ENGLAND: THE OTHER WITHIN

Analysing the English Collections at the Pitt Rivers Museum

The finances of the Pitt Rivers Museum

Alison Petch, Researcher 'The Other Within' project and Frances Larson

University of Oxford gazette as it appears these days, September 2008.

University of Oxford gazette as it appears these days, September 2008.

Most objects have come to the Pitt Rivers Museum by donation (gift) or bequest. However, as can be seen in other parts of this website, sometimes the museum has wished to purchase items, because an exceptional artefact or collection has been offered for sale. In order to purchase such objects the Museum needed money set aside in its annual budget for this purpose. Some museums have large budgets for such purposes, the Pitt Rivers Museum has never been so fortunate. However, the Museum has been able to purchase artefacts throughout its history and this webpage explores the financial situation of the museum in its early years to find out more.

The Pitt Rivers Museum is part of the University of Oxford and its finances have always formed part of the University's financial systems and controls. The major changes to finances have been reported in the University Gazette. The following account lists the most prominent gazette entries relating to the museum between 1883 (before the Museum was formally constituted) to 1947.

In general, the Gazette records below list extraordinary budgetary decisions rather than the normal annual budgets. Items specifically related to purchases are in italics

Gazette volume XIV
November 6 1883, p. 89:
Decree submitted proposing appointment of a Reader in Anthropology, with stipend of £200 a year. Shall lecture in each of three University terms, for not less than six weeks, once in each week. Students for informal instruction twice each week he lectures. Any student receiving informal instruction shall give no more than £2 a term, otherwise all lectures open and free to members of University.

Decree carried, 20 November 1883, p. 128 [This Reader was Edward Burnett Tylor]

Gazette volume XV
November 25 1884, p. 143:
Decree 'That the Curators of the University Chest be authorised to expend an additional sum not exceeding £1600 on the Pitt Rivers Building, and on fittings and expenses of removal.'
Note made of decree passed March 7, 1883. ‘Of the total £7,500 it was estimated that £3,000 would be required for the cases and for the expenses of removal and arrangement, thus leaving £4,500 available for the building itself, a sum which there was reason to believe would prove sufficient.
'Mr. Deane, the architect already engaged in the erection of the Physiological Laboratory, was instructed to prepare plans and procure estimates for a building of the required size, to be laid before the Curators of the Chest'
'The estimated cost of the building, as returned by him, was £7,092 13s 4d., and a Committee of Council was appointed to examine this estimate with a view to its reduction. The result of their labours was to reduce the estimate from £7,092 13s. 4d. to £5,445 12s. To this must be added a sum of £400 for the Architect and Clerk of Works.'
With the £3,000, this makes £8,845 12s. exceeding the original quote of £7500 by £1,345 12s. Proposed £1,600 allows for contingencies.
Further decree allowing for £200 to be spent on enlarging boiler house, being built in connection with the PR annexe, for future warming of the University Museum as well as the PRM.

March 10 1885, p. 342:
Decree to be submitted, that the University accept General Pitt Rivers’ Anthropological Collection and the University Chest be authorised to spend not more than £7,500 on erection of annexe on eastern side of University Museum, and in the provision of cases and other fittings for the reception of the Collection

Gazette volume XVIII
November 22 1887, p. 149:
For convocation on November 29, following decree ‘That the Curators of the University Chest be authorised to expend within three years from the first of January, 1888, a sum not exceeding £1,200 in continuing the arrangement and cataloguing of the Objects contained or to be contained in the Pitt-Rivers Museum, provided that not more than £450 be so expended in any one of the three years. ‘Note – The object of this Decree is to provide for arrangement and cataloguing of the Pitt-Rivers Collection on scientific principles, with a view to making it valuable for educational purposes. Mr. Balfour, B.A., of Trinity College is at present engaged, under the superintendence of Professor Moseley, in carrying out this work, but the money at his disposal will have been spent about the end of the present year. It is hoped that, at the end of three years, far the larger and more expensive portion of the work will have been completed, and that, if any further grant be necessary, it will be on a much reduced scale. From the nature of the work, however, it is impossible to give any definite assurance as to the exact time during which the arrangement and cataloguing will continue.

