Ben Burrell Archive:
Materials collected by Les Coe from *Dr Richard McKim of the British Astronomical Society May 2025.
This material comprises the residue of the archive donated to the British Astronomical Society by Ben Burrell’s late daughter, Miriam. *Dr McKim of Upper Benefield near Corby, archivist to the RAS, has abstracted the material of interest to the RAS and is passing this fascinating material to the DNS.
Large format Lantern Slides
Kodak Photographic Paper Box 1
Small box:
• Wirksworth Well Dressing 20 May 1961 (4 slides) –
Fear Not; How little faith you have; Pieta; Praise ye the Lord.
• Table centrepieces/household decorations (5 slides) –
Red & Yellow Roses in white bowl; Red & Yellow Roses in white bowl;
Cut-glass vase with White Carnations and Asparagus fern;
Centrepiece 5 Gnomes around a lighted candle;
Ceramic Chinese figure in boat.
Loose Lantern Slides.
• DSS Excursions:
York Minster from S.E.;
Serlby Hall;
Brodsworth Church 17/9/1949;
Elmfield Park Summer 1940;
Elmfield Park Summer 1940 (Yellow Roses);
Elmfield Park 1940 (Rose garden);
Cusworth (pond-dipping lower lake);
Barrow Hills D.S.S. 17/5/1947;
Barnsley & Doncaster Scientific Societies at Monk Bretton Priory 9/8/1947;
Mr E[thert] Brand [DSS Archaeology recorder] in Brockadale;
Group (11) of unidentified people picnicking in countryside;
Three unidentified men (1 may be Ernest Stainton) in countryside;
Three unidentified young people with insect net examining specimen;
• Microscopes, microscopists and cameras
? Ernest Stainton looking down microscope. Microscope slides on table and 4 card index drawers in background.
3 of Ernest Stainton’s microscopes and associated equipment;
Lighting rig and large format bellows camera;
Rig set up with bellows camera attached to microscope being examined by ? Ernest Stainton.
Kodak Photographic Paper Box 2
• 12 Lepidoptera Lantern slides mainly of mounted spns.
Hawk Moth sp; Silver Wash Fritillary; Peacock Butterfly; Male & female Blue Butterflies;
Male & female [Large] Blue Butterflies; Elephant Hawkmoth;
Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly on flowers; Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly on flowers;
Eyed Hawkmoth; Garden Tiger Moth; Scarlet Tiger Moth; Green Silver-lines Moth.
• 1 Conchological Lantern Slide
2 Ormer Shells.
• 8 Lantern slides of crystal formations
Potassium Carbonate by polarised light;
Quartz (Felsite) by polarised light;
Quinidine crystals by polarised light;
Urea crystals by Polarised light;
Urea crystals by Polarised light;
Salicin crystals by polarised light;
Camphoric Acid by polarised light;
Tartaric Acid crystals by polarised light;
• 1 Astronomical Lantern slide
Sun’s disc (showing sun spots) ZS21.
.
Kodak Photographic Paper Box 3
• 10 Holiday Photographs from Statford-on-Avon 12/5/1961
(winding handle on boat);
(Rowing 4 near stone [Clopton] bridge);
(Tavern Row);
(Tavern Row)[end gable];
(waterfall);
(garden);
(garden);
(garden);
(garden from above);
(Memorial Theatre from river);
• 5 Lantern slides of Frost flowers (? In garden of 93 Woodhouse Rd, Doncaster.
Frost Flowers 21/1/1940);
Frost Flowers 21/1/1940;
Frost Flowers 21/1/1940 (close-up);
Frost Flowers 21/1/1940 (close-up);
Frost Flowers 21/1/1940 (shrub);
• 6 Lantern Slides of Floods in Bentley 1941
Floods in Bentley 9/2/1941;
Floods in Marsh Gate 10/2/1941 (Thrift Stores);
Floods in Bentley 9/2/1941 (Horse & cart);
Floods in Bentley 9/2/1941 (Horse & cart);
Floods in Bentley 9/2/1941 (Hunt Lane, Policeman & Fish & Chip Restaurant);
Floods in Bentley Feb.1941;
• 3 Lantern slides of River Don in flood 1941
River Don in Flood 9/2/1941;
River Don in Flood (barges & lock gates) 9/2/1941;
River Don in Flood at Newton 10/2/1941.
• 2 Lantern slides of River Don in Flood winter 1960/61.
