Item 44 - Letter from Frank Buckland to Prince Christian Schleswig-Holstein

Identity area

Reference code

NZSL/BUC/2/44

Title

Letter from Frank Buckland to Prince Christian Schleswig-Holstein

Date(s)

  • 31 Oct [187-] (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

1 letter

Context area

Name of creator

(1826-1880)

Biographical history

Better known as Frank Buckland, he was an English surgeon, zoologist, author and natural historian. He was born in a noted family of naturalists. Frank was the first son of Canon William Buckland, a geologist and palaeontologist, and Mary Morland, a fossil collector.

He studied surgery under Caesar Hawkins at St George's Hospital. During this time he became acquainted with Abraham Dee Bartlett, Superintendent of London Zoo, who would send him dead animals at the zoo and he continued to keep many animals. Buckland was made a MRCS in 1851. He was appointed House Surgeon at St George's in 1852. He left St George's in 1853 and in August 1854 he joined the 2nd Life Guards as an assistant surgeon. This appointment left him time for his growing interest in natural history. Buckland gradually gave up medicine and surgery to devote himself to natural history and he was a pioneer of zoöphagy. He was one of the key members and founded of the acclimatisation society in Britain, an organisation that supported the introduction of new plants and animals as food sources which was influenced by his interest in eating and tasting a range of exotic animal meats.

Repository

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Salmon Fisheries Office
4, Old Palace Yard
Westminster S.W.

37 Albany St

Wed Oct. 31 187-

Your Royal Highness

I am indeed most obliged to Your Royal Highness for your great kindness in sending me up the magnificent Pike which the Fishman has brought with the greatest care. I have made two models of this splendid fish (one I will beg leave to present (when cast) to Your Royal Highness to put in the Hall at Cumberland Lodge. I will get Mr. Rolfe to pain the cast for you, the other cast I propose to place in my Museum as presented by you. The fish himself, I will get stuffed. It has indeed been a treat to cast such a beauty and I am most obliged.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

    Script of material

      Language and script notes

      Physical characteristics and technical requirements

      Finding aids

      Allied materials area

      Existence and location of originals

      Existence and location of copies

      Related units of description

      Related descriptions

      Notes area

      Alternative identifier(s)

      Access points

      Subject access points

      Place access points

      Name access points

      Genre access points

      Description control area

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation revision deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Accession area