More on Evelyn Cheesman

In November I discovered Evelyn Cheesman, the governess from Gumley Hall who collected specimens in the South Seas.

There is more about her work, including a video, on the Natural History Museum website:

Whether skinning lizards, battling with leeches, or getting trapped in giant spider webs, Evelyn Cheesman (1881-1969) had a passion for nature and a sense of adventure to match.

Evelyn was not daunted by Pacific Ocean expeditions even though they were considered hazardous for European women at the time. Her interest and research into the native, or endemic, fauna of the New Guinea region made her one of the key figures in entomology (the study of insects) in the 20th century.

The 70,000 specimens she collected have ensured her place as a collecting founder of the Natural History Museum.