The Broadhurst Lectures – Saturday 17 October 2026
University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL

Every year, the MGA commemorates Dr Fred Broadhurst, an inspirational teacher at the University of Manchester and within the MGA. This year’s programme features three talks. Doors open at 11:45, with tea and coffee available. An MGA Special General Meeting will take place at 12:15; a separate notice will be sent to members. Please arrive no later than 12:25, as the building will not remain open and the volunteers on door duty will need to join the talks.

At 12:30 Ian Jackson will talk on ‘The influence of the geology and landscape of Northern England on prehistoric and Roman societies’

What did rocks ever do for our ancestors? The answer is pretty much everything: from determining the positions of their defences and infrastructure to providing the materials, implements and ritual objects that sustained them. For the prehistoric and Roman inhabitants of the north, understanding the landscape, its rocks and their resources was not just desirable—it was essential. Their knowledge of these things was intimate. This talk offers a geoscience-based perspective on the northern landscape and its archaeology, raising fundamental questions that have a bearing on past and current social, political and military narratives.

Ian Jackson was born in Carlisle and read geology and geography at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is a Chartered Geologist and Fellow of the Geological Society. He spent 18 years surveying the geology of parts of northern England for the British Geological Survey (BGS) and was subsequently responsible for the national programme that transformed BGS data into digital form. He retired in 2011 and now lives close to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Geological Society of London and the Outstanding Contributions in Geoinformatics Award from the Geological Society of America. During his career, he produced many scientific maps, articles and reports, but he is perhaps more widely known nowadays for his three books about the rocks of Northumberland, Cumbria and Durham.

At 13:30 Les Knight will talk about Glacial Erratics

Les will explain how he has systematically searched published geological literature to work towards a database of British glacial erratics. Drawing on more than 60,000 records, he will explore glacial flow patterns during the Anglian and Devensian glaciations.

Les Knight read geology at Durham, where he went on to gain a PhD in amphibole mineralogy. He then joined British Coal before moving into the hydrocarbon sector, where he searched for unconventional gas resources across the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. His last role was as Geosphere Research Manager at the radioactive waste company Nirex. In this role, he sponsored blue-sky research into processes that might affect the migration of radioactive materials from a deep repository over the next million years.

After a 20-minute break, Dr Jamie Pringle will talk on ‘Forensic Geophysics: searching for the hidden’

Forensic geophysics can help locate and characterise evidence of suspected illegal activities and provide evidence for criminal or civil proceedings. Searches on land and in water can be challenging, depending on the objects being sought, the search teams available, the equipment deployed and the search areas themselves. This talk will outline current work, including cases involving Dr Pringle and his colleagues, and discuss future developments.

Dr Jamie Pringle is a Reader in Forensic Geoscience at Keele University, where he has worked for 20 years. Alongside his teaching, he has worked with colleagues at Keele and elsewhere to advise on or conduct at least 50 forensic searches for a range of objects. These searches have supported criminal and civil investigations, environmental and wildlife agencies, and law enforcement organisations in the UK and abroad.

2026 / 2027 Indoor Lecture Programme

 

The following talks have been arranged for the 2026 / 2027 season. Lectures will be held at the University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Doors open at 12:30, with tea and coffee available. Talks begin at 13:00.

Please note: The Broadhurst Lectures on Saturday 17 October follow a different timetable: doors open at 11:45 and talks begin at 12:30.

October 17 – see above

November 21 – There will be three presentations:

  • Dr Guy Paxman will talk about his work on the sub-ice surface in Antarctica

  • Dr David McNamara from Liverpool University will speak on his work with hydrothermal alteration of mid oceanic ridge basalts and insights into CO2 storage and ocean floor tectonics.

  • Professor Mark Bateman will give a talk with the title ‘Yorkshire, land of ice and water’

December 12 – there will be two presentations on this day:

  • Professor Jonathan Redfern will talk about future prospects for hydrocarbons in UK waters
  • John Hodgson will talk about fossil footprints of the North Yorkshire coast

January 16 – there will also be two presentations on this day:

  • Professor Rick Battarbee – topic to be agreed
  • Professor Dave Healy will present the UK & Ireland geophysical array project

February 6 – This day will comprise the annual Presidential Address and talks from members about a topic of particular interest to themselves. The AGM will also be held on this day.

March 20 – Peter del Strother, Steve Daniels and Brian Jeffery will give a talk to launch the Field Guide