[Note that the University at this time was hyphenating the name of the Museum. This is now a subject of some debate as general opinion holds it that the Museum name has always been unhyphenated as 'Pitt Rivers Museum', historical record shows this was not the case. Augustus Henry Lane Fox Pitt Rivers himself sometimes hyphenated and sometimes did not, but his descendants always use the hyphenated version]

Gazette volume XX
May 28 1890, p. 432:
Proposed decree ‘That the time to which the operation of decree (13) of November 29 1887, was limited be extended to December 31 1891; and that the Curators of the University Chest be authorised to expend in continuing the arrangement and cataloguing of the objects contained or to be contained in the Pitt-Rivers Museum a sum not exceeding £300 in addition to any sum which may remain unexpended under the above-mentioned decree on December 31 1890.’ Amount expended on November 29 decree was £630, if full £450 used for 1890 then £120 will remain. New decree will enable continued cataloguing and arrangement of collection for another year by which time work should be completed.

Gazette volume XXI
May 26 1891, p. 503:
Proposed decree to provide money for new Laboratory for the Department of Human Anatomy at East End of PRM, including Dissecting Room, Museum, Working Rooms, Lecture Theatre proposed decree ‘That the Curators of the University Chest be authorised to spend a sum not exceeding £1,300 upon additions and improvements in the Departments of Ethnology and Geology at the University Museum.’ 'Note – The whole of the space in the Pitt-Rivers Museum is required for the exhibition of specimens. Hitherto the work of unpacking and arranging has been done in the galleries at considerable inconvenience, and with considerable risk of damage to the cases and specimens. It is now proposed to provide two rooms, one 22 ft. x 22ft. and the other 23 ft. x 28 ft., for the use of the Curator and the servants of the Museum.' 'The rooms referred to in this Decree will stand on the north and west sides of the space between the Pitt-Rivers Museum and the house of the Keeper.'

Gazette volume XXII
November 17 1891, p. 122:
Proposed decree ‘That the Curators of the University Chest be authorised to expend a sum not exceeding £450 on the Pitt-Rivers Department of the University Museum for the year beginning January 1 1892, in continuing the arrangement and cataloguing the objects contained in it.’

Gazette volume XXV
June 5 1895, p. 558:
Statute approved to establish a Professor of Anthropology tenable by E.B. Tylor, during the tenure of his Readership. Constituted and be Professor during tenure of his office as reader, shall continue to be Reader and shall receive the £200 stipend as reader, lecture two out of three terms, not less than six weeks in any term, and at least one lecture per week, not less than 18 lectures each year.

Gazette volume XXIX
October 25 1898, p. 78:
Decree to be proposed that Curators of University Chest be authorised to expend not more than £150 a year from January 1st 1899 for seven years on assistance and current expenses at PRM.
Decree to be proposed that Balfour be re-appointed Curator of PRM to hold office until December 31 1905, with same status in regard to University Museum as other Professors teaching at Museum, stiped of £200 a year

Both decrees carried, November 1 1899, p. 90

January 24 1899, p. 259:
Decree, renewel of former decree dated October 25, 1898, raises grant for PRM to £200. Decree carried, February 7 1899, p. 288

Gazette volume XXXIV
February 23 1904, p. 385:
Decree giving Pitt-Rivers Dept. £50 for assistance and general expenses (Hope Department of Zoology got £50, Department of Geology £25, Department of Mineralogy £25). Carried March 8 (p. 414)

Gazette volume XXXV
February 21 1905, p. 365:
Decree giving Pitt Rivers Department [of the University Museum, ie the Pitt Rivers Museum] £100 for assistance and general expenses (Hope £100, Geology £50, Mineralogy £50). Carried February 28 (pg 378)

May 16 1905, p. 545:
Seventeenth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1904)
8,252 visitors to the University Museum in 1904, admission fees amounted to £33 19s 9d. Now open 10am-4pm, free to University Members

June 20 1905, p. 682:
Decree: ‘That the thanks of the University be returned to certain donors who have placed at the disposal of the Committee for Anthropology a sum of £30, to be expended at the discretion of the Committee for any suitable purposes other than the provision of instruction or the purchase of specimens.’ Carried June 27 (pg 710).

