By NewsBlogger A collection of 18th-century shells from Captain James Cook’s third voyage, saved from being discarded, has been returned to English Heritage and will be displayed at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland.
At a glance
- An 18th-century shell collection from Captain James Cook’s third voyage has been returned to English Heritage after being saved from a skip.
- The collection contains more than 200 specimens, including an extinct species and several believed to have been sent back from Cook’s voyage.
- The collection was the passion of Bridget Atkinson, who amassed over 1,200 shells from around the world.
- After her passing, the collection was inherited by her grandson, John Clayton, before being sold in 1930.
- The shells were rescued from a skip by a passing lecturer, Dr. John Buchanan, who later donated them to English Heritage. The shells will be displayed at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland starting from March 13, 2019.
The details
An 18th-century shell collection from Captain James Cook’s third voyage has been returned to English Heritage after being saved from a skip.
The collection, which contains more than 200 specimens, includes an extinct species and several believed to have been sent back from Cook’s voyage.
This collection was the passion of Bridget Atkinson, who amassed over 1,200 shells from around the world.
After her passing, the collection was inherited by her grandson, John Clayton, before being sold in 1930.
Unfortunately, during an office clear-out at Newcastle University in the 1980s, around 200 of the artifacts were thrown out.
However, the shells were rescued from a skip by a passing lecturer, Dr. John Buchanan, who later donated them to English Heritage.
The shells, including a thorny oyster, a sunburst star turban, a giant clam, and a chambered nautilus shell, have now been returned to the museum.
The collection will soon go on display at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland, starting from March 13, 2019.
This rare and historically significant collection provides a glimpse into the exploration and discoveries made during Captain James Cook’s third voyage, highlighting the importance of preserving and showcasing such artifacts for future generations to appreciate and learn from.
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| independent.co.uk |
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| – An 18th century shell collection from Captain James Cook’s third voyage has been returned to English Heritage after being saved from a skip – The collection contains more than 200 specimens, including an extinct species and several believed to have been sent back from Cook’s voyage – The collection was the passion of Bridget Atkinson, who amassed more than 1,200 shells from across the globe – The collection was inherited by her grandson, John Clayton, before being sold in 1930 – Some 200 of the artefacts were thrown out during an office clear-out at Newcastle University in the 1980s – The shells were rescued from a skip by a passing lecturer, Dr John Buchanan – The shells have now been donated to English Heritage by the Buchanan family and returned to the museum – Among the shells is a thorny oyster, a sunburst star turban, and a giant clam – The collection also includes a chambered nautilus shell – The collection will go on display at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland from March 13, 2019 |
