The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 35

PERSONAL. WEATHER 35 THE GUARDIAN Friday September 18 1992 Sun and moon Adrian Heath Today's weather General outlook NORTHERN Ireland and western Scotland will start dry with sunny spells, but further rain is likely in the evening. England, Wales and the remainder of Scotland will start cloudy with outbreaks of rain in places. Brighter weather will slowly spread south-eastwards into other parts of England during the afternoon, but the southeast will probably stay rather cloudy with showers until much later. London, SE England, Anglia: Cloudy with showery rain, clearing later.

Max. 20C (68F). Central England, Midlands, England: Showery outbreaks of rain clearing later. Max.l9C(66F). ffffSlMM tMM.atMaaatMW I Ruth Nelson in Humoresque, with her Group Theatre colleague, actor-producer John Garfield Obituary; Ruth Nelson photograph: the kobal collection forecast Midlands, Channel Is, SW England, NW England, Central England, NE England: Showers clearing later, then bright Max 20C (68F).

Wales, Wales, Lake Dist, Isle of Man, Borders, Edinburgh, Dundee, SW Scotland, Glasgow, Central Highlands: Showers clearing, dry with sunny spells. Max 18C (64F). Aberdeen, Moray Firth, NE Scotland, Orkney, Shetland: Cloudy with rain, clearing later. Max 16C(61F). Argyll, NW Scotland, Ireland; Dry with sunny spells, rain later.

Max 17C (63F). Outlook for Saturday and Sunday: Cloudy with rain at times in the north. Mainly dry with sunny spells in the south. chemicals, electricity, gravity and temperature. But in the case of the typhoon it had probably picked up changes in atmospheric pressure.

It is one of the most striking examples of a plant barometer. Perhaps the most famous leaf forecaster was Abrus precarious, another member of the bean family and a relative of Mimosa that grows wild in India. On any normal day it can be seen raising and lowering its branches and folding and unfolding its leaves: The plant became known as the "weather plant" when in 1887 a botanist, Joseph Nowak, applied for an English patent to use it as a weather forecaster. Even though his application failed he claimed that the leaf move Noonto Hollywood, she helped to form a company to preserve the spirit of the original troupe. After the war she joined the Tyrone Guthrie theatre in Minneapolis, along with her second husband, the film director John Cromwell, who had been falsely accused by Adolphe Menjou of being a communist and could no longer work in Hollywood.

A fervent supporter of Guthrie's attempt to create an exemplary, non-commercial theatre in a country, moreover, where the repertory idea had never really established itself she took on parts as varied as Amanda in The Glass Menagerie and the Player Queen in Hamlet In 1956 she returned to Broadway to understudy Florence El-dridge in Long Day's Journey Into Night and then acted Mary Tyrone on the play's national tour. Robert Lewis, who with Elia Kazan and Cheryl Crawford founded the Actors Studio tempt in America to create a performance style based on col-legjality. Out of the social commitment that aroused its members during the dark days of the Depression emerged plays like Odets's Waiting For Lefty, in which she took the key role of the chief striker's wife. She also took a key role in sustaining the company's founding ideals. For her colleagues Stella Adler, John Garfield, Elia Kazan, Moris Carnovsky, Robert Lewis she was the Group Theatre's conscience and spiritual centre.

When Franchot Tone was offered a contract by MGM, she was the one who attempted to talk him into turning it down. When Strasberg's overbearing behaviour threatened to tear the enterprise apart, she rounded on him fearlessly. When in 1941 the Group Theatre finally collapsed and most of its members drifted to Pivot in the art circle ink DRIAN HEATH, who has JUl died at a summer school Attain France aged 72, was a significant abstract painter, a shrewd collector and an important though unobtrusive influ ence on English, art education. He was born in Burma and in his conversation one often caught the whiff of a colonial as well as a military man. Not that he was born to rule, or to com mand.

He had too much liking for artists and people who had known hard times. From 1941-5 he was a PoW Germany. where he taught Terry Frost Heath's dry, tough, uncompro misine manner owed much to his camp experience, and also helped to shape the attitudes of many artists who came to ma tuntv in the post-war years. Though he studied at the siade, Heatn was not reauy a Slade man. He liked loose but fraternal associations of independent artists.

