The Curious and the Glorious

Abstract

This paper examines the narrative of British history and culture on display at the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum in London from 1913-1932. The Museum was founded by Henry Wellcome (1853-1936), an American pharmaceuticals magnate and naturalized British citizen. This paper focuses on the British scientific relics and healing amulets displayed at the Museum. By way of comparison, it explores the vision of British Empire that was portrayed in the advertising literature produced by Wellcome's firm, Burroughs Wellcome and Company. It also investigates Wellcome's relationship with the British folklorist, Edward Lovett (1852-1933). My collection of curiosities, Indian [Native American] relics etc. tally admirably with the house, and so everybody seems rather fascinated with the effect, and in fact I rather like it myself. Some call it ‘Aesthetic’, some say ‘Heathenish’, some ‘Bohemian’, ‘Ideal’, ‘Artistic’, etc. … All in it is very cheerful … [Wellcome's] gray eyes glow under his bushy grey eyebrows as he talks of [his childhood], and of the tomahawks, arrows and stone hammers he still treasures to show his British friends. He chuckles: "They sometimes think the people must have been ALL barbarians!"

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