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Foreward

The Museum is not at present open to the public due to lack of suitable premises in which to display the collection, but its work continues by maintaining and supplementing the numerous specimens we hold and by publishing information on the geological sciences both in print and through our website www.stonemuseum.org.uk.

Our website has grown dramatically over the past year and space on a second fileserver has kindly been provided by the Virgin Group to accommodate our needs.

The acquisition during the year of digital photographic equipment has meant that we can now easily and cheaply publish an e-Catalogue of images of the major specimens in the collection as well as record our findings during field trips.

2001/2002 saw the launch of a major fund-raising project canvassing support from organisations known to support museums and from local geology related industries. On the whole, responses were very disappointing, however, I am pleased to report that three organisations have expressed an interest in our aims, The Community Fund (part of the National Lottery), The Idlewild Trust and the Lady Neville Charity. We shall be actively pursuing applications with these institutions over the next few months.

Due to countryside access restrictions following last years foot and mouth disease outbreaks no field trips were made during the 2001/2002 year.

Our income was up 24.4% over 2000/2001 and fixed assets, together with assets held in trust, showed healthy growth of 11.9%. Administration costs remain pegged at 2000/2001 levels of 2% per annum.

Brian R J Glover
Curator

Department of Palaeontology

Acquisitions by Purchase

The Museum acquired a number of specimens from rock and fossil fairs around the south east including:

• eight bivalve shells from Pliocene exposures at Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex;
• two slabs of fossilised wood from the Eocene of the Isle of Sheppey;
• two specimens of Carboniferous ferns from the coal measures of the Kent Coalfields;
• a number of local sea urchins from the Cretaceous of the North Downs;
• two ammonites from the South Downs; and
• a toe bone from a mammoth dredged from Pleistocene sands in the North Sea.

Two fine leg bones were acquired from G&B Butler of Tunbridge Wells. Both specimens were dregdged from the sandbanks of the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands.

Department of Geology

Acquisitions by Field Trip

• a sample of calcite on Wadhurst Clay was collected from St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex;
• several specimens of Pre-Cambrian limestone (the oldest rocks in England) were collected from Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire.

Acquisitions by Donation

• Eight assorted volcanic specimens from Mount Vesuvius is Southern Italy were donated by Mr Alexander Glover of Dartford, Kent;
• a quantity of black volcanic sand from the island of Lanzarote was donated by Miss Michelle Rake of Fleet, Hampshire;
• several specimens of volcanic lava also from Lanzarote were donated by Mr David Cooper of Epsom, Surrey and Ms Cath Conroy of Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Acquisitions by Purchase

• fine specimens of Gold flakes from Zimbabwe, Native Silver from Peru and a Platinum nugget from Alaska were purchased from Isis Minerals of Lancashire;
• uncut crystals of Topaz, Zircon and Garnet originating from Nigeria, Malawi and Mali, were purchased from Jencraft of Istead Rise, Kent;
• five meteorites and two tektites from Australia, Brazil, Philippines, China and the Czech Republic were purchased from Tony Pace of Staffordshire and G Butler of Tunbridge Wells, Kent;
• a fine fulgarite from the northern Sahara of Algeria was purchased from G Butler of Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The Museum Web-Site - http://www.stonemuseum.org.uk

The website contains descriptions of the Museum, its aims and the scope of its collection, but more importantly, contains sections on where to go to see geological and palaeontological attractions and sites, where to go to collect rocks and fossils and also lists world news of earthquakes, volcanic activity, mining developments and major fossil finds.

There are special pages devoted to background and reference information on geology and pages including write-ups of Museum field trips and expeditions together with reports on the research that we undertake.

The website also contains numerous useful links to museums, institutions and commercial organisations around the world that display, exhibit, promote or exploit the science of geology.

Library & Resource Centre

Our library holdings continue to be the fastest growth area of the Museum with materials currently available including:-

Books	108
Information Leaflets	221
Scientific Papers	21
Magazines & Publications	347
Maps	11
U.K. Newspaper Extracts	117
Video & Audio Tapes	11
College Prospectuses	70
Newsfiles (held electronically)	5009
Miscellaneous	2
TOTAL	5920

Electronic Newsfiles

We are grateful to the various news agencies around the world that supply us with up to the minute information on fossil finds, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, including Reuters, Associated Press, PR Newswire, Français Press Association and Deutsche Press Association.

Looking to the Future

As a first step towards our long term goal of acquiring new premises our plans include a joint venture with the Thames Groundwork Trust to open a visitor centre at Beacon Wood Country Park, near Dartford, Kent. This will raise the profile of the Museum in the community and provide a physical presence that will inspire interest from local sponsors.

We shall also be following up the grant-in-aid applications we made last year to help complete the research resources available through our library.

The extra server space and digital imaging facilities now at our disposal will help in restructuring the museum website and providing photograph galleries of our major specimens.

Notes to the Accounts

1. Museum Expenditure

As a non profit making organisation, the Museum aims to spend the minimum possible on administration and overheads so that funds can be channelled into curation of the collection and the acquisition of display equipment and new specimens.

2. Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Fixed assets at 31st March 2002 are stated at the lower of (a) cost, less provision for depreciation - if originally purchased by the Museum, or (b) net realisable value, less provision for depreciation - if the asset was originally donated free of charge.

Depreciation is provided on a straight line basis, and is calculated on historical amounts, after providing for any permanent diminution in value. The period of depreciation being the estimated life of the asset subject to the maxima shown below and commencing when the capital expenditure was incurred or on acquisition of the asset by donation.

Type of asset	Maximum period
Computer equipment	10 years
Laboratory and display equipment	20-40 years

Estimated lives and residual values of individual items are reviewed periodically and amended when circumstances change.

3. Disposals

No specimen in the collection is considered to be a disposable asset - the Museum's charter provides strict safeguards and restrictions on disposals of the specimens themselves.

Asset values shown represent the estimated replacement cost of the collection and is calculated for insurance purposes only.

The nominal amount shown for disposals is an assessment of the value of plants lost through die-off from the Museum's Botanical Department.

4. Interest Receivable

Interest is received gross of tax each April 5th.

5. Prior Year Adjustments

All specimens collected by field trip are given a nominal asset value. This value has been increased from 10p to 25p each to reflect current market values. Similarly, values of some botanical specimens - originally valued at actual purchase price - have been revised in line with the purchase cost of specimens of similar maturity.

Balance Sheet

Position as at 31st March 2002

EXPENDITURE
Acquisitions	660.35	376.39
Purchase of Fixed Assets	390.97	100.53
Operating Costs	559.82	676.98
TOTAL	1611.14	1153.90

BALANCE

721.20

721.20

WORKING CAPITAL
Interest Received	0.00	0.02
Cash in Hand	1.85	1.83
Stock in Hand	719.35	719.35
TOTAL	721.20	721.20

STATEMENT OF ASSETS

Position as at 31st March 2002

OPENING BALANCE	2724.19	3519.72
plus Acquisitions	660.73	16.23
Prior Year Adj.	436.18	0.00
less Disposals	61.06	10.46
less Depreciation	394.70	351.30
CLOSING BALANCE	3365.34	2724.19

Working Capital	721.20	721.20
Value of Collection	11645.84	10605.89
Current Assets	25.96	25.96
Fixed Assets	3365.34	2724.19
TOTAL ASSETS	15758.34	14077.24