In the early fifties he was instrumental in making creative links between St Ives abstraction and Euro pean constructi vis ts. He orga nised the first post-war abstract art exhibition at the ALA uai lery and in 1953 he published Abstract Art: Its Origins And Meaning. Though he had no financial need to teach, Heath was at home in art schools and gave much encouragement to the Bath Academy of Art (Corsham), the most adventur ous school in the fifties, and thereafter to numerous other colleges and universities. His many mends will remem ber his largely successful at tempts to defeat bureaucrats. his dedication to his own art and the wonderful collection of paintings by his contemporar ies pictures that were one of many pleasures when we vis ited his house, for long the home of a cultivated yet unor thodox Bohemia (next door to L'Etoile).

Tim Hilton Adrian Heath, born June 23, 1920; died September 15, 1992. An appreciation by Norbert Lynton follows and enthuse for half an hour about a student's or colleague's research when he really had more important things to do. After 10 years as head of the geology department, John went on to become dean of the Royal School of Mines for a second term and then pro-rector of Imperial College. In the mid- seventies he became one of the first to recognise the impor tance of scientific research in relation to the environment. Thereupon, he devoted his great energy to supporting the establishment of an interdisci plinary Centre for Environmen tal Technology at Imperial Col lege.

This was followed by a centre tor Remote sensing, ms support for which led in part to his becoming president of the Remote sensing society. John Sutton was a memorable character who influenced the British geological world at a time of expansion and great change. His generosity and his wrath are legendary. He will be remembered not only for his science, but also for his work and vision in recognising future scientific and educational needs and his efforts to meet them. John Moore John Sutton, born July 8, 1919; died September 6, 1992.

Weather watch: Reading the leaves SUNRISES SUNSETS MOON SETS 1907 1352 214S MOON RISES MOON: Last qtr 19th UghttnoHip 1832 lo 0704 1915 10 0549 1917 to 0652 1926 10 0657 1907 10 0642 1917 to 0650 1915 10 0647 1912 10 0547 Bristol Glasgow London Manchetter-Newcutla Nottingham- eermsi- High tides 8.6 82 84 'W 33 4.6 3.8 Dun Laognairo 0343 Air quality wtroattn suMtwr low dlraMa dfexMe London good good England vgood good Wales good good England good good England vgood vgood Scotland poor good Ireland vgood vgood Outlook for Today London good good England vgood vgood Wales good good England good good England vgood vgood Scotland good vgood Nlreland vgood vgood Major roadworks London and ItnirHi in Mta Hertford- Mm Lane restrictions at Blgnatts roundabout atJ23. Midlands and East Angftat MB Matterd-Mnu Major roadworks between J13 and J12, with a conuatlow in ooeratkxi. MS Hereford WoroMtan Widening work between J8 and J8 Watta and Waati W4 Osvanti M4 Owanti Contraflow and 50mph speed tlmil between J27 J29. with overnight slip road closures at J28 (until October). 50mph speed limit due to relief road work J25M28 with occasional overnight lane closures.

North! MSI Limcmnlrai A contraflow In operation between Junctions 6 and 8. A 50mph speed limit in operation. M0 Cumbria Lane closures both ways between junctions 38 and 37 due to repair wont. A SOmph speed limit In operation. M1SO HumbaraldM contraflow In operation between Trent Bridge and the M181 interchange.

Also restrictions southbound on M181, and 180 westbound link to M181 closed. M621 YoricaMrat Contraflow J1-J3 with one lane city. bound, entry slip roads closed J2 and J2A. M4S2 Wast VorfcaMm contraflow between J23 and J24 with two lanes open each way. Westbound entry slip road J24 closed.

AIM South York- Outside lane closed both wava between Biyth and Wadwortfi, contraflow from end ot aepiemoer. Scotland: Me tualhulyilai Various lane closures both ways at J29. Eastbound traffic for Glasgow airport diverted over the interchange to rololn motorway just before J28. MSO nfci At junction 4 a contraflow in piece on the main Edinburgh to Perth Road. MB LothUm Contraflow in operation at J1 to the Newbridge roundabout and another at J4.

