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News from the Overseas Representatives, 2002

Edited extracts from the annual reports of the Overseas Representatives.

Central Europe

Several members of the SHNH met in Wittenberg in September during the Conference "Wissenschaft-Religion-Nation. Zum Verhältnis soziopolitischer Strukturen und der Ordnung des Wissens". A number of members were involved in preparing the exhibition about the history of the Tiergarten (Zoo) Schoenbrunn at the NHMV "Menagerie des Kaisers - Zoo der Wiener. 250 Jahre Tiergarten Schoenbrunn" (May 24th to October 27th). The book to the exhibition, Menagerie des Kaisers - Zoo der Wiener. 250 Jahre Tiergarten Schoenbrunn (Pichler Verlag, Wien 2002, 480 pages; ISBN 3-85431-269-5) was written partly by members of the society.

There also was an international symposium ‘Tiere, Natur, Kultur - Der Tiergarten Schoenbrunn im internationalen Vergleich vom 18. Jahrhundert bis heute’ organised by members of the SHNH (17–19 October) at the NHMV.

Other activities included informing members (e.g. events, exhibition, book presentations, etc.), answering questions by members or forwarding them better informed sources, and compiling and sending texts for the SHNH Newsletter to UK. Leaflets informing about the SHNH were distributed at all symposia I took part in. The mailing cost was paid by the Archive of the NHMV. The members received information about the museum’s public activities, season greetings, etc. Several members paid the Archive of the NHMV and me a visit. Prof. Mabberley and I tried to start the project about the Australian drawings of F.L. Bauer at the Archive of the NHMV.

Christa Riedl-Dorn

South Asia

In 2002, the Society for History of Zoos and Natural History of India and South Asia (SPoZaNHIA) which represents SHNH in this region answered several requests for reprints/copies of articles from the SHNH Journals that we have on hand. Also we had a few enquiries about SHNH to which we responded by sending a letter and a copy of the SHNH brochures.

The Representative was fortunate to be able to attend the SHNH/ZSL collaborative meeting of scientific lecture and dinner in December and speak with many of the members. Excellent contacts for interaction between the SPoZaNHIA /SHNH desk and other historians in Europe were made when the Representative attended the 250th Anniversary of the Schoenbrunn Zoo. A magnificent history of the zoo was released at the conference which, sadly for us, is not in English. Some translated extracts were published in ZOOS' PRINT, magazine of the organisation which hosts SPoZaNHIA / SHNH desk. Arrangements were made with our Vienna contacts for obtaining material specifically related to India and other South Asian countries as they continue their research into the history of Vienna Zoo and its interactions with zoos and biologists during the colonial period. SPoZaNHIA / SHNH materials were sent to these contacts in Vienna as well.

A history of Calcutta Zoo has been brought out in Hindi by one of our SPoZaNHIA members and preparations are being made for the Society to publish the English translation of the same.

The Representative became a member of the Asiatic Society thus increasing the resources of the SPoZaNHIA / SHNH desk by their Journal and also by gaining access to the branches of the Society in Bombay, Calcutta, Dhaka, etc. in this region. A workshop was conducted by the host organisations of SPoZaNHIA / SHNH desk at the Asiatic Society office in Dhaka where excellent material for use in our work in South Asia was collected from the library.

Sally Walker

Japan

Several small meetings were held, mostly taking advantage of such exhibitions as the world’s biggest fossil dinosaur from USA in Tokyo. An excursion to this exhibition was attended by a small number of our members.

On my visit to the UK I met with SHNH President, Dr John Edwards, and we discussed SHNH activities in Japan. The book he kindly gave me has been circulated among Japanese members. I am also much obliged to Mr A.H. Swann for generously sharing his holiday time with me including nice lunch and excursion.

Throughout this year we have been trying to get more popularity of SHNH, at all levels of contact through different channels of each member’s own contacts. However, it is to be regretted that no increase in the number of members has been brought about, but rather a decrease, particularly among scholarly young people/university students. Economic reasons are the most likely cause of this decline.

The branch general meeting topics shall be: 2003 activities, expenses of postage and circular/notice, further excursions, and about proposals by Dr Joe Cain on how to stimulate young people. We are still keeping the same Branch office at Yushodo. I expect and hope this situation will remain until the coming spring next year.

