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= Seaweed Collecting =

Seaweed collecting is the process of gathering and preserving seaweed for scientific or aesthetic purposes. It became popular as a pastime in the Victorian era and remains a hobby today.

Establish importance of seaweed collections (mention museum holdings and contributions to research and conservation)

Mention gendered aspects (role and prevelance of women collectors)

Collecting
Seaweed collecting involves gathering and preserving samples of seaweed by drying, pressing and mounting them on paper. Collections often take the form of herbaria, but not are not always created for scientific purposes. Herbaria make use of standard techniques to aid in identifying and classifying plant species, whereas many seaweed collections are made primarily for aesthetic enjoyment. Eliza Jordson's seaweed collection from 1848 is an example of the latter, containing specimens arranged on coloured paper and framed by lace. Mention Mary Robinson example?In his 1881 book, A.B. Hervey recommended the following equipment for collecting and pressing seaweed.

"You should have a pair of pliers; a pair of scissors; a stick like a common cedar "pen stalk," with a needle driven into the end of it, or, in lack of that, any stick sharpened carefully; two or three large white dishes, like "wash bowls" botanist's "drying paper;" or common blotting paper; pieces of cotton cloth, old cotton is the best; and the necessary cards or paper for mounting the plants on."

- Alpheus Baker Hervey Mention contemporary guidelines and/or environmental restrictions on harvesting seaweed?

History
Collecting seaweed can be traced back to at least the 17th century with the pressings found in Hans Sloane's Herbarium.

The pastime became increasingly popular during the Victorian Era (1837-1901), where it played to the burgeoning interest in natural history and collection in general. Albums of seaweed or pressed flowers were common objects in Victorian parlours, alongside other ornamental books of prose and images. It was so in-style that, as a young girl, Queen Victoria created her own seaweed album, and the materials needed for the hobby became readily available at seaside shops. This popularity was likely influenced by industrialisation and urbanisation, which inspired feelings of alienation and longing for nature. "Items in the parlour that recalled the natural world, whether potted plants or rose-covered wallpaper helped to restore and rewrite connections with the landscape that were at least threatened, if not severed, by the age of improvement."

- Thad Logan

It was especially fashionable with young women, as it allowed a greater level of personal freedom. These activities afforded women the opportunity to display their understanding and appreciation of the natural world. mention religious aspects?

The value of seaweed collecting is described in a poem written by David Landsborough at the beggining of his 1857 book A popular history of British seaweeds. In the poem he mentions benefits to be gained including mental health and closeness to God. Anna Atkins, thought to be the first female photographer, published the first book using photographs as illustrations in 1843. This was Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions and contained pictures of seaweed. citation needed

Edith Ellis' novel Seaweed?

The actions of some of the collectors earned them recognition and admiration from their male, professional counterparts.

These Victorian collections form valuable historical resources for morphological studies and from which genomic DNA can be extracted.

''"There is anecdotal evidence that in the nineteenth century algal populations in Devon (southwest England) were permanently damaged through intensive collecting." ''

Notable Collectors
Anna Atkins

George Eliot

Margaret Gatty

Amelia Griffiths

William Henry Harvey

Ellen Hutchins

David Landsborough

James Sinclair

Josephine Tilden

Queen Victoria

Mary Wyatt