William Huddesford
William Huddesford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 August 1732 (baptised) Oxford,England |
| Died | 6 October 1772 (aged 40) Oxford, England |
| Occupation | Cleric |
| Known for | Ashmolean Museum |
| Relatives | George Huddesford Sr.(father) George Huddesford Jr.(brother) |
William Huddesford(1732–1772) wascuratorof theAshmolean Museumfrom 1755 to 1772. Huddesford is credited with reinventing the museum's reputation.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Huddesford was baptised atSt Mary Magdalen's Church, Oxford,on 15 August 1732. His father,George Huddesford,was thepresidentofTrinity College, Oxford.His younger brother, alsoGeorge Huddesford,was a painter and satirical poet. William attendedJohn Roysse'sFree SchoolinAbingdon-on-Thames(nowAbingdon School) from 1743 to 1749. After Abingdon he was elected a scholar atTrinity Collegein 1750, completing a BA (1753), MA (1756) and earned hisB.D.in 1757.[2][1]
Career
[edit]In 1755, Huddesford took over from his father as keeper of theAshmolean Museumat Oxford.[3]Huddesford improved the museum's reputation.[1]His scholarship and his ability to take advice are cited as reasons for his success. Huddesford cleared out many of the collections to ensure that all the exhibits were essential. Amongst the discarded items were twododos.These ended up at the University Museum and they inspiredLewis Carrollto include a dodo in the opening chapters ofAlice in Wonderland.[1]
Huddesford had been ordained in 1758 and served as curate atGarsingtonbefore he was made thevicarofBishop's TachbrookinWarwickshirein 1761. He wasproctorofOxford Universityin 1765.
He did not enjoy the best of health, suffering illness as early as 1761. He died unexpectedly atOxfordon 6 October 1772, aged just 40.
Works
[edit]- Edvardi Luidii… lithophylacii Britannici ichnographia,Oxford, 1760, a new edition of the treatise ofEdward Lhuyd,whose fossils were under his charge at the Ashmolean. It contained the author's discourse on the sea shells of the British ocean.
- Martini Lister, M.D., Historiæ, sive Synopsis Methodicæ Conchyliorum et Tabularum Anatomicarum editio altera,Oxford, 1760.[2]
- Catalogus librorum ManuscriptorumAntonii à Wood,1761, viaSir Thomas Phillippsat the Middlehill Press in 1824.
- An Address to the Freemen and other Inhabitants of the City of Oxford,1764.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcdMacgregor, Arthur (April 2007). "William Huddesford (1732–1772): his role in reanimating the Ashmolean Museum, his collections, researches and support network".Archives of Natural History.34:47–68.doi:10.3366/anh.2007.34.1.47.ISSN0260-9541.
- ^ab.Dictionary of National Biography.London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
- ^M. St John Parker, ‘Huddesford, William (bap. 1732, d. 1772)’,Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,Oxford University Press,September 2004; online edition, January 2008, accessed 16 February 2010.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/14025.
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