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Post by timmsyrj on Feb 11, 2015 15:18:21 GMT
Just recieved a response from the national trust that says, Richard, sorry but as the collection is in a fragile state we are not able to allow you to view or photograph the specimens held in store. I have forwarded your email to our Advisor for Natural History who may be able to give more information which I will pass on. In an earlier reply he told me that a lot of the specimens had gone to differnt museums and what's left at caulke abbey are very fragile due to pest damage, which is a shame, it's almost all specimens collected by Sir Vauncey mostly from the grounds of the abbey but also other family owned estates in Staffordshire and Derbyshire so it's a shame I'll not get to see them and view what used to occur in my county, but if they are that fragile I understand.
Rich.
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Post by timmsyrj on Feb 11, 2015 15:27:55 GMT
Peter, I've just ordered a copy of the Aurelian Legacy that should be here by the Friday so looks like I'll have a busy weekend of interesting reading.
Rich
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Post by nomad on Feb 11, 2015 18:42:55 GMT
Rich sorry you were unable to visit the collections, I thought the pests had been calling. Lets hope that they will not be all dust and pins soon. You will really enjoy the the book and do not forget the Aurelian's Fireside companion.
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Post by trehopr1 on Feb 11, 2015 19:04:33 GMT
Hello Rich, just wanted to say that by the looks of the specimens they certainly don't look any more fragile than any other 100 plus year old collection that I've ever seen. I don't believe for a minute that taking a couple dozen photo's of what remains will damage anything. The folks in charge are just politely rebuffing anyone's interest in the collection as they either have no time or patience for such things OR they just don't appreciate prying eyes or inquisitive interest. They basically don't want the bother. I worked at a natural history museum for 8 years and none of our specimens looked or were any worse for wear than what I see in the photographs.
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Post by wollastoni on Feb 12, 2015 15:14:53 GMT
Agree, I can't see how taking pictures can damage a collection...
I think they don't want you to take pictures because they are afraid of being accused to let a valuable collection disappear.
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Post by timmsyrj on Feb 12, 2015 16:37:39 GMT
To be honest I think a lot of it is down to insurance liabilities, as with your car, you only get fully comprehensive with named drivers you lend it to a friend and it's only 3rd party, as I'm not an employee of the national trust they are not fully covered with insurance should anything happen and it's there jobs on the line for letting me in so I can understand, as far as they are concerned I'm an amateur enthusiast, which lets face it, i am, though probably with a greater knowledge of the subject than those at the abbey but that's another story..
Rich
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Post by nomad on Feb 12, 2015 17:25:35 GMT
Unless they do not want you announcing to the world, that the NT has found parts of a valuable collection and is doing no pest control. It is often surprisingly difficult to get to view many museum collections in the U.K. Especially as most of us are amateurs.
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Post by wollastoni on Feb 12, 2015 18:21:39 GMT
I have to say that I am astonished by the situation of entomology in the UK...
British have "invented" entomology, they have had the best explorers and collectors, the best scientists and now : - amateurs cannot visit collections, - amateurs cannot have a net in public, - it is the only country in Europe were "conservationists" are killing amateur entomology - I see nearly no communication at all from entomologic societies, no collecting trips, no famous periodicals, nearly nothing - fairs are not as interesting as German, Czeck, Italian, French ones
I do think British amateurs should unite in a modern and ACTIVE association like the French ALF, to dynamise the whole community, to create links with authorities and the Museums, to teach entomology in schools and above all to defend the amateur entomology.
UK may be the European country with the highest number of collectors, I cannot see why a powerful amateur entomology cannot be created. I know there are some existing associations there but they seem all too private or too quiet to me.
I know, it is easier to say than to do.
Hope my British friends will achieve to change that sad situation.
