Natural History Museum: Papers of the Department of Palaeontology Archive (as filmed by the AJCP) [microform] : [M2878-M2887] 1844-1986

The Dept. of Palaeontology originated in the Dept. of Natural and Artificial Productions set up at the foundation of the British Museum in 1756. In 1806 it was renamed the Dept. of Natural History and Modern Curiosities. In 1837 the Dept. was divided into three branches, of which Mineralogy and Geology was one, and in 1856 the branch became a Dept. in its own right, almost immediately being divided into Geology and Mineralogy. The Keepers of Geology were George Waterhouse from 1843-1880 and Henry Woodward from 1880 to 1901. Through the 1920s and 1930s the collections were divided into 15 units. Formal sections did not appear until after World War II. An Anthropology Section which spanning depts. of Geology and Zoology was set up in 1954. It was given the status of a sub dept. in 1959, and made part of Palaeontology in 1960. In 1956 the title of the Dept. was changed from Geology to Palaeontology.