River Don Floods Feb 1961 (flooded fields);
River Don at Newton under snow, winter 1960-61.
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B&W Mounted Photographs
• 6 Inch Reflector Telescope built by Burrell & *Turton (15cm x 20.5cm).
• Equatorial Head built by Burrell & Turton (15cm x 20.5cm).
• Equatorial Head B.Burrell (15cm x 20.5cm).
• Astrographic Camera B. Burrell (15cm x 20cm).
• Shutter details (closed) B.Burrell. (13.5cm x 19.5cm).
• 6.5 inch Reflector with Astrographic Camera B. Burrell (14.5cm x 20.5cm).
*Like Ben, Mr R.F. Turton was a recorder for Astronomy during the 1950s and 60s for the Doncaster Scientific Society.
Large glass negative (11cm x 22cm) of 3 of Ernest Stainton’s Microscopes and associated equipment.
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Seven Envelopes (3½ inches x 6 inches) containing unmounted photographic negatives and prints
• 1) 2 B&W prints of Ben Burrell (pre-retirement) at his desk in his office (filing cabinets in background) at Doncaster Plant Works.
• 2) 2 colour negatives of diesel-hauled trains running through railway cutting; 1 colour negative of three swans swimming in river; 2 colour negatives of a Flower (Chrysanthemum) Show; 4 colour negatives of gardens and woodland rides; 1 colour negative of a multi-stemed ?pollarded tree; 1 colour negative of a suburban semi-detached house; 4 colour negatives of leafy urban area, one with Harpenden sign.
• 3) 3 B&W prints and negatives of the Festival of Britain/South Bank Exhibition 1951 taken by Miriam Burrell (daughter of Ben Burrell).
• 4) 4 B&W prints of Old Doncaster; 6 B&W prints of Doncaster Scientific Society excursions, incuding one to Wisic and one to the Don Gorge Viaduct, all printed by Ben Burrell from negatives by F. Moat. These were printed in larger format for the DNS Centenary exhibition 1980 and exist elsewhere in the DNS Archives.
• 5) 1 B&W negative and 3 prints of Ben Burrell in 1937 using Ernest Stainton’s microscope surrounded by slide trays and library and card index cabinets; 3 B&W prints of unidentified man using Ernest Stainton’s microscope surrounded by slide trays and library and card index cabinets; 1 B&W negative and 1 print of Ernest Stainton’s microscopes & accessories ?1935; 2 B&W prints of different unidentified man using Ernest Stainton’s microscopes.
• 6) 22/2/1964 colour 35mm negatives of the Mallard (front left side); 1 colour 35mm negative (left broadside); 1 colour 35mm negative (left hand ¾ view); 1 colour 35mm negative (right hand side); 1 colour 35mm negative (?rear view); 3 + 3 colour 35mm negatives of the Mallard (left hand view); 1 colour 35mm negative of the Mallard (Cab); 1 colour 35mm negative of the Mallard (Cab); 1 colour 35mm negative of the Mallard Plaque celebrating the World speed record of 126 mph achieved on July 3, 1938. This speed was recorded on the East Coast Main Line, near Grantham, while descending Stoke Bank.
• 7) 1 colour negative of couple in canoe of a river; 1 colour negative of British Rail Map showing regions and research depots; 1 colour negative of Ben Burrell’s Photographic Lab at Doncaster Station Buildings; 3 colour negatives of the Class A4 Steam Locomotive Dwight D. Eisenhower. Built for the LNER in 1937 originally as The Golden Shuttle. It was re-named as a tribute to Dwight D. Eisenhower after World War 2. It was retired from Service in 1963 and after being cosmetically restored in Doncaster in July 1963 (when it may have been photographed by ben Burrell), was donated to the National Railroad Museum, Ashwaubenon, Green Bay, Wisconsin; 7 colour negatives of class 84 Electric Locos; 5 colour negatives of Hs4000 Kestrel Locos.
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B&W Framed & glazed photograph (12 inches x 15 inches) of unidentified man at one of Ernest Stainton’s microscopes with trays of microscope slides and in the background a library and series of index card drawers. [? was this Earnest Stainton, or Ben Burrell].
Wallet file containing Press cutting from the Doncaster Evening Post Monday 1 January 1968.
This article by Neil Sanderson is entitled ‘He Likes to keep an eye on Mars’ was written on the occasion of the retirement of Ben Burrell F.R.A.S. from British Rail’s Plant Works where he worked as an official photographer in the office of the director of design. It forms a useful potted biography, featuring Ben’s interests and work.
