Hunan, China in an unusual branching form.
Exhibit by Paul Nicholson
Exhibit by Chris Finch
Exhibit by John Cooke, with a very large Calcite and Chalcopyrite specimen from Ecton Mine, Staffordshire in the centre.
Exhibit by Bridget Belson
Calcites from the UK exhibit by Nick Hawes
I particularly liked this Calcite with Hematite inclusions from Banana Slide, Haile Moor Mine, Beckermet, Cumbria in Nick Hawes display:
Calcite with Hematite inclusions from Banana Slide.
The Natural History Museum had an excellent display set up on the stage, of British Rarities, exhibiting some of the best rarities from the collection, some of which really set the standard for quality British minerals.
Display of British rarities from the Natural History Museum
Large plate of Garnets with minor Pyrite from Chycornish Carn, Botallack, Cornwall. This is the largest of its type in the collection, and is thought to be found around 1821. Few specimens have been found since then, and recent attempts to find the exact location have failed.
Connellite from Wheal Gorland, Cornwall (left) and Rhabdophane-(Nd) labelled as from 'Cornwall'.
The deep blue Connellite needles are set on Chrysocolla in a vug within massive Cuprite. This specimen was part of the Philip Rashleigh collection (1729-1811). The Rhabdophane is the globular orange-brown mineral, and is extremely rare - only around 10 specimens are known from Cornwall, including the Type specimen. The Type locality however is still unknown, despite various research efforts, as residues from Fowey Consols are now known to be fake.
(Thanks to the guys at the Natural History Museum for their very informative labels!)
Chalcophyllite from Wheal Gorland, Cornwall with a lot of 'wow' factor, unusually large and thick crystals of emerald green.
Mike Rumsey (left) and Alan Hart from the Mineralogical Department at the Natural History Museum of London, with cups of tea in hand and matching outfits..... They were adamant that they had dressed individually that morning, not realising they were dressed the same until they got to the show.....
The Haywards Heath show is always a really nice show to catch up with people. Out around the main hall there was lots of familiar faces:
Dave and Liz Hacker at their stand, they had a lot of lovely green Chinese Pyromorphites and sparkly English Specularites.
Chinese Pyromorphites and English Specularites from Florence Mine.
Collector Graham Pazdzierski and dealer Simon Hildred toast to good friends and another good show.
Sara Gillard of the Crystal Vine at her booth.
Nick Carruth waves for the camera, with friend Richard
Mike Brooke of Broadstone Minerals always has lovely specimens in his booth.
Neil Hubbard snapped in his booth neighbouring ours.
Jolyon of
www.Mindat.org had his own booth this year at the show, accompanied by his lovely wife Ida, who hid from the camera.
The Sussex Mineral and Lapidary Society do a great job at organising the show. There are several talks on during the day and there are also lucky dips and different activities for kids, such as the wonderful UV minerals display, plus Gold panning run by Jo and Ivan Tingley - they were sold out by around 3pm, thats just how popular it was! and also making Pendants for Mum with polished stones, run by Terry Denny.
Jo and Ivan Tingley gold panning.
A lovely day was had by us all, thanks again to the Sussex Mineral and Lapidary Society! See you next year!
Author: Robin
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