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A shell collection from the 18th century that belonged to Captain James Cook on his third voyage, which was believed to be lost for over four decades, has been handed back to English Heritage after being rescued from being discarded, described as a miraculous turn of events.
Over 200 specimens, including an extinct species and several thought to have been returned from Cook’s doomed journey, will be publicly exhibited for the first time in over a century.
The university had discarded the items, but a retired scientist saved them from being thrown away.
Bridget Atkinson (1732-1814) was passionate about collecting items that documented Britain’s involvement in worldwide trade and its colonization during the late 18th century. This collection serves as a historical record of these aspects.
Despite residing mostly in Cumbria, she never traveled outside of Britain. However, she managed to collect over 1,200 shells from various places around the world.
Her grandson, John Clayton (1792-1890), inherited the collection before it was sold with the Clayton estate in 1930.
Around 200 objects were left on exhibit at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland, and were later lent to the zoology department at Armstrong College, which is now known as Newcastle University.
However, the shells were discarded during a clean-up of the university office in the 1980s.
There was worry that they had disappeared forever, but it has been discovered that a visiting professor, Dr. John Buchanan, saved them from being thrown away.
“The Buchanan family has generously donated them to English Heritage, and the items have been brought back to the museum. They have been reunited with a large clam, which used to be the sole remaining item in the collection.”
Captain James Cook’s third voyage in the 18th century yielded a collection of shells.
The family of Dr. Buchanan stated that their father was a marine zoologist and worked as a senior lecturer at the Dove Marine Laboratory in Cullercoats starting in 1958 until his retirement.
The collection was saved because he strongly believed in preserving it, and the shells stayed in our family’s residence for 35 years.
“After our mother passed away, we realized that the shells were actually a part of the Clayton Collection. It filled us with joy to give the collection back to English Heritage so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come.”
One of the shells is a type of thorny oyster known as Spondylus americanus.
In a letter written in 1804, Mrs. Atkinson requested that her son Matthew, who was stationed in Jamaica, acquire the shell for her.
This creature is located on the Atlantic coastline, spanning from North Carolina to the Caribbean and extending to Brazil, and is adorned with spines measuring approximately 2 inches (5cm) in length.
Others include a sunburst star turban or circular saw shell, Astraea heliotropium, endemic to New Zealand, which was sent back to Mrs Atkinson by George Dixon while he was serving as armourer under Cook during his third voyage on HMS Resolution.
A different type of shell belongs to the immense giant clam known as Tridacna gigas. Notably, this bivalve holds the title of the world’s largest, and is currently safeguarded by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The chambered nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) shell also features in the collection.
As stated by English Heritage, this is one of the most sought-after items for collectors interested in natural history.
The creature inhabiting this shell had approximately 90 tentacles.
As it grew, the creature inhabited increasingly larger chambers within its shell, sealing off each one as it moved to the next.
Dr Frances McIntosh, English Heritage’s collections curator for Hadrian’s Wall and the North East, said: “We’ve always known about Bridget Atkinson’s collection but had believed it completely lost.
Finding out that the shells have not only endured, but have also been protected and cherished all this time is truly remarkable.
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“Bridget Atkinson was an extraordinary individual who had an avid interest in the natural world.”
During a time when most women collected shells for ornamental purposes, Bridget was more interested in their scientific and geographical significance.
In addition to showcasing Bridget’s qualities and connections, this compilation is also an excellent documentation of Britain’s involvement in international commerce during the late 1700s, and the effect of human actions on the environment.
Dr. Tom White, the head curator in charge of non-insect invertebrates at the Natural History Museum, has been collaborating with English Heritage to classify and record the shell collection. He mentioned that the assortment contains a variety of uncommon species, such as the now-extinct Distorsio cancellina.
During the 18th century in Britain, when shell collecting was at its peak, these items would have been highly coveted and could fetch thousands of pounds each.
The items will be exhibited at Chesters Roman Fort and Museum in Northumberland starting on Wednesday, March 13, marking the first time in over 100 years that they have been on public display.
Source: independent.co.uk