Satellite predictions LONDON from To Max RisesSals Elev CobeR 20.48 20.53 59E NNES C'm03l697R 21.01 21.08 41E SSENE Ere 1 22.05 22.08 42NE NEN MANCHESTER CobeR 20.45 20.52 50ESE NNESSE mos 1B97H 21.02 21.08 34cSc 55EENE Era 1 22.05 22.08 42ENE ENEN Teaveserrters eclipse. Predictions (or tomorrow. tVoather intofwstson: Meiaoroloaical Otfko. Road Information: foadwak. SateWto ptsdiaioru: Royal QteenwKh Observatory.

Air quality: Oeftut-merit of the Eminxmont. ments foretold the weather. For instance, if young leaves from the north side of a plant showed unusual movements then thunderstorms were supposed to occur in that direction in two days' time. If the leaf stalk moved the branches vigorously up and and down then an earthquake was predicted. The trouble with these leaf movements is that they are all sensitive to their own internal rhythms, the quality of daylight, temperature and also close at dusk.

So even if Nowak was correct, and his little plant- -could predict the weather, it was far too unreliable to be of any use. Indeed, the best weather forecasters of the plant kingdom are probably the tea leaves in the bottom of a cup. -f you dread going back to with London Bridge 0601 6.8 loib Dover 0245 6.2 1502 Liverpool 0311 aa 1527 Avonmoutti 1114 11.5 2335 Hull 1032 6.8 2249 Greenock 0341 32 1604 tatth 0SS4 4.8 1028 3.7 1813 John Sutton Paul Simons STRANGE things stir in the plant world, and one won ders if they can foretell the future weather. As reported in the respectable science journal, Botanical Magazine, on August 13. i960, a typhoon nit Tokyo and it led to a bizarre discovery.

An expert on sensitive plants, Hideo Toriyama, noticed that the Sensitive Plant, Mimosa pudica, growing out doors had folded up its feathery leaves before the winds, arrived. Had the plant predicted the weather? Mimosa is indeed a wondrous species. Its leaves fold up at the slightest molestation, reacting to changes in touch, light, Earth mover at Imperial Atmund the world Corfu 29 84 Usbon 25 77 New Delhi 31 88 Stockholm 12 54 auwuira his 29 84 Locarno 23 73 New York 29 84 Strasbourg 19 68 "Oenvor 28 82 London 19 68 Nice 25 77 Tangier 32 90 (Yesterday aluncMlmefoports) Edinburgh 16 59 -LosAngetosS 21 70 Oporto 18 64 Tat Aviv 30 88 Faro 28 79 Luxembourg 20 68 Oslo 15 59 Tonorllo 26 79 Florence 29 84 Madrid 31 88 Perls 25 77 Tokyo 28 79 Aiacclo 25 77 Bombay 30 86 Frankturt 19 88 Maloras 27 81 Poking 25 77 Tunis 29 84 Algiers 86 Bordoaux 25 77 Funchal 24 75 Malaga 29 79 Praguo 16 61 Valencia 28 82 Amsterdam 17 63 'Boston 28 82 Geneva 22 72 Malta 27 81 Reykjavik II 52 'Vancouver 14 57 Athens 2a 82 Brussels 20 68 Gibraltar 25 77 Manchester 17 63 Rhodes 26 82 Venice 25 77 Bahrain 35 95 Budapest 21 70 Helsinki 12 54 'Meilco City 20 68 Riyadh 40 104 Vienna 20 68 'Barbados 25 77 'B Aires 18 64 Innsbruck 23 73 'Miami 32 90 Rome 25 77 Warsaw 16 81 Barcelona 25 77 Cairo 31 88 Istanbul 24 75 'Montreal 22 72 Salzburg 22 72 'Washington 26 79 Boirut 28 82 Cape Town 23 73 Jersey 19 68 Moscow 14 57 Seoul 24 75 Wellington 13 55 Belgrade 25 77 Casablanca 23 73 Jo'burg 29 84 Munich 22 72 Singapore 30 88 Zurich 20 68 Berlin 15 59 'Chicago 28 82 Karachi 30 66 Nairobi 24 75 cloudy: Dr, drizzle; fair; Fg, fog; H. hall: rain; 'Bermuda 27 81 Cologne 20 68 Latnaca 31 88 Naples 28 82 si. sleet; Sn, snow; sunny; Th, thunder.

