Events in the history of the Pitt Rivers Museum that took place in 1885.
Readers are reminded that this table is a work in progress and may be amended or added to at any time.
| Month | Day | Event | Source of Information | Notes |
| January | 22/ 27 |
SKM authorities agree that their vans can be lent for the removal of the Pitt Rivers collection, and that they would give the screens upon which the objects were displayed to the University of Oxford Letter from Secretary of Science and Art Dept SKM to EB Tylor agreeing to provide men and vans to pack and remove Pitt-Rivers collection |
V&A Archives, Precis of the Board minutes Dept of Science and Art, 1.1.1884-31.12.1887 page 45 E.M. 323; University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 |
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| January | No days | Hilary Term lectures by Tylor I II III Early History of the Arts and Sciences [Included: Numeration, weights and measures] IV V VI Passages in Herodotus relating to Anthropology [Included: Lake Dwellers , the Scythians, funeral rites] | ||
| January | No day | Marett persuades University authorities to allow him to start degree early, in Hilary Term, at Balliol College | DNB entry | |
| February | 11 | Letter from Tylor to Gamlen giving details of the cases required with costs | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| February | 11 | Moseley tells Gamlen in letter that PR founding collection still at SKM but packed into one room and no longer on display | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| February | 21 |
Letter from Secretary of Science and Art Dept, SKM to Gamlen, he cannot confirm that the PR collection will stay where it is until it is moved to Oxford |
University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| March | 5 | Hebdomadal Council agrees anthropology can be a 'special subject' in the Final Honour School of Natural Science | University Archives FA 4/13/1/1 | |
| March | 19 | Case estimates forwarded from Tylor to Gamelan, will try and arrange examination with Moseley of cases | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| March | 24 | Building contract with Symm signed | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| March | 25 | Secretary of Science and Art Dept SKM asks that Pitt-Rivers collection be removed by end of May 1885 | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| April | No day | Trinity Term lectures by Tylor Development of Mythology, Magic, Games etc | ||
| April | ?5 | Baldwin Spencer becomes Moseley's assistant, replacing S.J. Hickson | Mulvaney, 1985: 54, 55, 60 | |
| [Spring] | Work begins on extension to OUMNH to house PR founding collection | Larson, 2007: 94 | ||
| May | 15 | Letter from Sage to Gamlen confirming cases will begin to be delivered on 1 June 1885 | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| May | 18 |
Letter from Moseley to Gamlen, suggesting that he arranged with SKM for the removal, but that Moseley and Tylor would superintend the move. Some objects should be delivered to the Clarendon building and others to the Oxford University Museum |
University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| May | 23 | Letter from Moseley to Gamlen, discussing the logistics of moving the screens, suggesting they are delivered to the OUM; confirms that SKM are giving Oxford wall screens onto which Pitt-Rivers collection is mounted | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| May | 30 | G.F. Duncombe writes to Gamlen that SKM is ready to pack Pitt-Rivers collection 'at a moment's notice', when Moseley and Tylor can be present | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| June | 1 | Sage (makers) starts delivering cases for Pitt-Rivers collection to new building | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| June | from a week or so before june 21 | Transfer of objects from SKM to Oxford begins, action taken by Walter Baldwin Spencer and W.J. Hill. E.B. Tylor and H.N. Moseley also attend, Tylor staying at the Athenaeum as required. The collection is stored throughout Oxford on its arrival. Spencer continues to work on transfer until he moves to Australia, latterly with Henry Balfour | OUMNH, E.B. Poulton mss. Letter from Moseley to Poulton; Larson, 2007: 94. University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2; Spencer papers Goulty 65 | |
| June | 12 | Moseley writes to Gamlen to say that it is possible that some Pitt-Rivers objects will be stored in Clarendon upper rooms on June 13 | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| June | 17 | Tylor [and Moseley?] are in London supervising move of Pitt-Rivers objects | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2; OUMNH, E.B. Poulton mss. | |
| June | 22 | Moseley writes to Gamlen to complain that the width of the staircase in the new building has been reduced | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| July | 2 | Spencer writes to Goulty, mentions that that day they have finished 'bringing here' the Pitt Rivers [ie to Oxford] | PRM ms collections: Spencer papers Box 3 Goulty 66 | |
| July | 3 | Moseley writes to Gamlen enclosing statement of expenses for himself and Spencer | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| July | 25 |
Letter from Moseley to Gamlen revising cases for new museum |
University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| July | No day | Balfour is awarded second class degree in natural sciences | DNB entry | |
| August or September | No day | Pitt-Rivers and wife meet up with Tylors in Scotland | University of California Tylor diaries; Megan Price pers comm. | |
| September | before 12 | Pitt-Rivers at British Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Aberdeen, reads paper on ancient remains and goverment plans to preserve them | The Times 12 September 1885 | |
| September | No day | First collections transferred from Ashmolean Museum to PRM | Larson, 2007: 11 | |
| October | No day | Michaelmas Term lectures by Tylor are on Social and Religious systems [Included: Degrees of relationship, origin of religious ideas in primitive society, Animism and mythology] | Alison Brown pers comm | |
| October | 11 | Moseley writes to Balfour inviting him to become his assistant setting up the Pitt-Rivers Collection | PRM papers PRM ms collections foundation volume | |
| October | 12 | Moseley writes to Gamlen saying that he needs a skilled assistant to set up Pitt-Rivers Collection in Oxford | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/2 | |
| October | 28 | Henry Balfour begins work at PRM at Oxford | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/3 | |
| November | No day | Further collections transferred from Ashmolean Museum to PRM | Larson, 2007: 96 | |
| December | ||||
| Unspecified | Moseley elected Fellow of the Anthropological Society | DNB entry | ||
| Unspecified | Arthur Thomson appointed to new post of university lecturer in human anatomy | DNB entry | ||
| Unspecified | Tylor travels to Holland | Megan Price pers comm. | ||
| Unspecified | Anthropology included as additional subject in the Natural Sciences Final Honour School | Peter Rivière |
AP
