Obituary - Arthur John Golding, F.S.A. - Walter Johnson, F.G.S

OBITUARY ARTHUR JOHN GOLDING, F.S.A. ARTHUR JOHN GOLDING, Honorary Librarian to the Society from 1937 to 1948, was born at Ditton in 1881. For many generations his ancestors had been a weU known family in that district and had even given their name to a famous variety of Hop. His pride in his family history gave him an early interest in local history and genealogy and it was therefore natural that he took up museum work when the opportunity arose. He joined the staff of Maidstone Museum in 1898 and became a junior assistant to the Curator Mr. J. H. AUchin, who happened also to be his uncle. In those days the training of museum recruits was based on the use of a duster rather than on books and diplomas, but in spite of such an inauspicious start, his natural taste and love of fine things helped him greatly, and, though he was also a lover of nature and at one time, a good lepidopterist, he specialized in the Fine Arts. In 1924, on the death of Mr. AUchin, he became joint Curator with the late Mr. H. J. Elgar and on the death of the latter in 1931, he became Curator. He continued in this office until his retirement in April, 1948, and after a short illness he died at Cuckfield, Sussex, on Thursday, 27th July, 1950. Of his private life, two things will always be remembered by those who knew him. Much of his youth he gladly gave in his devotion to his invalid father, a sacrifice of almost classical piety. His other love was music and occasionally he would bring his gramophone into the Fine Arts Room after the museum was closed and there, surrounded by fine objects, he and his friends could lose themselves among the sounds of fine music. N.C. WALTER JOHNSON, F.G.S. THE death of Walter Johnson, which occurred on November 18th, at the age of 83 years, not only removes an inspired amateur of the natural sciences and Archseology but snaps another living link with the past, for Johnson knew all those whose names are now almost legendary in the history of archseology. He himself was worthy of the age in which he hved and the friendships he formed, for he belonged to that dying race of philosophers who were equally at home with flowers, 166 OBITUARY insects, rocks and the rehcs of antiquity. A man of wide experience and immense erudition he yet bore himself so modestly and imparted his knowledge so unaffectedly that it was a delight to enjoy his friendship. He contributed considerably to the hterature of botany, geology and archseology, and he wiU be best remembered among antiquaries for his two valuable works Folk Memory and Byways in British Archaeology. Recently he lived for several years in GUlingham and took a leading part in the work of the Rochester and District Natural History Society. His gentle and friendly presence wfil be greatly missed by many friends in the county. J.H.E. 167