Biarritz 22 72 Copenhagen to 61 Las Palmas 25 77 'Nassau TH32 90 (Previous day's readings) in 1947 and has seen every major production of O'Neill's play, swears that hers was the finest Mary of them all: simple, stark, unbearably moving. Though she didn't make her first movie until 1944, she quickly established herself as a major character actress. In 1977 she and Cromwell appeared in Robert Altaian's Three Women and in 1978 in Altaian's A Wedding. She made her final film appearance only two years ago as Robert de Niro's mother in Awakenings. She never had plans to retire.

A month before her death she was playing the old nurse in Andre Gregory's Uncle Vanya. As Lewis says: "It was a typical Ruth Nelson performance selfless, understated, unforgettable." Dais Harris Ruth Nelson, born. August 2, 1903; died September 12, 1992 Fellowship of the Royal Society. (After her death John remarried Betty Middleton-Sandford and enjoyed a decade of retirement gardening on the Cretaceous Dorset downs.) Sutton's academic career rose from a lectureship (1948) to the chair of geology (1958). It was while he was head of the Imperial College's geology department (from 1964) that the universities underwent their great expansion, funded by governments which really believed money should be invested in higher education.

As he presided over a large and expanding department in the following decade or so he recognised and supported many of those aspects of practical earth science that continue to give geology at Imperial its unique character and international reputation. John Sutton was an eclectic man and conversations with him inspired many young geologists working in fields far removed from his own research. Former students and colleagues will remember with pleasure his company in the mixed atmosphere of study and social life on field excursions. Generations of geologists have occasion to thank him not only for his support in the form of innumerable letters and references but also for his ability to flop into the nearest study chair APlACeiWERB OFTHEMl WBCmPRAC- ANPWBTF iNTRoOUCE. AN I ggveu hundKEP KjJJoMtTRE5 I THOUGH Ruth Nelson, who has died in New York aged 89, was never a star she was from first to last a major theatrical figure.

In addition to her superb acting, she was associated with virtually every significant development in the American theatre until the present. Even as a pupil she found herself at the centre of things, learning her craft at the Theatre Arts Institute organised by Richard Boleslawsky and Maria Ou-spenskaya, two former members of the Moscow Art Theatre, in order to promulgate the ideas of Stanislavksy. In 1925 she joined the American Laboratory Theatre, which developed out of the Institute. Among her colleagues were Cheryl Crawford, Lee Strasberg and Harold Clurman, who in 1931 invited her to become a founding member of the Group Theatre, the first serious at- Deaths Dr Hallowell Davis, who explored the physiology of hearing, has died aged 96. In the thirties be played a bey role in the development of the electro encephalograph (EEG), which measures electrical changes in the brain.

He was also known for his studies of the inner ear, which led to early diagnosis and treatment of hearing problems in infancy. Director of the Psycho-Acoustic Laboratory at Harvard until 1946, he moved to the St Louis Central Institute to help build better aids for veterans who had lost all or part of their hearing. Jim Nabbie, lead tenor for Birthdays Lord Ackner, a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, 72; Ray Alan, ventriloquist, 62; Ros-sano Brazzi, actor, 76; Jack Cardiff, film director and cameraman, 78; Siobhan Davies, choreographer, 42; Viscount Eccles CH, former Conservative minister, chairman of the British Library, 88; Robin Fleming, chairman, Robert Fleming Holdings, 60; Sir Thomas Hetherington QC, former Director of Public Prosecutions, 66; Sir Curtis Kee-ble, former ambassador to Russia, 70; Dr Marjorie Mowlam, Labour frontbench Another Day September 18, 1827. To Thomas Hood: We have got our books into our new house. 1 am a dray-horse, if I was not asham'd of the undigested, dirty lumber, as I toppled 'em out of the cart, and blest Becky that came with 'em for her having an unstuff mind with such rubbish.

We shall get in by Michael's Mass. 'Twas with some pain we were evuls'd from Colebrook. You may find some of our flesh sticking to the door-posts. To change habitations is to die to them; and in my time I have died seven deaths. But I don't know whether every such change does not bring with it a rejuvenescence.

Tis an enterprise; and shoves back ther sense of death's approximating, which, tho' not terrible to me, is at all times particularly distasteful. My house-deaths have generally been periodical, recurring after seven years; but this last is premature by half that time. Cut off in the flower of Colebrook! The Middletonian stream, and all its echoes mourn. Even minnows dwindle I fear to invite Mrs Hood to our new mansion, lest she envy it, and hate us. But when we are fairly in, I hope she will come and try it.

The Letters of Charles Lamb, vol 2. (Macmillan, 1888). the Ink Spots, has died aged 72. He joined the vocal group, formed in 1932, in 1945 and was still touring with the current line-up of the Ink Spots just before he died. Lou Jacobs, the master clown of Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey circus, has died aged 89.

His clown face appeared on an American postage stamp. He migrated to the United States from Germany in 1923 before joining Ringling Bros the Greatest Show on Earth in 1925. He played a cameo role in Cecil B. DeMille's film of the same name, giving lessons in clowning to Jimmy Stewart. spokeswoman on citizen rights, 43; Sir Cyril Pickard, former British High Commissioner in Nigeria, 75; Derek Pringle, cricketer, 34; Christopher Ricks, Professor of English, Boston University, 59; Alan Rodger, QC, Lord Advocate, 48; John Kendall Rowlands, former Keeper, Prints and Drawings, British Museum, 61; Peter Shilton, football manager, 43; John Spencer, snooker player, 57; Jack Warden, actor, 72; Professor Dorothy Wedderburn, former principal, Royal Holloway and Bedford College, 67.

Doonesbury TMBU6UAL- Haft HomsexuAis I UJHO TEACH, peopizwHO gjftgE school as much as your pupils read EG. livery Tuesday you'll find invaluable articles to help you plan your lessons around the National Curriculum. So you would be wise to study it. 2 rGuardian HE CAREER of John Sutton, FRS, who has died aged 73, was intimately linked to the Imperial College of Science and Technology from his undergraduate days to his retirement as pro-rector in 1983. As an indication of his impish humour, I write this at John's own request since, on one occasion after reading my posthumous appreciation of a controversial colleague, he asked to retain my services "in due I am sad to be needed so soon.

John Sutton was one of the most eminent geologists of his time, and one of the last non-specialist generations educated to be interested in every aspect of earth science. His scientific passion was for rocks of the Precumbrian era throughout the world. It was, however, during his researches into the origins of the ancient mountain belts of the north-west Highlands established that his reputation was established. After five years' military service (1941-46), he began PhD research under the direction of H.H. Read.