Gazette volume XXXVI
November 14 1905, p. 139:
Decree: that Henry Balfour be appointed curator of Pitt Rivers Museum [PRM], to hold office until December 31 1912, to have same status in regard to University Museum as other Professors teaching there, to have stipend of £200 a year from University Chest from January 1, 1906. Carried November 21, 1905 p. 164, repeated p. 184.
Decree: that the University Chest expend sum not exceeding £200 a year from January 1 1906 on assistance and current expenses in the PRM. Carried November 21 1905 (p. 164, repeated p. 184)

May 15 1906, p. 591:
Eighteenth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1905)
8,754 visitors to the Museum, £33 2s 9d in admission fees
Delegates received £250 from Magdalen College June 1905 and June 1906, for payment of Scientific Assistants. Of the first payment £100 each to Hope and Pathological Departments, £50 to PRM.

Gazette volume XXXVII
February 19 1907, p. 383:
Decree: not more than £350 on erection of a store-room and fuming room on south side of PRM, and on providing water-supply service and fittings and electrical fittings for the same. Carried February 26 (pg 399)

May 22 1907 p. 641:
Nineteenth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1906)
7,677 visitors to the Museum, £26 6s 6d in admission fees
Magdalen College grant of £250 for Scientific Assistants was distributed as last year, £100 each to Hope and Pathology, £50 to PRM.

February 25 1908, p. 421:
Announcement of benefaction to aid the work of the Committee for Anthropology, of £100, from Henry Wilde, Hon. D.C.L., founder of the Wilde Readership in Mental Philosophy

June 2 1908, p. 731:
Twentieth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1907)
Magdalen grant allotted as in previous years.
8,034 visitors to the museum, £26 19s 3d in admission fees

Gazette volume XXXIX
February 9 1909, p. 396:
Decree: that the Curators of the University Chest be authorised to pay the Curator of PRM, in addition to £200 a year granted November 28, 1905, further sum of £100 a year for four years from January 1, 1909 for general expenses of the museum. Carried February 16, 1909 (pg 410)

May 25 1909, p. 687:
Twenty-First Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1908)
Magdalen grant allotted as before, £50 to PRM for Scientific Assistants

Gazette volume XL
March 1 1910, p. 458:
‘The Delegates have ordered that £300 a year for the three years from January 1, 1910, till December 31, 1912, be paid from the Common University Fund to increase the stipend of the present Curator of the Pitt Rivers Museum, on condition that he teach on matters connected with the Pitt-Rivers Museum: the arrangement to terminate if and when the University makes other arrangements bearing upon the office, duties, and remuneration of the Curator. February 24, 1910’

May 31 1910, p. 723:
Twenty-second Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1909)
Magdalen College grant allotted as in previous years.
7,337 visitors, £25 9s taken in admission fees

June 8 1910, p. 778:
Announcement that the Delegates of the Common University Fund will shortly appoint a Reader in Social Anthropology, for three years on stipend of £300, shall lecture in each term for not less than seven weeks nor 21 weeks in the whole year, twice at least in each week. Shall receive students for informal instruction at least twice a week. Candidates requested to send in names and 6 copies of any papers they may wish to submit. [Robert Ranulph Marett appointed in July and began work in October 1910]

Gazette volume XLI
14 June 1911, p. 939:
Twenty-third Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1910)
Grant by Magdalen College for payment of Scientific Assistants allocated £100 each to the Hope and Pathological Departments, £50 to the Pitt Rivers Museum
7,268 visitors, £23 3s 0d in admission fees

Gazette volume XLII
19 June 1912 p. 969:
Twenty-fourth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1911)
Magdalen college grant of £250 for scientific assistants: £100 each to Hope and Pathological Departments, £50 to Pitt Rivers Museum
5,989 visitors, £19 14s 3d in admission fees

