Oxford Science Archive Collection (#7)

Gardening, 1871. Artist: Oskar Pletsch
Gardening, 1871. In the foreground gardeners are pruning (left) and staking a potted plant (right). In the background a third man is adjusting the cover of a cold frame

Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) (centre), c1885. Used in traditional herbal medicine, foxgloves are the natural source of digitalin, a powerful cardiac stimulant

Poisonous plants, c1885. As well as the poisonous Black or Common Nightshade (Solanum nigrum) (top left), and Woody Nightshade or Bittersweet (Solanum dulcarama) (top right)

Metamorphoses of the Peacock butterfly, 1888. Artist: Thomas Brown
Metamorphoses of the Peacock butterfly, 1888. The Peacock (Inachis io), is a butterfly of the temperate regions of Europe and Asia

Series of observations of the planet Saturn, 1656. These observations made by Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687), latinized name of the German astronomer Jan Hewel or Hewelcke

Long focal length refracting telescope, 1728. The lenses for this instrument were made by Francesco Campani, Italian lens maker of Bologna

The Tale of a Tea-kettle, 1844. Artist: Ebenezer Landells
The Tale of a Tea-kettle, 1844. James Watt as a boy watching the kettle boiling in the fire. Watt (1736-1819), Scottish engineer and inventor, was born at Greenock on the Clyde, Scotland

James Watts workshop at Heathfield Hall, Birmingham, 1886. It had not been disturbed since his death in 1819. Watt (1736-1819), Scottish engineer and inventor, was born at Greenock on the Clyde

James Watt, Scottish engineer and inventor, 1881. Watt (1736-1819) was born at Greenock on the Clyde, Scotland, and showed an interest in engineering and invention from an early age

James Watt, Scottish engineer and inventor, 1870. Watt (1736-1819) was born at Greenock on the Clyde, Scotland, and showed an interest in engineering and invention from an early age

James Watt, Scottish engineer and inventor, 1876. Watt (1736-1819) was born at Greenock on the Clyde, Scotland, and showed an interest in engineering and invention from an early age

Birthplace of James Watt shortly before it was demolished, 1887. Watt (1736-1819), Scottish engineer and inventor, was born at Greenock on the Clyde, Scotland

Gottlieb Daimler, German industrial pioneer, 1900. With his partner Wilhelm Maybach (1846-1929), Daimler (1834-1900) made engines small, lightweight and fast-running

Donatis comet of 1858 viewed over St Pauls Cathedral, London, 1884. The comet was named for Giovanni Donati (1826-1873), the Italian astronomer who first recorded its appearance

John Leslie, Scottish natural philosopher and physicist, 19th century. Leslie (1766-1832) invented a number of scientific instruments and in 1810 created artificial ice

Thomas Pennant, 18th century British zoologist, writer and traveller, 1823. One of the foremost zoologists of his time, Pennant (1726-1798) published his British Zoology in 1766

Abingdon Workhouse, Oxfordshire, built for the Abingdon Union, 1836. The first workhouse in England completed under the provisions of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834

Lazzaro Spallanzani, Italian biologist, 1874. Spallanzani (1729-1799) worked on bacteria, disproving spontaneous generation, on digestion, where he was first to use the term gastric juice

Guillaume Francois Rouelle, 18th century French chemist, 1874. Antoine Lavoisiers teacher and Professor (demonstrateur) at the Jardin du Roi, Paris

George Hudson, the Railway King, 1848. Hudson (1800-1871) was an English railway speculator, ruined during the 1847-1848 railway mania when he was accused of paying dividends out of capital

Mail train carrying letters to London from towns and cities in Britain, c1900. It shows sorters at work on board and, inset

Blackwall Tunnel, London, c1900. This tunnel, the older Western tunnel, connects the Essex and Kent sides of the Thames. Designed by the London County Councils chief engineer Alexander Binnie

Rene-Antoine Ferchault de Reamur, 18th century French physicist, 1874. Ferchault de Reamur (1683-1757) is shown constructing a thermometer using spirit instead of mercury

The baker kneading dough on the lid of a flour bin, 1823. In the background the oven is being heated by burning faggots, like the bundle of wood bottom right

The apothecary using pestle and mortar to prepare drugs, 1823. From The Book of English Trades. (London, 1823)

Shower of meteors (Leonids) observed over Greenwich, London, 1866 (1884). The Leonids, named because they emanate from the area of the constellation Leo, are visible in the night sky during November

Residence of John Coakley Lettsom, Camberwell, London, 1817. Lettsom (1744-1815) was a successful English Quaker physician and philanthropist. From Walks Through London by David Hughson

Nadar, French journalist, artist and photographer, 1867. Artist: Andre Gill
Nadar, French journalist, artist and photographer, 1867. Felix Nadar (1820-1910), was the first person to take photographs from a balloon and first to produce a photointerview. Cartoon from La Lune

Bolide and its train, 1870. A bolide is a large meteor which usually explodes in a fireball. From a French popular book on astronomy. (Paris, 1870)

Transitional ship, 1886. Sectional view of a vessel fitted with both sails and a steam engine driving a screw. From Physics in Pictures by Theodore Eckardt. (London, 1886)

