Charles Moore's Large Marine Reptiles
In 1879 Charles Moore had about 40 more or less perfect examples of Ichthyosaurs and Plesiosaurs, the largest ones, about 28, were mounted on the walls of the geology gallery. In 1932 when the Institution had to move to Queen Square a room was specially built at the back to house the Moore Collection and again these large fossil reptiles were hung on the walls. They were boarded over when the building was requisitioned in 1939 and remained like that till the early 1960s.
In 1963 they were lent to Dr. Appleby of University College, Cardiff, for research and he agreed to carry out some remedial conservation where necessary. The National Museum of Wales (NMW) agreed to house them and they are still there some 24 years later. The NMW has recently upgraded its geological stores and the Moore reptiles are now on proper racks in a room where the temperature and humidity is controlled.
Many of the specimens need repairing and cleaning and some of the wooden frames need replacing. Some money has been put forward by Avon County and the Area Museum Council for the South West for this work to be carried out as soon as possible while the specimens are still in Cardiff. The arrangement then is that once this Museum has moved to new premises and acquired suitable stores that the specimens will be returned. When this will be it is not possible to say but there are plans to move to the Victoria Art Gallery and occupy space which will be vacated by the lending Library. If development of the Podium site goes ahead then the Moore reptiles might be back in Bath in 5 years time.
In the meantime some of the specimens are currently on display in the Dinosaurs from China Exhibition at the NMW and it runs till April 1988. Anyone wishing to see the others can do so by appointment.