Gazette volume XLIII
13 November 1912, p. 174:
notice of Decree that Henry Balfour reappointed Curator of PRM until 31 December 1919, receiving £200 from University Chest and Curator, and £300 a year from Common University Fund on condition he instruct on matters connected with the PRM (carried November 20 p 202

27 November 1912, p. 232:
Decree for curators of University Chest to pay Curator of PRM £300 a year ‘for assistance in, and the general expenses of, the Pitt-Rivers Museum.' [Note hyphen again]

4 June 1913 p. 939:
Twenty-fifth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1912)
Magdalen grant of £250 for scientific assistants: £100 to Pathological Department, £50 to Pitt Rivers Museum, £37 10s to Department of Comparative Anatomy, £37 10s to Geological Department, £25 to Hope Department.
6,410 visitors, £16 11s in admission fees

Gazette volume XLIV
10 June 1914, p. 857:
Twenty-sixth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1913) Magdalen college grant for scientific assistants: £100 to Hope Department, £100 to Department of Pathology, £50 to Pitt Rivers Museum 5,643 visitors, £21 8s 6d in admission fees. Report of the Curator of the Pitt-Rivers Museum, 1913 … Acknowledge following sums given for collecting specimens for the Museum: £10 from Exeter College, £10 by Committee for Anthropology for specimens to be collected by Hilton Simpson in Algeria and the Aures Mountains during 1914; £24 by Committee for Anthropology for expenses incurred in the transport of the collection made by Mr D. Jenness in British New Guinea – this collection has been presented to the Museum by the Committee.

Gazette volume XLV
Twenty-seventh Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1914)
4,830 visitors, £14 18s 6d in admissions
Magdalen College grant for scientific assistants: £100 to Department of Pathology, £50 to PRM, £100 retained in hand ‘in view of the possibility of exceptional needs arising during the year.’
Report of the Curator of the Pitt-Rivers Museum, 1914
… Grants received last year from Exeter college and Committee for Anthropology for enabling [M.W.] Hilton Simpson to collect specimens in Algeria duly expended, including series of primitive surgical appliances brought back by Mr Simpson from Aures district. Acknowledge further grant from Committee for Anthropology of £25 for Miss [Maria] Czaplicka for collection of specimens from Siberia.

Gazette volume XLVI
14 June 1916, p. 537:
Twenty-eighth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1915)
4,992 visitors, £15 3s 6d in admissions fees
Magdalen college grant for Scientific Assistants: £100 to department of pathology, £50 to PRM, £100, along with £100 from last year, transferred to the General Administration Fund of the Museum. [Note that the same grant carried on for 1917-1919]

Gazette volume XLVII
13 June 1917, p. 549:
Twenty-ninth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1916)
6,163 visitors, £14 14s 9d in admission fees

Gazette volume XLVIII
12 June 1918, p. 473:
Thirtieth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1917)

6,569 visitors, £17 2s 6d in admissions fees
Magdalen college grant increased to £300: ... £50 for PRM

Gazette volume XLIX
6 November 1918, p. 95:
Decree 15, that the curator of the University Chest be authorized to pay the curator of the PRM £150 in 1919 for the stipend of a Scientific Assistant or Demonstrator.

18 June 1919, p. 595:
Thirty-first Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1918)
7,370 visitors, £21 19s in fees. Museum closed for the afternoon on signing the Armistice on November 11

Gazette volume XLX
5 November 1919, p. 147:
Decree 28, curators of University Chest authorized to pay Curator of PRM £300 for 1920 for maintenance of Museum and assistance therein

p. 148:
Decree 42, Henry Balfour reappointed Curator of PRM, to hold office until 31 December 1926, stipend of £200 a year from University Chest as Curator, with £300 a year from ... Common University Fund on condition he give instruction on matters connected with the PRM.

