Victoria Gallery & Museum (University of Liverpool)
Ashton Street
Liverpool
L69 3DR
01517942348
Website: http://www.vgm.liverpool.ac.uk
Parent Organisation:
Funded by:
University of Liverpool
YLM Entry Submitted: Yes
Comments:
How many human remains are in its collection, and how many of those are of ancient British provenance, pre-Christian or in other way Pagan?:
None of the human remains in our collection are (to our knowledge) pre-Christian or Pagan in origin, and consist of what would be deemed ‘modern’ remains – for example, teaching models 18th/19th Century, modelled onto a skull or part of a skeleton. We are working through the catalogue attempting to identify the makers, but as most of them have been removed from their original cases, this is a slow process. At the time of writing, all manufacturers identified are European. There are also medical collections (such as mounted pelvis) from the 19th Century – originating in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology collection (these are a research collection held in a secure store and only accessible to bona fide researchers). We now care for the Dental Museum Collection, including ‘Waterloo Teeth’ which are dentures made from teeth recovered from battlefields in the 18th/19th Century. There is no way of knowing whether any of these sets contain teeth from English, French, Prussian, Dutch, or even American Civil War individuals.
Total:
How many of these human remains are well documented, with clear context of date and place of exhumation?:
See above. None of these have ever been buried.
Where there are ancestors in store, is there a history of use?:
Yes, enquiries are recorded and if the result is published, we ask for a copy.
Where there are ancestors in store, is there potential for use, in display, education or scientific analysis?
Yes, see above and below re: display.
Does the museum have a disposal policy, and is it including HR with negligible potential in its discussions about disposal?:Yes
This has occurred very rarely, and each example is approached individually. At the time of writing, the remains in question have all originated from a surgical procedure within the hospital (many decades ago), but it has been impossible to attempt any identification. These remains were collected by the Pathology Department and disposed of through their normal procedures. The University holds a memorial service every year for the people who have donated their remains to teaching and research (although historically this may not have been voluntary), and a commemorative plaque is on campus.
What sources of information about these human remains are in the public domain and where?:
We complete regular returns for the DCMS.
Does the museum have ancestors (human remains) on display?:Yes
Any use is always approached with respect and sensitivity. We have a display in the staff area of the Dental School, which covers the pioneering work of the departmental staff on maxillofacial injuries during WW1. It is intended to be inspirational and educational, and is only viewed by people who either already do – or one day aspire to do – similar work.
A selection of the Waterloo Teeth are displayed in the museum in the context of the history of dentistry and dentures. Care was taken during the planning of the display to ensure that they were treated with respect and visitors walk to the back of the case to view them in a desk case, so that the viewer looks down and reads the interpretation in a contemplative way. Care is taken never to display human remains ‘just for the sake of it’ without a solid cultural/educational reason.
Does the museum hold any iconic ancestors, ie. complete skeletons with a well documented story, or those considered of national or local importance, and are these on display?:
No
Has the museum used or considered using replicas in displays? If not, why not and what would you find useful in moving to these? If you have, what response did these receive?:
We have casts of ancient Hominin skulls as part of an archaeology display. The originals are unavailable, and the casts are good for illustrative purposes together with images from Kennis & Kennis.
Documents:
https://www.honour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/formidable/2/YLM-2020-Questionnaire-Liverpool.doc
20 November, 2020
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