| AdminHistory | The Department of Zoology has its origins in the Department of Natural and Artificial Productions which was set up at the founding of the British Museum in 1756. In 1806 it was renamed the Department of Natural History and Modern Curiosities and was under the keepership of George Shaw (1751-1813) and later Charles Dietrich Eberhard Konig (1774-1851). Most of the records from this period remain in the archives of the British Museum, though there are a number of early letters and reports included in DF200 and DF205.
In 1837 the Natural History Department was divided into three branches, of which Zoology was one under the keepership of Children, and in 1856 the branch was given the status of a department, with John Edward Gray (1800-1875) as first Keeper, and a staff of 15. Gray made great progress in registering, cataloguing and exhibiting the growing collections, and was the first zoologist to gain and deserve scientific eminence through his work at the Museum. Although Gray pressed long and hard for a move to larger premises, he had been succeeded by Dr A Gunther (1830-1914) by the time the move to South Kensington took place in 1883. When Gunther retired in 1895 the department had a staff of 35, divided into the Vertebrate, Invertebrate and Insect Sections. In 1913 the Insect Section became the separate Department of Entomology.
In 1922 the department was divided into nine sections, including Mammals, Birds, Fishes, Mollusca and Crustacea. The number and precise designation of the sections has changed over the years, and by 1965 there were 17, each with its own head, and keeping its own records.
By 1965 the department was responsible for one of the largest and most important collections of zoological material in the world, and was an international centre for research in animal taxonomy and systematics. The research was supported by a fine departmental library, rich in manuscripts and rare books. The department was also responsible, in conjunction with the exhibition staff, for displays in the zoological galleries. Staff numbered 98, who between them saw to nearly 5,000 visitors a year, coped with the acquisition of over 35,000 specimens a year, and were responsible for over 100 monographs, papers and reports.
The Department of Zoology was subsumed into the Department of Life Sciences (along with the Department of Entomology and the Department of Botany) as part of the restructure of Science by the Director of Science in 2012. As part of the restructure, the position of Keeper no longer exits and the collections managers are the Principal Curator in Charge, Invertebrates and the Principal Curator in Charge, Vertebrates. The collection sections remain largely the same, e.g. Birds, Mammals, Mollusca etc.
In 2022 the Department of Life Sciences and Department of Earth Sciences were dissolved. Within the restructure, curation of scientific collections sits within 'Collections' under the Executive Director of Science. See NHM Organisation Structure: Updated July 2022.
References:
Gunther, A E, 1975. "A century of zoology at the British Museum through the lives of two keepers, 1815-1914". Dawsons of Pall Mall.
Gunther, A E, 1980. "The founders of science at the British Museum 1753-1900". The Halesworth Press.
Stearn, W T, 1981. "The Natural History Museum at South Kensington". Heinemann. Chapter 12.
KEEPERS OF ZOOLOGY
John George Children 1837-1840
John Edward Gray 1840-1875
Albert Carl Ludwig Gotthilf Gunther 1875-1895
William Henry Flower 1895-1898
Edwin Ray Lankester 1898-1907
Sidney Frederick Harmer 1909-1921
Charles Tate Regan 1921-1927
William Thomas Calman 1927-1936
Martin Alister Campbell Hinton 1936-1945
Norman Boyd Kinnear 1945-1947
Hampton Wildman Parker 1947-1957
Francis Charles Fraser 1957-1964
John Philip Harding 1964-1971
John Gordon Sheals 1971-1985
John Fordyce Peake 1985-1989
Colin Robert Curds (acting) 1989-1993
Colin Robert Curds 1993-1997
Philip Stephen Rainbow 1997-2012 |