27 May 1920, p. 683:
Thirty-second Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1919)
Magdalen College grant of ... £50 to PRM
6,749 visitors, £25 8s 9d in admissions fees

Gazette volume LII
October 19, 1921, p. 69:
Thirty-third Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1920)
Magdalen grant for Scientific Assistants ... £50 PRM
6,980 visitors, admission fees £37 17s 0d

23 December 1921, p. 259:
Decree to allocate £300 from the Government Emergency Fund to the PRM (Department of Ethnology at the University Museum) by terminal instalments during the academic year 1921-1922

17 May 1922, p. 563:
Decree to allocate £100 to the PRM from the Government Emergency Fund

14 June 1922, p. 673:
Thirty-fourth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1921)

Magdalen College grant for Scientific Assistants: £100 to pathology department, £100 to Hope department, £50 to PRM
6,447 visitors to the Museum, £36 0s 3d taken in admission fees

Report of the Pitt-Rivers Museum, 1921
'The allocation to the Pitt-Rivers Museum from the Government Emergency Grant was less by £150 than the sum granted last year.'

21 June 1922, p. 695:
Decree that curators of University Chest be authorized to pay from the Government Grant for 1922-23, by terminal instalments during academic year 1922-23, £400 to PRM (department of Ethnology, University Museum)
Decree to authorize payment from the University Chest to PRM (department of Ethnology, University Museum) £200, in period Jan 1 – June 30 1923
Decree to authorize payment from Residue of Common University Fund, for period Jan 1 – 30 June 1923, £100 to PRM (Ethnology Department of University Museum).

Gazette volume LIII
6 June 1923, p. 613:
Decree to pay ethnology department of University Museum £300 from the University Chest for period 1 July 1923 to 30 June 1924, and
p. 614
Decree to authorize payment to ethnology department of University Museum £400 in terminal instalments from the Government Grant for 1923-4, and the Keeper of the Pitt-Rivers Museum is awarded £76 10s from the same grant (under the category Readers)

13 June 1923, p. 665:
Thirty-fifth annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1922)
Magdalen grant for Scientific Assistants: ... £50 PRM
6,577 visitors, £27 11s 9d in admission fees

Gazette volume LIV
28 May 1924, p. 608:
decree authorizing payment of £300 from the University Chest to PRM for I July 1924 – 30 June 1925, and £450 from the Government grant for 1924-25, by terminal installments

13 June 1924, p. 687:
Thirty-sixth annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1923)
Magdalen College Grant for Scientific Assistants ... £50 PRM
5,978 visitors, £34 2s 6d in admissions fees

Gazette volume LV
10 June 1925, p. 707:
usual decree awarding PRM £300 from University Chest and (p. 708) £500 from Government Grant to be made in terminal installments

12 June 1925 p. 725:
Thirty-seventh annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1924)
5,392 visitors, £28 17s 6d in admission fees

Gazette volume LVI
2 June 1926, p. 647:
usual decrees allocating £300 to PRM from University Chest for year ending 31 July 1927, £500 from Government Grant to be paid in termly instalments.

16 June 1926, p. 723:
Thirty-eighth annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1925)
5,435 visitors, £26 14s 9d in admission fees

Gazette volume LVII
16 March 1927, p. 411:
Decree that Henry Balfour be reappointed Curator of PRM from 1 January 1927 for seven years, same status as professors teaching in the Museum, stipend of £600 a year from sources as the curators of the University Chest shall determine, on condition he gives instruction on matters connected with the PRM

1 June 1927, p. 601:
decree authorizing payment to the PRM (as ethnology department of the University Museum) £300 from the University Chest in year ending 31 July 1928, and (p 602) £750 from the Government Grant for 1927-8, to be given in termly installments

22 June 1927, p. 707:
Thirty-ninth annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1926)
5,419 visitors to the Museum, £26 1s 6d in admission fees

Gazette volume LVIII
13 June 1928, p. 639:
Fortieth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1927)
5,575 vistors, £22 4s 3d in admission fees

[In an interesting oversight into how apparently mundane practical matters can impact on financial costs the Gazette also notes that ‘The increase in numbers is possibly due to the fact that it is no longer necessary to close the Museum for a full fortnight for cleaning purposes now that a vacuum cleaner is in daily use.’]