During his studies, he met and married his fellow research student, Janet Vida Watson, with whom he went on to produce a series of internationally acclaimed papers over a quarter of a century, culmi nating in the election ot both to YOU KNOW, MAYBE ITS 600PIPEA! -nmuewm moreof TDTHB SUBURBS! LT EITHER BY DIEGO TUTWEILLER Around Britain Report'orthe 24 hours ended 6 pm yesterday Sun RalnTemi Temp Weather (day) hra Aberdeen 0.04 9 12 Rain Anglesey 0.6 0.02 11 21 Cloudy Aspatria 0.2 0.06 10 17 Rain am Avlemore 8 15 Dull Ballast 0.9 0.02 11 17 Rain am Birmingham 2.7 0.03 10 19 Bright am Bognor Regis 5.4 14 19 Sunny am Bournemouth 4.8 0.02 13 20 Shwrs pm Bristol 0.1 0.01 13 20 Cloudy Buxton 0.02 9 15 Showers Cardiff 0.3 0.02 13 19 Rain am Clacton 8.2 10 17 Sunny Colwvn Bav 0.2 0.02 11 17 Cloudv Cromer 8.7 10 18 Sunny Douolus 0.02 11 15 Cloudv om LMjnDar u.a U.U3 iu if uouay Eastbourne 7.2 15 19 Thndr pm Edinburgh 0.5 0.01 9 17 Cloudy Eskdalemulr as 0.10 8 16 Rain am Exmouth 0.2 13 17 Cloudy Falmouth 13 16 Cloudy Folkestone 10.1 11 21 Sunny Glasgow a 03 10 16 Rain Guernsey 1.0 0.11 14 20 Thunder Hastings 7.2 14 22 Sunny am Hayllng laland SB 13 19 Shwra pm Heme Bay 7.6 12 20 Sunny am Hunstanton 2.7 9 19 Bright am Isles of Scilly 13 16 Fog am Jersey 3.2 14 21 Thndr pm Klnloss 0. 10.01 9 18 Rain Leeds 0.1 11 17 Cloudy Lerwick 0.4 0.01 6 11 Rain pm Littlehampton 5.4 10 21 Sunny am Liverpool 0.3 0.03 12 17 Rain London 5.9 13 21 Sunny am Lowestoft 7.6 13 18 Sunny pm Manchester 0.4 0.02 11 18 Cloudy Maroate 80 13 19 Sunnv Mlnehead 1.3 14 21 Thndr am Morecambe 0.1 0.02 12 16 Dull Newcastle 0.2 0.12 11 15 Rain Newquay 0.3 14 18 Cloudy Norwich 7.4 10 18 Sunny Nottingham 1.6 10 19 Bright pm Penzance 14 16 Drizzle Plymouth 0.4 0.01 14 17 Thndr am Poole 2.0 0.03 14 21 Cloudy Prestwtck 0.06 11 18 Rain am flos-oo-Wve 0.1 005 11 19 Rain cm Ryde 2.0 0.01 16 IB Cloudy Salcombe 0.4 14 18 Cloudy Sandown 3.9 15 18 Drizzle Saunton Sands 1.6 13 20 Bright pm Scarborough a 02 10 14 Showers Shanklln 2.5 0.01 15 18 Shwra pm Southend 8.2 11 IB Sunny Southport 0.03 11 17 Dull Southsea 13 19 Rain pm Stornoway 0.04 10 14 Rain Swanage 1.8 0.02 IS 18 Showers Telgnmouth 0.1 14 17 Dull Tenby 14 17 Cloudy Tlree 0.3 0.02 12 IS Rain Torquay 1.4 0.01 15 18 Bright Tynemouth 0.4 0.01 11 13 Dull Ventnor 4.4 14 18 Bright am Weslon-s-Mara 0.3 14 20 Dull Weymouth 1.6 0.06 15 19 Thndr pm Wick 0.06 10 13 Rain Worthing 5.7 13 20 Sunny am Heaping not avajwow. Dial a forecast For a recorded regional forecast dial 0698 500 followed by the code for your area: Greater London 401: Kent. Surrey. Sussex 402: Dorset, Hants, low 403; Devon, Cornwall 404: wins, utoucs, Avon, Somerset 4(n; Berks.

Bucks. Oxon 406: Beds. Herts. Essex 407; Norfolk, Suffolk. Cambe 408; ft Mid Glamorgan, uweni Shropshire, Hereford, Worcs 410; Central Midlands 411; Powys 414; Gwynedd, Clwyd 415; NW Eng land 4io; wa: Torxs, rants uaies iir; Enoland 418: Cumbria.

Lake District 419: SW Scotland 420; Central Scotland 421; Edln, Fife. Lothian, Borders 422; Contral Scotland 423; Grampian, Highlands 424: NW Scotland 425; Caithness, Orkney, Shetland 426: Ireland 427. Peak rant 48p per mlnulo. off-pea 3p. Struggling mo IS 1 DOttTKNQU.

WIS IJOSTUISH GUY? HB'PGBTW NOSSR16HT! i WMTU YliCT PiOST" option I mentioned lEI extra homework, sweating for exams, coping with continual THAT PLiES pANGLlNG" SHEET" i i SMieKA on tut Ground oft. It's not easy being a teacher..