Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2020-03-17
Page range: 141–156
Abstract views: 27
PDF downloaded: 2

Andrew Beveridge Curror (1811–1844): collecting natural history specimens while preventing the slave trade along the west coast of Africa

Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa.
Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela University, P.O. Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa.
Andrew Beveridge Curror Angola plant collectors Royal Navy slave trade types

Abstract

For nine years, from 1835 until his death, the British-born Andrew Beveridge Curror (27 October 1811–11 July 1844) served as surgeon on different ships of the British Royal Navy. From 1839 he sailed on ships of the West Africa Squadron, which aimed at the curtailment of the slave trade along Africa’s west coast. Curror additionally had a strong interest in natural history and collected from continental Africa and Atlantic islands what would become the type specimens of several plant names. We provide biographical information on Curror and an analysis and appreciation of his collecting activities. We additionally provide a list of Curror’s collections that could be located.