OXFORD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
During 2004 - 2005 I worked in the museum's Entomology Department curatating the important "Dale Collection" of insects.
This collection was built up by father (J.C.Dale, 1792 - 1872) and his son (C.W.Dale, 1851 or 2 - 1906); the collection was bequeathed to the museum in 1906. It includes all Orders of insects and is rich Type Specimens and contains what is possibly the oldest insect specimen in existence, a pinned Bath White butterfly (Pontia daplidice) dated 1721. Amongst specimens of historical interest is material from Sir John Ross's second expedition to find the North-West Passage (1829-1833) and specimens collected by Francis Walker and J.Curtis during the 1830's. There are numerous specimens from Wollaston's visit to the Atlantic Islands (Cape Verde, Madeira, Canaries and St.Helena).
My work involved photographing the original Dale cabinet drawers, transferring the specimens in "Dale order" to modern storage systems and cataloguing the collection.
My office at the Museum is marked with the yellow cross"
As well as all branches of natural history, the museum has a small display about the origin of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" - the display panel is copied here:
This collection was built up by father (J.C.Dale, 1792 - 1872) and his son (C.W.Dale, 1851 or 2 - 1906); the collection was bequeathed to the museum in 1906. It includes all Orders of insects and is rich Type Specimens and contains what is possibly the oldest insect specimen in existence, a pinned Bath White butterfly (Pontia daplidice) dated 1721. Amongst specimens of historical interest is material from Sir John Ross's second expedition to find the North-West Passage (1829-1833) and specimens collected by Francis Walker and J.Curtis during the 1830's. There are numerous specimens from Wollaston's visit to the Atlantic Islands (Cape Verde, Madeira, Canaries and St.Helena).
My work involved photographing the original Dale cabinet drawers, transferring the specimens in "Dale order" to modern storage systems and cataloguing the collection.
My office at the Museum is marked with the yellow cross"
As well as all branches of natural history, the museum has a small display about the origin of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" - the display panel is copied here: