For the second part of our visit our host was Jonathan Gregson, the Collections Manager, Flowering plants, Plants Division at the Natural History Museum. He is exactly how I would imagine a collections manager to be - quiet, unassuming and very very knowledgeable. What's more he has just got himself an allotment, so he can be an Old Hort any time he likes. So it is finally time to reveal the method by which the plant material is preserved - and the answer is - Flower Pressing!
Yes indeed, who has not owned a flower press when they were little? I certainly did, and that is the way thousands if not millions of specimens are preserved at the museum. We were privileged to see plants that had been collected four hundred years ago, and were described before Linnaeus had developed his theory of classification.
Yes indeed, who has not owned a flower press when they were little? I certainly did, and that is the way thousands if not millions of specimens are preserved at the museum. We were privileged to see plants that had been collected four hundred years ago, and were described before Linnaeus had developed his theory of classification.
This is Jonathan showing us the book where Hans Sloane had his collections described, and an example of the decorative way in which the plants are presented. Hans Sloane was the sort of Roman Abramovich of his day, by which I mean he owned the manor of Chelsea. However, instead of buying footballers he collected so much material that he virtually set up the Natural History Museum and the British Museum single handed.
The historical collections are beautifully kept in very large bound books, and are a delight to look at, but what is even more amazing to me is that they are still preserving material from all over the world by the exact same method to this very day! We then went downstairs to have a look. Nowadays Museum staff have to monitor humidity levels, use acid free paper, and check the provenance of anything that is offered, but that is basically the only difference between now and four hundred years ago. Oh, and the fact that the samples are being digitised. However, unless a way can be found to speed up the process that could take upwards of three hundred years,
It was at about this point that I realised that I could probably never be a true Old Hort because I had reached my limit of looking at dried flowers. I am sure most of the others in the group would still be there now if they could. However, the time was approaching just above the ankles and so we made our way to the Bunch of Grapes and our Christmas party. And that seems like a good moment to say goodbye and wish you all a Merry Christmas.