Barbara Joan Pyrah (1943–2016) was a British geologist, museum curator, and illustrator.[1]
Barbara Pyrah | |
|---|---|
 Pyrah giving an interview to YTV in 1986 in the Yorkshire Museum | |
| Born | Barabara Joan Pyrah 1943 |
| Died | 8 January 2016 |
| Occupations |
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| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Geology |
| Institutions |
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Career edit
From 1965–1968 Pyrah was the assistant keeper of geology at the Manchester Museum.[2] From 1968 to her retirement in 1988, Pyrah was the Keeper of Geology at the Yorkshire Museum.[3] During her time at the Yorkshire Museum Pyrah produced a four-part catalogue detailing the type and figured fossil specimens held in the collections.[4][5][6][7] This catalogue represented over 900 specimens from approximately 150 publications. The research interest in the collections of the museum rose considerably as a result of these published catalogues.[8]
Pyrah illustrated the 1977 publication The Ice Age in Yorkshire.[9]
Pyrah was a member of the organising committee of the Geological Curators' Group from 1975 to 1977.[10]
She retired from the museum due to ill-health in 1988;[3] In retirement she was a member of the Dunnington Art Club and a founding member of the Friends of Hagg Wood.[1]
She is listed as one of the donors to the mosaic map in York Museum Gardens.[11]
Exhibitions edit
Pyrah organised a major exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum: 'A New Look at the Dinosaurs' was opened in April 1984 by David Bellamy. The exhibition was inspired by a 1979 book of the same name by Alan J. Charig, who gave a lecture in the museum in celebration of its opening.[12] The exhibition received a favourable review in New Scientist, which described it as "an exhibition of unimpeachable scholarship which provides something of interest and enjoyment at any and every age.[13] Over 335,000 visitors saw the exhibition by the end of its year-long display.[8]
Publications edit
- Pyrah, B. J. 1974. "Collections and Collectors of Note. 3. Yorkshire Museum". Geological Curators Group Newsletter 1(2). 52–55.
- Pyrah, B.1976. "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 1", Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society 41(1.4)
- Pyrah, B.1977. "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 2", Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society 41(2.23)
- Pyrah, B.1978. "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 3", Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society 41(4.32)
- Pyrah, B.1979. "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 4", Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society 42(3.24)
- Pyrah, B. J. 1981. "Edward Charlesworth and the British Natural History Society. 1: Material in the Yorkshire Museum", The Geological Curator 3(2). 88–92.
- Pyrah, B. J. 1988. The history of the Yorkshire Museum and its geological collections. York: The Ebor Press. ISBN 1 85072 042 8
References edit
- ^ a b "Barbara Joan Pyrah". York Press. 16 January 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ Alberti, S. J. M. M. (2009). Nature and Culture: Objects, Disciplines and the Manchester Museum. Manchester Museum. p. 62.
- ^ a b Howard, P. (1989). "The Yorkshire Museum, 1988: Geology". Yorkshire Philosophical Society Annual Report for the year 1988. p. 40.
- ^ Pyrah, B (1976). "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 1". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. 41 (1.4).
- ^ Pyrah, B (1977). "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 2". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. 41 (2.23).
- ^ Pyrah, B (1978). "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 3". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. 41 (4.324): 437–460. doi:10.1144/pygs.41.4.437.
- ^ Pyrah, B (1979). "Catalogue of the type and figured fossils in the Yorkshire Museum: part 4". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. 42 (3.244): 415–437. doi:10.1144/pygs.42.3.415.
- ^ a b Pyrah, B. J. (1988). "A Modern Museum (1970–1988)". The history of the Yorkshire Museum and its geological collections. North Yorkshire County Council. pp. 134–148. ISBN 1850720428.
- ^ The Ice Age in Yorkshire. WorldCat. OCLC 3944285. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- ^ Geological Curators Group (1978). "4TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 1977" (PDF). Newsletter of the Geological Curators' Group. 2 (2): 55–57. doi:10.55468/GC1053. S2CID 251697510.
- ^ "GMP People". Yorkshire Philosophical Society. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ Pyrah, B. (1985). "The Yorkshire Museum, 1984: Geology". Yorkshire Philosophical Society Annual Report for the year 1984. p. 33–37.
- ^ Halstead, B. (April 1984). "Dinosaurs are to be enjoyed". New Scientist. 1404. New Science Publications: 28.