Events in the history of the Pitt Rivers Museum that took place in 1890.
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 | 23 | Balfour suggests to Gamlen that J.T. Long [his assistant] wages be increased (which they were) | University Archives, UC/FF/60/2/3 | |
| January | No day | Tylor lectures on the Development of Religions in Hilary Term | Alison Brown pers comm | |
| February | ||||
| March | ||||
| April | 23 | Pitt-Rivers elected to Council of Society of Antiquaries | The Times 24 April 1890 | |
| April | No day | Tylor lectures on the Early development of institutions, family and tribe, property, penal law, government in Trinity Term | Alison Brown pers comm | |
| May | 2 | Progress report of Henry Balfour, 'Sub-curator of the PRM' submitted through Linacre Professor announcing that the upper gallery is open to the public in afternoons, but other work remains to be completed and asking for more help | University Gazette; PRM ms collections, PRM papers Box 1 foundation volume | |
| May | 3 | Hatchett-Jackson writes to Bartholomew Price, Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy that the University must come to a fresh arrangement or the Pitt Rivers Museum will be left without separate staff, means or maintenance and not in a fit state, encloses special report by Henry Balfour about history of acceptance of collection and pointing out that initial arrangements are ending but need future provision | PRM ms collections, PRM papers Box 1 foundation volume; Balfour's special report with letter | |
| May | 16 | Committee of University Council formed to look into possibility of transfer of responsibility for Pitt-Rivers Collection to the Reader of Anthropology (current holder, E.B. Tylor) | Chapman, 1981: 520 | |
| May | 16 | Balfour placed on Committee of Ashmolean Natural History Society, he becomes president of the Anthropology section of the Ashmolean Natural History Society of Oxfordshire | Frances Larson pers comm. | |
| May | 28 | Notice of a proposed decree that grant authorised on 29.11.1887 for 3 years ending 31.12.1890 be extended until 31.12.1891 and an additional £300 be voted to supplement the balance | University Gazette | |
| June | 1 | Balfour writes to Professor Price that regardless of opinion in above decree that work in Museum could be completed in one year he believed Museum work could never be ‘completed’ and that it was ‘fatal to assign a term to the growth and improvement of any collection’ | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 2 | Hatchett Jackson writes to Professor Price supporting Balfour. The opinion that museum work can be completed in one year is not based on any opinion. Condemns formulation of decree without reference to those in charge of the collection | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 2 | Pelham writes to Balfour informing him that he protest has been put before Hebdomadal Council, who have agreed that no limit can be set on work on museum collections but that teh grants were voted to allow preliminary work to render museum usable. The perfecting and extension of the museum must be provided for by a permanent arrangement which had not yet been considered by the Council | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 3 | Notice that decree passed in Convacation | University Gazette | |
| June | 3 / 4 |
Notice of the meeting of The Committee on the Pitt Rivers Collection to be held 4 June 1890. Balfour's report [see above] was to be on agenda (but it was not discusssed |
PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 12 | Letter from EB Tylor to Balfour telling him he thinks the letter sent by Balfour to Price is unwise and that he should see Price in person. Tylor feels that 'the arrangements' are in danger of being discontinued after this year | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 15 | Balfour writes to Professor Price of above Committee stating the position as requested by Tylor. He had no official standing and is therefore at a disadvantage, he asks to be made Curator for a year, on the same footing as other heads of department of the Oxford University Museum. Balfour points out that the responsiblity of the Linacre Professor is only titular, a new appointment to that post makes it important to make a settlement of the provision for the Pitt Rivers Museum perhaps by making a permanent appointment of Curator. He regrets the necessity if it comes and his terms are not met of giving up the work but is unwilling to continue in present conditions | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 16 | Professor Price writes to Balfour reporting that the recommendation of the Committee of Delegates about the PRM have that day been considered by Hebdomadal Council, no decision yet. | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 16 | Secretary of the Council writes to Balfour refusing offers made by Balfour in letter to Price on June 15 | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| June | 17 | Balfour writes to Vice-Chancellor regretting the decision of the Council | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| July | ||||
| August | ||||
| September | ||||
| October | No day | Tylor lectures on Elementary Anthropology in Michaelmas Term | Alison Brown pers comm | |
