A Day of Discoveries at the Linnean Society

Old manuscripts, books and letters can open a window on the past even in the digital age. While there is no guarantee that last year’s ebooks and apps will open after the next software update, the pages of a centuries-old book will still turn tomorrow. Much of the past is available digitised online today. Can it beat the thrill of seeing the original manuscripts for yourself? Let me tell you about a very special library and its treasures tucked away in London’s Piccadilly for Libraries Week (8-13 October 2018).

It was a thrill to discover the treasured books and manuscripts of Carl Linnaeus or Carl von Linné last week. Dr Isabelle Charmantier, Head of Collections, gave a talk on the famous Swedish botanist and his classification system at the Linnean Society of London. I followed the talk with one of the society’s regular treasure tours.

Linnaeus was a fellow bibliophile. It must have been purgatory not having access to his professor's library. He even drew a map of his professor's home showing the long corridor from his room to the library in the opposite wing. His late night reading and note-taking caused consternation. The professor's wife worried about the house being burnt down if he fell asleep by candlelight. The professor investigated. Linnaeus gained access to the library.

I marvelled at Linnaeus' ability to classify so much information in a pre-computer age. I admired his neat handwriting - a lost skill for many today. His precocious taxonomic talent and intentions were obvious in his twenties.

Facsimile of neatly handwritten classification records 

The manuscripts on display at the seminar were facsimiles. The real treasures are held in a special vault in the basement. It houses Carl Linnaeus' botanical and entomological collections, along with his own library's books, papers and letters.

Inside of the vault at the Linnean Society of London on the treasures tour

How did the Swedish botanist's collections end up in London? 

When Linnaeus died his wife offered his collections for sale as urged by the botanist to cover dowries for their daughters. Joseph Banks of the Royal Academy and Kew expressed interest. Linnaeus' son protested and took good care of the collection until his own death. 

Portrait of James Edward Smith in the library

Joseph Banks was no longer interested. He urged the botanist James Edward Smith to acquire the collection instead. There followed a series of letters between James Edward Smith and his wealthy wool merchant father. He gradually wore his father down and the Linnean Society of London was founded.

Our guide turns the page of one of two original manuscripts

Our tour guide for the day was the Linnean Society's retired librarian. She shared her fascination with her former charges. The Linnean Society is very grateful to the Mellon Foundation for its donations to help digitise and conserve the precious collections. 

Darwin Play Review: The Wider Earth

When we think of the famous author of The Origin of Species, we see an old man with white hair and a beard. The Natural History Museum's new production presents him as a fresh-faced and enthusiastic naturalist of merely 22 years.  The Wider Earth's presents the Beagle's voyage that influenced Darwin's whole life.

The play is a new departure for the Natural History Museum. This museum is permanently associated in my mind with numerous family trips to see dinosaurs. My expectations were not high as I headed to a preview.

As soon as I walked into the new theatre, I saw bright lights and a contrastingly dark, irregularly-shaped stage. This was something different.



A minimal cast plays the key characters in Darwin's voyage and life. The puppets are no ordinary puppets. They are representations of the unusual creatures that Darwin discovers on the other side of the world. The puppetry is in the same style and by the same team as War Horse.

My second-row seat gave me a great view of the workings of the puppets, if not of the video backdrop. I could appreciate how well the young actor conveys Darwin's rapture at each fresh discovery.

The script dramatises key moments in the 5-year voyage that influence the young naturalist's whole life. Darwin argues with the temperamental captain. We see the beginnings of a crisis in faith and religion that his fascinating discoveries later engender.

I looked around at the rest of the audience at the end. I noticed that the Natural History Museum had succeeded in attracting a young adult audience. Maybe they've found the right formula to attract that elusive young target audience back into museums?


The Wider Earth

Photo Blog: RHS Harvest Festival

Enormous pumpkins greeted visitors at the door to RHS Lindley Hall this week. Photos don't really do their size justice. Their sprawling girth reminded me of Jabba the Hutt in Star Wars. 

This year's star of the Giant Pumpkin Show with its prize-winning rosette:

It wasn't Stars Wars, although I understand that competition can get pretty fierce among vegetable growers.

Large rosettes announced the prize winners of the RHS Giant Pumpkin Competition at the Royal Horticultural Society's Harvest Festival Show 2018.





An incredible variety of apples lined two long tables. Their scent filled the air.

Children admiring Chisendale School's RHS display

Nothing tastes as good as home-grown fruit and vegetables. The RHS has a wonderful scheme to help children learn about growing flowers, fruit and vegetables. Some great artwork and produce were on display from a selection of inner-London primary schools.

Some schoolchildren were in the hall admiring their own work and the produce of others. Maybe some of these enthusiastic young vegetable growers may return in future? Enthusiasm captured at a young age often lasts a lifetime.

Displays from John Ruskin Primary and Christ Church (Battersea) Schools

I loved this poster from Portway Primary School using actual seeds in its design:

Another eye-catching display for children was the carved pumpkin competition. I remember doing this for Halloween with my own children every year. The RHS competitors were much more imaginative.

Mouse pumpkin with cheese

Carved insect pumpkin

Moon and stars pumpkin

Witches' cauldron pumpkin

Bejewelled Day of the Dead pumpkin

My personal favourites were the Bloom carved pumpkin and the Mexican-inspired Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos pumpkin.

After the show I visited the RHS Lindley Hall Library and its exhibition. I found out from the librarians how they got the giant pumpkins into the hall without damaging them. They had to use the same special lifting gear as is used to get cars into the hall.


All photos and text copyright: Karen Andrews