British Museum (Natural History): Department of Entomology: Lepidoptera Section:...

The series consists of the correspondence and papers of two prominent members of the Lepidoptera Section, Norman Denbigh Riley (1890-1979) and Willie Horace Thomas Tams (1891-1980).

There is a small collection of letters addressed to J H Durrant together with three volumes of his out-lettee copies, and some papers of N D Riley in the Entomology Library.

Access conditions: Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated

Norman Denbigh Riley (1890-1979) entered the Museum in 1911, having been educated at Dulwich College and Imperial College. He took over responsibility for the Rhopalocera from F A Heron, who had retired the previous year due to ill health, and served as Keeper from 1932-1955. He worked for many years as a part-time Senior Scientific Officer after retirement.. Willie Horace Thomas Tams (1891-1980) joined the Section in 1920 on the retirement of G F Hampson, who had been in charge of the Heterocera for many years, and J Hartley Durrant worked in the Section as Curator of the Walsingham Collection of Microlepidoptera from 1910 until 1928. When Riley became Keeper in 1932, responsibility for the Rhopalocera devolved to the Clerk, Alfred G Gabriel, who was promoted to a scientific grade in 1938. George A Bisset and Roger Washbourn were appointed to the Section in 1935 and 1936 respectively. The scientific staff were supported by attendants (later called Experimental Officers) such as J D Bradley, D S Fletcher, T G Howarth and H Stringer, and a large number of distinguished voluntary workers, including Brigadier W H Evans. In 1969 the section was divided into the Rhopalocera (butterflies) under R I Vane-Wright, Microlepidoptera (the smaller moths) under P E S Whalley, and Macrolepidoptera (larger moths) under A Watson.