Ashton Lever
Encyclopedia
Sir Ashton Lever was an English
collector of natural objects.
.
Lever began by collecting seashell
s in about 1760, and gradually accumulated one of the richest private collections of natural objects, including live animals. He opened it to the public in April 1766, in Manchester
, moving the museum to his family home at Alkrington Hall, near Rochdale
, Lancashire
, in 1771. In the same year he founded Archers' Hall, Inner Circle, Regent's Park, London for the Archers' Company of the Honourable Artillery Company
. In 1774, Lever moved to London
, and next year his Holophusicon opened to the public in Leicester Square
. Captain James Cook
was so impressed by Lever's collection that he donated objects from his own voyages to the museum.
Lever continued to buy new items until he became bankrupt, at which point the collection contained 28,000 specimens. Both the British Museum
and the Empress of Russia
declined to buy it, so it was disposed of by lottery, 8,000 tickets being sold at a guinea each. The winner, a Mr James Parkinson
(who should not be confused with the famous physician also called James Parkinson
who gave his name to Parkinson's disease), put the collection up for auction in 1806, the largest purchasers being the British naturalist Edward Donovan
and Leopold von Fichtel, bidding on behalf of the Imperial Museum of Vienna
. Purchasers included the Earl of Derby and William Bullock, who had his own large private collection.
Lever's collection was catalogued by George Shaw
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
collector of natural objects.
Biography
Ashton Lever was born in 1729 to well off titled parents who lived at Alkrington Hall. In 1735, Sir James Darcy Lever, his father, had served as High Sheriff of LancashireHigh Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
.
Lever began by collecting seashell
Seashell
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...
s in about 1760, and gradually accumulated one of the richest private collections of natural objects, including live animals. He opened it to the public in April 1766, in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, moving the museum to his family home at Alkrington Hall, near Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, in 1771. In the same year he founded Archers' Hall, Inner Circle, Regent's Park, London for the Archers' Company of the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
. In 1774, Lever moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and next year his Holophusicon opened to the public in Leicester Square
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
. Captain James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
was so impressed by Lever's collection that he donated objects from his own voyages to the museum.
Lever continued to buy new items until he became bankrupt, at which point the collection contained 28,000 specimens. Both the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and the Empress of Russia
Catherine II of Russia
Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great , Empress of Russia, was born in Stettin, Pomerania, Prussia on as Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg...
declined to buy it, so it was disposed of by lottery, 8,000 tickets being sold at a guinea each. The winner, a Mr James Parkinson
James Parkinson (1730-1813)
James Parkinson was an English land agent and museum proprietor. He was the son of James Parkinson and his wife, Jane Birch...
(who should not be confused with the famous physician also called James Parkinson
James Parkinson
James Parkinson was an English apothecary surgeon, geologist, paleontologist, and political activist. He is most famous for his 1817 work, An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in which he was the first to describe "paralysis agitans", a condition that would later be renamed Parkinson's disease by...
who gave his name to Parkinson's disease), put the collection up for auction in 1806, the largest purchasers being the British naturalist Edward Donovan
Edward Donovan
Edward Donovan was an Anglo Irish writer, natural history illustrator and amateur zoologist.-Biography:Born in Cork, Ireland, Donovan was an avid collector of natural history specimens purchased mainly at auctions of specimens from voyages of exploration...
and Leopold von Fichtel, bidding on behalf of the Imperial Museum of Vienna
Naturhistorisches Museum
The Naturhistorisches Museum Wien or NHMW is a large museum located in Vienna, Austria.The collections displayed cover , and the museum has a website providing an overview as a video virtual tour....
. Purchasers included the Earl of Derby and William Bullock, who had his own large private collection.
Lever's collection was catalogued by George Shaw
George Shaw
George Shaw was an English botanist and zoologist.Shaw was born at Bierton, Buckinghamshire and was educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving his M.A. in 1772. He took up the profession of medical practitioner. In 1786 he became the assistant lecturer in botany at Oxford University...
.