Papers of Professor John Wesley Carr, Professor of Biology at University CollegeNottingham, c.1906-1928

Scope and Content

The collection comprises:

  • Lists of wild plants found in Nottinghamshire parishes, c.1906 (MS 470/1).
  • Files recording individual types of flora and fauna and instances of observation cited with locations and dates, undated, c.1906 (MS 470/2).
  • Letter from O.W. Richards of Imperial College, London to Professor Carr, April 1928 (MS 470/3).
  • Papers and photographs produced by British Association Geological Photographs once in the possession of J.W. Carr. The photographs are of geological formations, probably not in Nottinghamshire, c.1924 (MS 470/4).

The bulk of the collection comprises papers used for the compilation of Professor Carr's Nottinghamshire Flora recording the existence, distribution and frequency of wild plants and insects around the county. The data is organised by species or parish and names of species are given in Latin. The collection also includes a single item of correspondence addressed to Carr and a bundle of geological photographs that were once in his possession.

Administrative / Biographical History

John Wesley Carr MA FLS FGS Hon. FRHS was born on 26 January 1862 in Wetherby, North Yorkshire,the son of William D. Carr. John was educated at Emmanuel College Cambridge from 1885 where heattained a first class honours degree in natural science. He arrived at University CollegeNottingham in 1886 as a lecturer in botany and biology and also began teaching geology from 1887. Hebecame professor and head of the natural sciences department in 1893 and remained head of thebiology department and dean of the faculty of pure science until 1927. Carr became EmeritusProfessor of Biology, director of the Natural History Museum at Wollaton Hall, Nottingham, presidentof the Nottinghamshire Naturalist's Society, and an author of botanical and geological works. Hedied in 1939.

Arrangement

The collection has been divided by document type into four series.

Access Information

ACCESS: Accessible to all registered readers.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposesonly, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

Other Finding Aids

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection. Copyright in the description belongs to The University of Nottingham.

Separated Material

Other collections are recorded on the National Register of Archives.

Conditions Governing Use

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be soughtin advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections(email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). TheDepartment will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and theresponsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishingto publish.

LANGUAGE: English, Latin

Custodial History

The circumstances and date of accession of the records to The University of Nottingham's Libraryare not known. It is believed that they were transferred quite soon after the death of ProfessorCarr.

Related Material

  • The University of Nottingham; Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections: University College and Free Library Committee minute books demonstrating Carr's involvement in the development of a museum collection which formed the basis for Nottingham City Council's natural history museumcollections, 1877-1904. UR 1069-1073
  • The University of Nottingham; Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections: annotated volume of J.W. Carr's contribution to the 'Victoria History of the County of Nottinghamshire', entitled 'Flora and fauna of the county of Nottinghamshire', 1906. East Midlands Special Collections oversize Not 1 C54 Carr
  • Nottinghamshire Archives: botanical and entomological correspondence and notes relating to Nottinghamshire. DD FNC 14, 16

Bibliography

The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Nottinghamshire (Archibald Constableand Company, 1906, London)

Genre/Form

Geographical Names