Josh - MA History Student 🏳️⚧️
@musehistorian.bsky.social
MA Dissertation Research Log - feel free to comment :)
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This account is to log my MA dissertation research in a consumable fashion, feel free to browse and comment on anything ❤️
Reposted by Josh - MA History Student 🏳️⚧️
Botanical woodcuts from 'Theatrum Botanicum: The Theater of Plants, Or, An Herball of Large Extent’ by John Parkinson. London: Printed by Tho. Cotes, 1640.
I saw this at Boston Public Library Special Collections.
#rarebooks #woodcuts #herbal #botany #flowerillustration
I saw this at Boston Public Library Special Collections.
#rarebooks #woodcuts #herbal #botany #flowerillustration
July 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Botanical woodcuts from 'Theatrum Botanicum: The Theater of Plants, Or, An Herball of Large Extent’ by John Parkinson. London: Printed by Tho. Cotes, 1640.
I saw this at Boston Public Library Special Collections.
#rarebooks #woodcuts #herbal #botany #flowerillustration
I saw this at Boston Public Library Special Collections.
#rarebooks #woodcuts #herbal #botany #flowerillustration
If only the victorians treated animals like this 🥺 Obaysch would be living in luxury
July 27, 2025 at 8:36 PM
If only the victorians treated animals like this 🥺 Obaysch would be living in luxury
A domestic dog skull - interestingly lined up like any other specimen. To me this illustrates the essential contradictions of zoology. The need to care for an animal and forge a human bond to an animal that is kept at arms length within zoos and
July 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
A domestic dog skull - interestingly lined up like any other specimen. To me this illustrates the essential contradictions of zoology. The need to care for an animal and forge a human bond to an animal that is kept at arms length within zoos and
A students notebook with a dissected frog and an elephants heart. This shows the educational value of the Grant museum. The elephant heart is dyed to clearly display its anatomy.
July 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
A students notebook with a dissected frog and an elephants heart. This shows the educational value of the Grant museum. The elephant heart is dyed to clearly display its anatomy.
Here are some other photographs from my trip:
An orangutan head- It becomes clear why the Victorians described orangutans like humans, even before the revelation of evolution by Charles Darwin.
An orangutan head- It becomes clear why the Victorians described orangutans like humans, even before the revelation of evolution by Charles Darwin.
July 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Here are some other photographs from my trip:
An orangutan head- It becomes clear why the Victorians described orangutans like humans, even before the revelation of evolution by Charles Darwin.
An orangutan head- It becomes clear why the Victorians described orangutans like humans, even before the revelation of evolution by Charles Darwin.
This orang-utan was donated to the Grant Museum in 1917 and taxidermied by Edward Gerrard & Sons. Edward Gerrard was an attendant at the British Museum, illustrating the broad network
Gerrard & Sons were based in Camden not far from London Zoo.
Gerrard & Sons were based in Camden not far from London Zoo.
July 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
This orang-utan was donated to the Grant Museum in 1917 and taxidermied by Edward Gerrard & Sons. Edward Gerrard was an attendant at the British Museum, illustrating the broad network
Gerrard & Sons were based in Camden not far from London Zoo.
Gerrard & Sons were based in Camden not far from London Zoo.
Interestingly, the Grant Museum has a dedicated London Zoo collection. Some specimens possibly being from the old ZSL museum office in Leicester Square. By 1855 the society had donated all of its collections across many institutions.
July 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Interestingly, the Grant Museum has a dedicated London Zoo collection. Some specimens possibly being from the old ZSL museum office in Leicester Square. By 1855 the society had donated all of its collections across many institutions.
‼️ content warning - contains graphic content ‼️
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit The Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy.
The museum has been open to the public since 1996, but it has been used by students since 1828, two years after the founding of London Zoo.
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit The Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy.
The museum has been open to the public since 1996, but it has been used by students since 1828, two years after the founding of London Zoo.
July 18, 2025 at 11:35 AM
‼️ content warning - contains graphic content ‼️
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit The Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy.
The museum has been open to the public since 1996, but it has been used by students since 1828, two years after the founding of London Zoo.
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit The Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy.
The museum has been open to the public since 1996, but it has been used by students since 1828, two years after the founding of London Zoo.
Even better his father is rumoured to have eaten the preserved / mummified heart of Louis XIV of France from a silver locket.
July 4, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Even better his father is rumoured to have eaten the preserved / mummified heart of Louis XIV of France from a silver locket.
Buckland grew up in a household where eating exotic animals was the norm. Dr. William Buckland, his father and a theologian/geologist, actively encouraged his children to partake, serving bear and crocodile.
July 4, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Buckland grew up in a household where eating exotic animals was the norm. Dr. William Buckland, his father and a theologian/geologist, actively encouraged his children to partake, serving bear and crocodile.
Highlight so far is the curious character of Francis Trevelyan Buckland, famous author, surgeon and zoologist. Buckland was secretary for the official British Acclimatisation Society that was founded in 1860. This Society had a desire to breed exotic animals and plants for the British environment.
July 4, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Highlight so far is the curious character of Francis Trevelyan Buckland, famous author, surgeon and zoologist. Buckland was secretary for the official British Acclimatisation Society that was founded in 1860. This Society had a desire to breed exotic animals and plants for the British environment.