Hidehiko Nishimura

North America

Through this past year, several ideas for conferences were received from American members and passed along to Council. I think that this indicates a growing interest in the Society and its focuses, which we may be able to build on. Perhaps the most concrete suggestion came from Gordon Sauer, to the effect that the Society join the Spencer Library at the University of Kansas for a conference to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Gould (2004). It’s a bit far afield for European members, but the Spencer Library holds an unparalleled collection of Gould’s works and papers, which many people would love to see and hear about.

I have distributed the Society’s brochure at several conferences as well as here at the Smithsonian on every possible occasion. When time allows I do hope to take up the project of developing contacts at natural history institutions and university departments in the U.S., both to encourage individual memberships and to reverse institutional subscription cancellations.

Leslie Overstreet

Please note new contact details:

(Ms) Leslie K. Overstreet
Curator of Natural-History Rare Books
Smithsonian Institution Libraries
P.O. Box 37012, NHB CE-G15 / MRC 154
Washington DC 20013-7012
Ph: (202) 357-2376 fax: (202) 633-0219
e-mail: overstreetlk@si.edu
Web: www.sil.si.edu/libraries/cullman

Scotland

In summer 2002 Mr Ian McGowan, Librarian of the National Library of Scotland, retired. He joined the Library in 1971 as an Assistant Keeper, and later held posts as Keeper of Catalogues, Secretary of the Library and Acting Librarian (during the illness of his predecessor, Professor E.F.D. Roberts) before being appointed Librarian in 1990. During his twelve years in office, Ian McGowan oversaw many major developments at the National Library, and everyone wishes him a long and happy retirement. Also at the National Library, a selection of almost 800 rare historical maps of Scotland, from 1560 up to 1928, have gone on-line. Interested researchers can access the maps on www.nls.uk/maps.

Two important Scottish conferences were held during the year, on the Life and Times of Hugh Miller, in Cromarty on 10-12 October, and Celebrating Darwin, in Edinburgh on 22 November. Both conferences were very successful and many Society members attended. Members were also notified about a series of relevant short lunch-time lectures being held in the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow, from October to December 2002.

During the year there were also several requests for assistance with the bibliographies accompanying some important papers on Scottish natural history, which the Scottish Representative was glad to fulfil. The comprehensive bibliography of all items on Scottish vertebrate zoology in the national journal, the Scottish Naturalist (founded 1871), is continuing and has now reached 1950. Work is also continuing on the correct dating of the early years of several old (mainly 19th century) Scottish natural history journals, with a view to future publication. Following the numerous requests, the bibliography of the natural history publications of the late Rev. J.M. McWilliam, Honorary President of the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, was reprinted during 2002 and all requested copies were distributed.

On 10th July 2002 the Scottish Museums Council published the first stage of a national audit, listing more than 12 million objects, many of natural history importance, held in museums and galleries throughout Scotland. The collected data "convincingly demonstrate that collections of great national significance are by no means confined to national organisations". Indeed, thousands of items worthy of being labelled of national importance are held in more than 400 sites, and of the 12 million items, less than half (46%) are held by national organisations. This audit, the first of its kind to be undertaken in Europe, should leave no one in doubt about the importance of Scotland's cultural heritage. Over the years while the audit was being undertaken, on behalf of the Society the Scottish Representative submitted information on a good many natural history items which might otherwise have been overlooked.

Unfortunately a tragic event marred 2002. On 6th September Mr Ian Mowat, Librarian of Edinburgh University Library, fell to his death in a hill-walking accident in Glencoe. Ian was universally admired and respected, not least for his ready willingness to help any researchers with their enquiries. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Dr Jack Gibson

International representatives

The Society currently has seven international representatives, in Central Europe, North America, South East Asia, Italy, Japan, Scotland and South America. Any member resident outside England who would be interested in becoming a representative of the Society should contact: the Representatives Coordinator:

Ms Elaine Shaughnessy
IUCN - The World Conservation Union
219c Huntingdon Road
Cambridge
CB3 0DL
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1223 277894
Fax: +44 (0) 1223 277175

email: els@books.iucn.org

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