This past May, I fulfilled a childhood dream by visiting England for a solo vacation. My time there was divided into two parts: the first half in London and the second in Oxford. Between both cities, I toured many museums and libraries including the British Library, the Design Museum, Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the Reading Museum, and the Weston Library. It’s only natural for someone interested in and working at museums and/or libraries! At the Weston, there were two exhibits I could not help but notice while I was waiting to register as a researcher: “Wonder of Birds” and “Pets & their People.” I promised myself that once I finished my research, I would stop to see what they were all about, especially because they were free to see! For the purposes of CAHSLA, I will share more on “Pets & their People.”
The Weston Library is part of the famous Bodleian Libraries at Oxford University. Per their website:
The Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford is the largest university library system in the United Kingdom. It includes the principal University library – the Bodleian Library – which has been a legal deposit library for 400 years; as well as 23 libraries across Oxford including major research libraries and faculty, department, and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 14 million printed items, over 80,000 e-journals and outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art, and printed ephemera. Members of the public can explore the collections via the Bodleian’s online image portal at digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk or by visiting the exhibition galleries in the Bodleian’s Weston Library.
Blackwell Hall, located within the Weston, is the meeting point for many library and city tours, and is also home to a small café. It boasts an exhibit space, a treasury, and a lecture hall. You can see some of the stacks behind glass walls by peeking towards the ceiling; an old archway stands near the registration office and information desk.
“Pets & their People” was curated by Professor Charles Foster, a veterinarian and Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, who also wrote a book with the same title. The thesis of “Pets” was to look at the connections between humans and animals, or the inverse. It delved into the history of humans keeping animals as pets, starting as aids with hunting and farming. It then presented the evolution of how and why these wild animals became domesticated over time, highlighting the emotional support they provide us Homo sapiens, especially with loneliness. It shows how we continue to humanize pets by making them one with our family and friendship circles, treating them as children, and mourning practices when they pass away. They even showed how we accessorize them with outfits and carry them in bags or emulate them: one anonymous Oxfordian had a pup-play mask on display.
All in all, it was more compelling than I could have imagined. I enjoyed seeing historic images of people posing with their pets as well as submissions of pet portraits from Oxford University students and locals. I also liked that other pets were highlighted, such as birds and snakes. I am glad to have stopped in and have a few highlights that intrigued me or made me smile:
A letter written in 1821 by poet Percy Shelley to his wife, author Mary Shelley while he was in Ravenna, Italy. In it, he describes to her that their friend Lord Byron was visiting and brought along his pets: two monkeys, five cats, and eight dogs. Apparently, they were running around the house as if it was their own! Ten horses were also present but, thankfully, remained outside. The snuff box featuring a spaniel was a gift from Percy to “Lord B.”
Raymond Chandler, author and screenwriter (The Big Sleep and Double Indemnity respectfully), was featured with his pet cat, Taki. The letter on display is one “written” by Taki to a Siamese named Mike.
Pets in pop culture were also featured in the exhibit, like cartoon strips from the early 20th century. There were some toys on display for visitors to interact with, including a stuffed robotic cat toy that could move and purr. Fads that were highlighted included a Pet Rock and a Tamagotchi!
If anyone is interested in seeing more photographs of pets and their humans, here is a link to the Tom Phillips Postcard Collection, which is featured in the exhibition and poorly documented by myself. Additionally, CAHSLA folks, please let me know if you would like to see more images from my trip!