| October | 15 / 21 | Notice of meeting of the Committee of Delegates on 21.10.1890 to consider provision of additional workrooms for the museum and report to Council | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| October | 25 | Notice of another meeting of the Committee of Delegates to consider further the provision of additional workrooms for the museum and report to Council. Tylor attends meeting | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| October | 30 | Vice-Chancellor writes to Balfour inviting him to attend meeting of the Council that afternoon to give them his advice [Balfour was in London for that day and so unable to attend, only getting the note on his return] | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| October | 31 | Vice-Chancellor writes to Balfour to confirm that the Council accepted his proposals and agreed to give him the title of Curator | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| October | 31 | Balfour writes to President of the Curators of the University Chest asking him to put the enclosed suggestions to provide a room for the curator and assistants before the Council | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| November | 1 | Professor Fowler writes to Balfour telling him his suggestions for rooms are to be printed and laid before Council | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| November | 3 | Balfour writes to President of the University Common Community Chest to clarify one of his requests in the suggestions for additional rooms | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| November | 3 | Professor Fowler writes to Balfour to tell him the Council have referred the whole matter of museum applications for additional funding without discussion to an ad hoc committee composed of Council members and three members of Convocation | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| November | 7 / 13 | Notice issued of a meeting of the Committee on museum grants to be held on 13 November 1890 | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| November | 28 | Pitt-Rivers writes to Balfour about evolution of ornamental design objecting to Balfour publishing anything about the collections before he [PR] has an opportunity to explain his collection and its arrangements to the University. He complains about the delay in fully opening the museum | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| December | 1 | Letter from Balfour to the Vice-Chancellor 'owing to the anomalous situation' he reserves right not to be bound until 31.12.1891 and gives as supporting evidence the strange attitude of Pitt-Rivers to him [presumably as evinced in Pitt-Rivers letter of 28.11.1890 | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| December | 1 | Vice-Chancellor [Boyd] writes to Balfour reproving him, Balfour asked for the yearly arrangment and cannot now demur | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| December | 2 | Balfour writes to Vice Chancellor confirming that he had been happy with the arrangement until he had received the letter from Pitt-Rivers dating 28.11.1890 | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| December | 2 | Notice declaring Decree making Balfour curator passed in Convocation | University Gazette; PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| December | 2 | Balfour writes to Vice-Chancellor with a copy of his draft letter to Pitt-Rivers | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| December | 3 | Balfour writes amended letter to Pitt-Rivers, following advice from the Vice-Chancellor, he agrees not to write anything about the collection until after Pitt-Rivers' lecture at the University [see 1891] | PRM papers PRM ms collections Box 1 Foundation volume | |
| Unspecified | Court of PRM opened to public for first time | Cousins, 1993: 10 | ||
| Unspecified | Balfour suggests 'a detailed catalogue of the whole series may be published' in Annual Report | Relational Museum timelines/ Annual Report 1890 | ||
| Unspecified | Tylor gives 10 Gifford lectures at University of Aberdeen | Relational Museum timelines | See also 1889 | |
| Unspecified | Tylor breakfasts with Gladstone at Balliol College, Oxford, he visits the Pitt Rivers Museum | Relational Museum timelines | ||
| Unspecified | Displays worked on during the year: Musical instruments displays in Court, Upper Gallery and Court displays. Lower Gallery still closed | Relational Museum timelines/ Annual Report 1890 | ||
| Unspecified | The Tylors travel to Switzerland | Megan Price pers comm. | ||
| Unspecified | From around 1890 Alfred Robinson prepares lecture aides (pictures and charts) for Tylor | Megan Price pers comm | ||
| Unspecified | Balfour joins Oxford University Convocation | Frances Larson pers comm. | ||
| Unspecified | First year that ethnographic acquisitions for the Pitt Rivers collections are not entered in the Department of Zoology & Comparative Anatomy. Presentation Book Vol. 1 1883-1948. The list of ethnographic objects is not included in the PRM annual reports until 1895 so new acquisitions are only listed in informal notebooks now held by the Museum. This is presumably one of the events that marks the separation of the Pitt Rivers collection from being a department (or part of the Comparative Anatomy department) of the Oxford University Museum into being a separate institution. | Department of Zoology & Comparative Anatomy. Presentation Book Vol. 1 1883-1948, Museum annual reports 1895 and on; 'Additions to Museum' notebook. |
AP