20 June 1928, p. 669:
usual decree authorizing payment of £300 to PRM (as department of University Museum) from University Chest for year ending 31 July 1929.

Gazette volume LIX
24 October 1928, p. 95:
Usual decree authorizing payment from Government Grant of £750 to PRM for academic year 1928-1929 in termly instalments.

5 June 1929, p. 623:
Usual decree authorizing payment of £300 to PRM (as department of University Museum) from University Chest for year ending 31 July 1930, and payment from Government Grant for year 1929-1930 £700 to PRM

12 June 1929, p. 673:
Forty-First annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1928)
5,361 visitors, admission fees of £25 6s 0d

Gazette volume LX
21 May 1930, p. 552:
Curators of the University Chest authorized to pay £300 to the Ethnology Dept (PRM) of the UM for the year ending 31 July 1931, from the General Fund of the University.

p. 553:
Usual decree authorizing payment from Government Grant of £700 to Ethnology Department/PRM for academic year 1930-1931 in termly instalments.

12 June 1930, p. 647:
Forty-second Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1929)
5,200 visitors, and £22 3s 3d in admission fees
Report of the Pitt Rivers Museum, 1929 p. 665

Gazette volume LXII
1 June 1932, p. 596:
Revised amounts for decree passed on 2 June 1931, now gives Ethnology Dept/PRM £990 instead of £1000.
Also, curators of University Chest authorized to allocate Ethnology Dept/PRM £960 from the University Chest for the year ending 31 July 1933

15 June 1932, p. 661:
Forty-fourth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for 1931)
5,874 visitors, and £21 0s 6d taken in admission fees

Gazette volume LXIII
8 June 1933, p. 572:
Curators of University Chest authorized to allocate Ethnology Dept/PRM £900 from the University Chest for the year ending 31 July 1934

Gazette volume LXIV
8 December 1933, p. 199:
Forty-fifth report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the period 1 January 1932 to 31 July 1933)
For 1932, 5,765 visitors and £19 13s 0d in admission fees, for 1 Jan – 31 July 1933, 2,702 visitors and £7 18s 9d in admissions

Gazette volume LXV
5 December 1934, p. 191:
Forty-sixth annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1934)
4,973 visitors, and £17 3s 3d in admission fees

13 June 1935 p. 702-3:
Curators of University Chest authorized to allocate Ethnology Dept/PRM £900 from the University Chest for the year ending 31 July 1936

Gazette volume 66
6 December 1935, p. 197:
Forty-Seventh Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1935)
4,993 visitors and £17 0s 3d in admission fees

10 June 1936, p. 714:
In a Congregation held on Tuesday, 9 June…
‘4. Statute approved nemine contradicente
‘Whereas the Warden and Fellows of All Souls College have undertaken to provide a sum of £600 per annum towards the maintenance of a Professorship of Social Anthropology, together with a sum of £120 per annum in respect of superannuation contributions payable by the University on the full stipend attached to the Chair ...

10 June 1936 p. 716:
Curators of University Chest authorized to allocate Ethnology Dept/PRM £900 from the University Chest for the year ending 31 July 1937 (Department of Social Anthropology gets £70)

Gazette volume 67
11 December 1936, p. 219:
Forty-Eighth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1936)
5,019 visitors to the Museum, and £15 7s 6d in admission fees

16 June 1937, p. 821:
Curators of University Chest authorized to allocate Ethnology Dept/PRM £900 from the University Chest for the year ending 31 July 1938 (Department of Social Anthropology gets £35)

Gazette volume 68
10 December 1937, p. 211:
Forty-Ninth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1937)
4,810 visitors and £17 5s in admission fees

1 June 1938 p. 762:
Curators of University Chest authorized to allocate Department of Social Anthropology £100 from the University Chest for the year ending 31 July 1939

Gazette volume 69
9 December 1938, p. 213:
Fiftieth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1938)
4837 visitors, £15 16s 3d in admission fees

22 February 1939, p. 438:
Decree that Penniman be appointed Acting Curator of the PRM at a stipend of £300 a year until permanent arrangements consequent on the death of Professor Henry Balfour can be made.