#proudtobeaninsectcollector
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Post by timmsyrj on Feb 13, 2015 7:53:23 GMT
this is why i'll be retiring to the south of France as soon as my mortgage is finished(which unfortunately is way off yet) I'd leave tomorrow if I could afford it, come on euromillions, fix that damn machine to pick my numbers!! 95% of people are totally oblivious to what's going on around them, but being "friendly to the environment" is what the whole place is run on, it wins the votes, they don't publicise the underlying reality, as I've said on another thread, I work in the coffee industry, the largest on land commodity, and as coffee grows in the tropics it's destroyed thousands of acres of forests, people ain't bothered by this as long as they've had their morning caffeine injection, now palm oil is destroying thousands of acres and the gullible think it's an Eco Friendly fuel source, and now we don't have road tax but emissions tax, so you pay more tax the more CO2 you produce, I wonder how long it'll be before they realise, with car manufacturers producing cleaner engines and everybody soon paying lower emission tax per year, they won't have enough money to actually maintain the roads, we'll have even more pot holes. But at least the air will be cleaner, there won't be any insects..
We even have the idiots worrying about "global warming, what's going to happen to our poor butterflies as it gets warmer" that's how thick these people are, I told a green party numb nut,who came to my door last year and spotted a case of butterflies on my wall and went off on one, "why are you worrying about this, we have 50+ species in the U.K whilst France which is averagely warmer has over 300, the same with Spain, Italy, Greece etc, all much warmer than here and all have the same species as us plus loads more" as expected he had no answer other than "it's cruel to kill butterflies" I politely told him to leave my property, well F### ##F. This is what we have to put up with, you can wander the countryside with a strimmer making it look neat and tidy, but carry a net and you a criminal.
Soap box away, I need some environmentally friendly caffeine now.
Rich
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Post by nomad on Feb 13, 2015 17:59:09 GMT
There are three main Entomological Society's in Britain.
The oldest and most elitist is the Royal Entomological Society of London founded in 1833.
The British Entomological and Natural History Society was founded in 1872.
The Amateur Entomological Society was founded in 1935. This society has a large exhibition and trade fair in London in October.
The latter two have a large membership.
All Societies today, take account of the conservation codes regarding the collecting of British insects. While there are many who collect insects in their ranks, today these organizations promote the collecting of British insects for scientific study. They take a dim view of the collecting of British insects in large quantities for sale on the internet. Today, these societies have to take notice of today attitudes regarding insect collecting in Britain. British Butterfly Conservation here has around 15.000 members.
One of the society mentions, " It would be wise to remember that in a few other European countries the privilege of collecting insects, has been partly or largely withdrawn through highly restrictive legislation ".
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Post by timmsyrj on Feb 13, 2015 21:18:33 GMT
Peter, totally off topic now, but the Aurelian Legacy arrived today, had a quick thumb through, it certainly looks a good read, I noticed on the picture from Sir Vauncey's collection that one of the boxes is featured in one of the links I posted, shame I won't see the rest.
Rich
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Post by nomad on Feb 14, 2015 6:59:17 GMT
Rich. Certainly lots of great reading to brighten up our dreary winters days and long dark nights .
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Post by timmsyrj on Aug 9, 2015 15:53:09 GMT
Just to follow up on the Calke Abbey and Sir Vauncey Harpur Crewe collection, I have recently read on the British Butterfly Conservation website, Derbyshire section that the spread of the Silver Washed Fritillary (A.paphia) has reached Ticknall Lime Kilns which is a wooded area on the Calke Abbey estate, there has been several sightings and some photographs are on the website, including a form valezina, they have been seen this year in half a dozen or more woods all within 20 minutes of me, I used to have to go miles away to see these and all the way down to Hampshire for valezina. They occurred around here in great numbers many years ago, Sir Vauncey had loads of them he collected on the estate with many nice Abb's so it's great to see them back, also 2 Dark Green Fritillaries were spotted in meadows on the estate, not photographed or varified and last year White Admirals in a wood five miles from me.
It must be getting warmer!!!
Rich
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