Manilla Envelope (8½” x 10½”) postmarked 1973
‘Negative’ of a Holographic image plus an information sheet on ‘The White-Light Reflexion Hologram’ issued by Holographic developments Ltd., 10 Marshalsea Road, London SE 1
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Box (5” x 7” x 1”) labelled Ilford F.P.4 Plate.
Doncaster Scientific Society RULES Adopted at the Annual General Meeting 27 April 1927
(2 copies)
Collection of *Doncaster Scientific Society Members Cards etc.
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1931
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1934
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1935
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1935/36
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1936
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1936/37
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1937
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1938
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1939
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1939/40
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1940
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1940/41
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1943
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1943/44
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1944
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1944/45 2 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1945
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1945/46
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1946 2 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1946/47 2 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1947 2 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1947/48 4 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1948 4 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1948/49 3 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1949 6 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1949/50
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1950
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1950/51
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1951 2 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1951/52
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1952
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1952/53
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1953 3 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1953/54
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1954
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1954/55
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1955
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1955/56
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1956/57 2 copies
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1957/58
Doncaster Scientific Society Summer Excursions 1958
Doncaster Scientific Society Winter Programme 1960/61
Doncaster Naturalist’s Society Winter Programme 1962/63
Doncaster Naturalists’ Society Winter Programme 1963/64
Doncaster Naturalists’ Society Winter Programme 1965/66
Doncaster Naturalists’ Society Winter Programme 1966/67
Doncaster Naturalists’ Society Winter Programme 1967/68
Doncaster Naturalists’ Society Winter Programme 1975/76
*In the 1962/63 session, the subject description of our society changed from Scientific to Naturalist though in its first iteration the type setter had given the apostrophe a plural connotation indicating more than one Naturalist. This was changed in subsequent a possessive connotation indicating placed so as to in
Biographical data on Ben Burrell F.R.A.S. 93 Woodhouse Road, Wheatley, Doncaster abstracted from Members card entries.
Member of Society 1931 to 1976
President
1944/45; 1956/57
Vice President
1960/61; 61/62; 62/63; 63/64; 65/66;
Committee Member
1936/37; 39/40; 40/41; 50/51; 51/52; 52/53; 53/54; 54/55; 55/56; 66/67; 67/68;
Hon Gen. Secretary
1947/48; 48/49; 49/50;
Recorder for Astronomy
1934; 35/36; 36/37; 39/40; 43; 43/44; 45/46; 46/47; 47/48; 48/49; 49/50; 1950; 51/2; 52/53; 53/54; 54/55; 55/56; 56/57; 1958; 60/61; 62/63; 63/64; 65/66; 66/67; 67/68;
Recorder for Photography
1944; 45/46; 46/47; 47/48; 48/49; 49/50; 50; 1951/2; 52/53; 53/54; 54/55; 55/56; 56/57; 1958; 60/61; 62/63; 63/64; 65/66; 66/67; 67/68;
Recorder for Physics
1951/2; 52/53; 53/54; 54/55; 55/56; 56/57; 60/61; [Post dissolved!].
Lectures to the Society
Astronomical Evening 20 October 1934.
The Moon 18 November 1936.
Comets and Meteors 10 December 1947.
Magnetism and Astronomy 9 December 1953.
Jupiter 19 March 1958.
The Crab Nebula 20 March 1963.
Presidential Addresses
The Sun 4 October 1944.
An Astronomer in Dublin 3 October 1956
Field Excursions led by Ben Burrell
Cusworth & Astronomical Evening (with Mr. Whittingham) 20 October 1934
Cantley-Hatfield 19 September 1936.
Levitt Hagg 23 July 1938.
West Moor (Edenthorpe) 17 June 1939.
West Moor (Edenthorpe) 1 June 1940.
Cusworth 28 August 1943.
Cusworth 24 June 1944.
Cusworth 23 June 1945.
Levitt Hagg 31 May 1947.
Cusworth 8 May 1948.
Brodsworth 17 September 1949
Serlby 3 June 1950.
Serlby 17 May 1952.
Barrow Hills 2 May 1953.
Barrow Hills 22 May 1954.
Thorne Moor 2 July 1955
Cusworth 25 July 1957 (Abandoned – wet weather).
Newark 17 May 1958.
Cusworth 27 September 1958.
Sandall Beat 19 September 1964.