17 March 1939, p. 518:
Decree that Curators of University Chest authorized to pay an additional sum of £30 to the Department of Social Anthropology in the year ending 31 July 1939

1 June 1939, p. 741:
Decree that
‘1. The Curator of the Pitt-Rivers Museum shall be responsible for the arrangement of the exhibits in the Pitt-Rivers Museum and for the safe custody of the Collections, and he shall give instruction on matters connected therewith.
2. He shall be appointed by a Board consisting of
(1) the Vice-Chancellor;
(2) the Professor of Social Anthropology;
(3) Dr. Lee’s Professor of Anatomy;
(4) a person appointed by the Hebdomadal Council;
(5) a person appointed by the Visitors of the Ashmolean Museum;
(6), (7) two persons appointed by the Board of the Faculty of Anthropology and Geography
3. He shall hold office for seven years and shall be re-eligible
4. He shall receive a stipend of £600 a year
5. He shall be liable to admonition, deprivation of emolument, and deprivation of office by the Visitatorial Board for the same causes and in the same manner as a Professor, and the power of the Vice-Chancellor or of the Visitatorial Board to grant a temporary dispensations from statutory duties shall extend and be applicable to him.
6. Clause 2 of this Decree shall cease to be operative after the appointment of the next curator.

Gazette volume 69
13 October 1939, p. 47:
the electors have appointed Thomas Kenneth Penniman, M.A., Trinity College, Curator of the Pitt-Rivers Museum for seven years, from 1 October 1939. [Note hyphen continues to be used in name of Museum]

13 December 1939, p. 235:
Fifty-first annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1939).
4,429 visitors, and £14 0s 0d in admission fees.

24 April 1940, p. 625:
copy of letter from the Warden of All Souls notifying the Registrar that a grant of £300 for two years will be made to the Department of Social Anthropology for general purposes, and a further £300 for two years for research into African political systems provided the Department succeeds in obtaining the remainder of the funds necessary to carry out the research.

Gazette volume 71
22 January 1941:
Fifty-second Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1940)
5,466 visitors, £13 6s 0d in admissions

Gazette volume 72
22 January 1942, p. 223:
Fifty-Third Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1941)
6 159 visitors and £19 2s 3d in admissions

Gazette volume 73
Fifty-Fourth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1942)
5,646 visitors, £21 13s 0d in admissions

Gazette volume 74
10 March 1944, p. 319:
Fifty-fifth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1943)
7,536 visitors (the highest since 1908) and £24 17s 6d in admission fees

10 May 1944, p. 467:
reappointment of Beatrice Blackwood as University Demonstrator in Ethnology and Lecturer in the Department of Ethnology (Technology) from 1 October 1944 to 31 July 1949.

Gazette volume 75
7 February 1945, p. 255:
Fifty-sixth annual report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1944)
Highest number of visitors since records were kept in 1904, that is, 9,300 (8,754 previous highest in 1905), and £21 2s 3d in admission fees

Gazette volume 76
5 December 1945, p. 157:
Annual report of the Delegates of the UM was presented to Congregation, but a copy of the report does not seem to have been printed in the Gazette.

1 May 1946, p. 447:
The curators of the University Chest be authorized to pay the Curator of the PRM an additional £400 per annum from 1 October 1946

29 May 1946, p. 557:
the electors have reappointed Penniman as Curator of the PRM for a further period of 7 years from 1 October 1946

Gazette volume 77
28 February 1947, p. 461:
Fifty-Eighth Annual Report of the Delegates of the University Museum (for the year ending 31 July 1946)
8,872 visitors this year (10,188 last year) (Museum was visited during the war by very many members of H.M. and Allied Forces who gained entrance free of charge), £14 9s 6d in admission fees (£17 6s 6d the previous year).

To date, gazette volumes have only been searched and noted until 1946, but they show the trend.