Medal commemorating Jean Baptiste de Monet, Chevalier de Lamarck, French biologist, 20th century. Lamarcks (1744-1829) theory of evolution by inheritance of acquired characteristics was known as

Plato, Ancient Greek philosopher. Plato (c428-c348 BC) was a student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle. His most famous work is The Republic, in which he outlines his vision of an ideal state

Traditional Norfolk boats, 1814. Artist: William Henry Pyne
Traditional Norfolk boats, 1814. Top and bottom are Norfolk hay boats, small square-rigged coastal vessels with shallow draught which enabled them to navigate English east coast estuaries

Sprig of white cinnamon (Canella alba), 1823. The dried inner bark of this plant provided cinnamon which is used in medicine and as a condiment

Collecting cocoa, Venezuela, 1892. From Cocoa: All About It by Historicus. (London, 1892)

Hippocrates of Cos, Ancient Greek physician, 1866. Known as the father of medicine Hippocrates (c460-c359 BC) laid the foundations of a scientific basis for medicine

Theophrastus, Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist, 1866. Theophrastus (c372-c287 BC) was a pupil of Plato and of Aristotle who he succeeded as President of the Lyceum in 323 BC

Morse telegraph operating room, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 1859. From The Telegraph Manual, by TP Shaffner. (New York 1859). Credit Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC

Morse telegraphy, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 1859. The public reception room where telegraph messages could be sent and received. From The Telegraph Manual by TP Shaffner. (New York 1859)

William Harvey, English physician, in Windsor Park, 17th century (1870). Harvey (1578-1657) explaining to Charles I the results of his investigations into reproduction

Alphonse Bertillon, French police officer, c1880. Artist: Nadar
Alphonse Bertillon, French police officer, c1880. In 1880, when Chief of the Paris identification bureau, Bertillon (1853-1914)

Henri Becquerel, French physicist, c1890s. Artist: Nadar
Henri Becquerel, French physicist, c1890s. In 1896 Becquerel (1852-1908) discovered that uranium, when placed on a sealed, light-tight photographic plate, exposed the plate

Michael Faraday, English chemist and physicist, 1842. Artist: Thomas Phillips
Michael Faraday, English chemist and physicist, 1842. Faraday (1791-1867) was one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century

Pierre Eugene Marcellin Berthelot, French organic chemist and politician, c1885. Artist: Pierre Petit
Pierre Eugene Marcellin Berthelot French organic chemist and politician, c1885. Berthelot (1827-1907) worked on explosives and dyes

Dawlish, Devon, c1860. This viewshows the track of Isambard Kingdom Brunels (1806-1859) South Devon Railway. The South Devon was an example of an atmospheric railway, which did not use locomotives

Pierre-Alexander Darracq, French automobile manufacturer, 1901. Artist: Emile Cohl
Pierre-Alexander Darracq, French automobile manufacturer, 1901. Darracq (1855-1931) was one of the first to plan the mass production of motor vehicles

Kingstown and Dalkey Atmospheric Railway, near Dublin, 1845. This was built on the Samuel Clegg Jnr (1814-1856) and Joseph Samuda (1813-1885) system, also used on the Croydon, the South Devon

Clegg and Samudas atmospheric railway, 1845. Designed by Samuel Clegg Jnr (1814-1856) and Joseph Samuda (1813-1885), this was the system adopted on the Croydon Atmospheric Railway

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"Exploring the Vast Oxford Science Archive: A Journey Through Time and Discoveries" Step into a world where history intertwines with scientific breakthroughs, as we delve into the captivating Oxford Science Archive. From the early days of locomotives to groundbreaking astronomical observations, this collection showcases humanity's relentless pursuit of knowledge. Witness the awe-inspiring sight of a train crossing Stockport viaduct on the London & North Western Railway in 1845, symbolizing mankind's determination to conquer distance and connect nations. Marvel at our understanding of celestial bodies through stunning images capturing Jupiter's four moons - Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - observed in 1979. Travel back further in time to 1867 when The Engineer publication chronicled technological advancements that shaped society. Immerse yourself in an era when engineering marvels like the Great Eastern ship were constructed on the banks of Thames at Millwall in 1857. Meet James Watt, a Scottish engineer whose inventive genius revolutionized steam power during the Industrial Revolution. His portrait from 1833 serves as a reminder of human ingenuity that propelled us forward. Explore artistry intertwined with science as you encounter Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins' depiction of "The Whale" circa 1850 – a testament to both artistic skill and zoological exploration. Encounter JJ Thomson, British nuclear physicist extraordinaire captured in an iconic photograph from 1898 – his work paving the way for modern atomic theory. Reflect upon mankind's relationship with nature through poignant imagery depicting water scarcity amidst abundance titled "Water. Water. Everywhere; and not a Drop to Drink" from 1849. Witness progress etched into landscapes such as Tring cutting on London & Birmingham Railway (1837) or Kilsby Tunnel construction (1839), showcasing how infrastructure transformed societies. Acknowledge both triumphs and challenges faced by humanity throughout history as industrial pollution looms over Sheffield Yorkshire in the 1920s.