***Dissertation Update***
First chapter has been researched and is ready to be written. This chapter will focus on the acclimatisation society of England, in an attempt to illustrate the peculiar Victorian relationship with exotic animals.
First chapter has been researched and is ready to be written. This chapter will focus on the acclimatisation society of England, in an attempt to illustrate the peculiar Victorian relationship with exotic animals.
July 4, 2025 at 5:47 PM
***Dissertation Update***
First chapter has been researched and is ready to be written. This chapter will focus on the acclimatisation society of England, in an attempt to illustrate the peculiar Victorian relationship with exotic animals.
First chapter has been researched and is ready to be written. This chapter will focus on the acclimatisation society of England, in an attempt to illustrate the peculiar Victorian relationship with exotic animals.
ZSL itself had Kingston farm to breed such animals for decoration and food
June 26, 2025 at 11:09 AM
ZSL itself had Kingston farm to breed such animals for decoration and food
This reminds me of the acclimatisation societies that popped up around mid century - Frank Buckland was head of the British branch - apparently dining on exotic animals from the colonies
June 26, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This reminds me of the acclimatisation societies that popped up around mid century - Frank Buckland was head of the British branch - apparently dining on exotic animals from the colonies
Reading some tour guides from the ZSL archives - interesting quote so far hippopotamus meat is described as ‘succulent’ and the layer of fat makes ‘great bacon’
June 26, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Reading some tour guides from the ZSL archives - interesting quote so far hippopotamus meat is described as ‘succulent’ and the layer of fat makes ‘great bacon’
Sometimes things do not go according to plan ... I may have been unrealistic with the idea that I could base my MA dissertation around 3 animal subjects 🤷♀️😬
May 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Sometimes things do not go according to plan ... I may have been unrealistic with the idea that I could base my MA dissertation around 3 animal subjects 🤷♀️😬
Currently researching for an essay about the Art Treasures Exhibition of 1857 in Manchester and how the middle class perception of the working classes influenced the exhibition space.
May 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Currently researching for an essay about the Art Treasures Exhibition of 1857 in Manchester and how the middle class perception of the working classes influenced the exhibition space.
I was reminded not long ago how much this elasticity still applies even today. When Kier Starmer and the labour government struggled to define what a 'proper' working family was. There is no physical object we can pick up and observe as the embodiment of class.
May 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I was reminded not long ago how much this elasticity still applies even today. When Kier Starmer and the labour government struggled to define what a 'proper' working family was. There is no physical object we can pick up and observe as the embodiment of class.
The elasticity of the British class system is one of my biggest fascinations with the Victorian period - Peter Bailey's article "Will the Real Bill Banks Please Stand Up?" really captured my imagination during my undergrad. And in some ways it still does.
May 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The elasticity of the British class system is one of my biggest fascinations with the Victorian period - Peter Bailey's article "Will the Real Bill Banks Please Stand Up?" really captured my imagination during my undergrad. And in some ways it still does.
Reposted by Josh - MA History Student 🏳️⚧️
At the museum for natural history in Copenhagen, they have a wonderful reconstruction of Ole Worm's cabinet of curiosities - famously depicted in this print from 1655:
April 18, 2025 at 6:54 AM
At the museum for natural history in Copenhagen, they have a wonderful reconstruction of Ole Worm's cabinet of curiosities - famously depicted in this print from 1655:
Reposted by Josh - MA History Student 🏳️⚧️
My husband has taught human reproduction and development to the Cambridge medics for over three decades. When people start banging on about "only two biological sexes" he starts with "which sex: genetic, hormonal, or gonadal"?
Biological sex is not binary. www.scientificamerican.com/article/sex-...
Biological sex is not binary. www.scientificamerican.com/article/sex-...
Sex Redefined: The Idea of 2 Sexes Is Overly Simplistic
Biologists now think there is a larger spectrum than just binary female and male
www.scientificamerican.com
April 16, 2025 at 12:03 PM
My husband has taught human reproduction and development to the Cambridge medics for over three decades. When people start banging on about "only two biological sexes" he starts with "which sex: genetic, hormonal, or gonadal"?
Biological sex is not binary. www.scientificamerican.com/article/sex-...
Biological sex is not binary. www.scientificamerican.com/article/sex-...
Transplant this onto the Victorian period, it becomes obvious why the highly-observed society of the period retains its 'stiff upper lip' stereotype. The Victorians knew they were being observed as they themselves were observing others, and so they behaved and remained in their stations.
April 17, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Transplant this onto the Victorian period, it becomes obvious why the highly-observed society of the period retains its 'stiff upper lip' stereotype. The Victorians knew they were being observed as they themselves were observing others, and so they behaved and remained in their stations.
In this design there is a tower in the middle of prison cells, all forming a circular shape. The tower is occupied by an unseen prison guard. The sheer possibility of this guard sparks the prisoners to behave in an orderly fashion - governing themselves in the process.
April 17, 2025 at 8:07 PM
In this design there is a tower in the middle of prison cells, all forming a circular shape. The tower is occupied by an unseen prison guard. The sheer possibility of this guard sparks the prisoners to behave in an orderly fashion - governing themselves in the process.
The famous academic Michel Foucault theories of self governance - see Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. This theory poses an ideal prison design.
April 17, 2025 at 8:07 PM
The famous academic Michel Foucault theories of self governance - see Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. This theory poses an ideal prison design.