Catalogue description The Correspondence of John Gould (1804-1881)

Z MSS GOU A

Box 1 A-Daq

Box 2 Dar-Dern

Box 3 Dero-Dunb

Box 4 Dunc-Grax

Box 5 Gray-Jz

Box 6 K-Nz

Box 7 O-Strh

Box 8 Stri-Z

Box 9 Nobility

Box 10 Outsize

Z MSS GOU B

MSS notes, letters and drawings regarding Australian mammals and birds.

The collection has been arranged alphabetically according to correspondent, and in chronological order within each folder.

The Spencer Library, University of Kansas holds a large amount of John Gould's papers

Related material held within the Museum includes one box of manuscript letters addressed to Gould, with notes and some drawings [Z MSS GOU B]. Gould's own copies of his books and letters are in the Zoology drawings section, and there is one letter to William Jameson in the handwriting collection.

A microfilm copy is available.

Gould, John, 1804 - 1881, ornithologist

The provenance of this collection is unrecorded but probably arrived at the Museum as part of the estate of Lord Rothschild in 1937. Gould's specimen collection, including his Humming-Birds, was purchased after his death by the Museum for £3,000. The remainder of his papers were sold by Henry Sotheran, booksellers, in 1937, and a large amount ultimately rests at the Spencer Library, University of Kansas.

Lambourne, M. 1987. John Gould - Bird Man Tree, I. 1991. The Ruling Passion of John Gould

• Ornythology

Introduction

John Gould was born in Lyme Regis on 14 September 1804, and moved at an early age with his family to Surrey. The extent of his early schooling is not known, but he did not attend university and acquired his ornithological knowledge from personal observation and experince. His father was a gardener, working at Windsor Royal Gardens from 1818, and at the age of 14 John Gould was apprenticed to the same trade at Kew, later moving to Ripley Castle in Yorkshire.

At the age of 20 he changed his career as a gardener for that of taxidermist and moved back to London. He gained employment at the newly founded Zoological Society of London, and went on to receive such famous commissions as stuffing George IV's giraffe.

In 1829 Gould married Elizabeth Coxen (1804-1841) whose skill as an artist was successfully employed in her husband's future publications. Gould employed his wife and other artists including Edward Lear to transform his sketches and drawings of mounted specimens into prints via lithography. His primary occupation became writing and producing luxury natural history books which were lavishly illustrated.

Gould illustrated and described the birds of Europe, Great Britain, Australia, Asia, New Guinea, and also Humming-Birds, Toucans, Tragons, and Partridges of America. His interest extended to Kangaroos and mammals of Australia, and he wrote many papers for scientific journals. He cooperated with Charles Darwin to produce illustrations for the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle (5 vols 1838-41). Gould's most famous works include The Birds of Australia (1840-48), and An Introduction to the Trochilidae, or family of humming-birds (1861). Although Gould's illustrations were usually taken from stuffed specimens he did make trips to observe species in their natural habitat. His secretary Edwin Prince wrote many of his letters and accounts.

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