Biography
Edward Hart (1847-1928) took over his father's taxidermy business William Hart & Son, Preservers of Birds and Beasts. Later he set up his own company at Bow House at 23 High Street, Christchurch, which he later opened as a museum. Edward was an avid collector and keen ornithologist. Most of his specimens were collected in and around the Christchurch area between 1867 &1897.
In 1903, Edward hoped to sell his collection to the Bournemouth Society but the sale fell through. Not long before his death, Hart attempted to sell his collection once more and the collection was bought by John Hall of Stafford. Following John Hall's death, the collection moved to Stowe School in Buckinghamshire.
In 1923 Leicester Museums began to take care of the collection and in the 1980s what remained of the collection was jointly purchased by Leicester Museum Service, Hampshire County Council Museums Service and the Horniman Museum.
Brief biography
taxidermist and wildfowler (1847-1928)
