Collins, Frederick Howard

Manuscript and typescript letters.

FOLDER 1

31 Oct 1889-21 May 1892

Letters discuss Galton's work e.g. that fingerprints of children resemble the mother's prints. Suggests that Charles Booth's statistical work might be useful. States that he is compiling ratios of sons and daughters from Debrett's Baronetage, and lists of heiresses from 500 marriages, and of husbands' and wives' ages and children. Mentions his new research topic of mapping tidal streams.

FOLDER 2

27 May 1893-Oct 1894

Wants to help Galton with his research and is happy to clean bottles. Details of his current research - charts of the tides along the Welsh coast. Looking forward to meeting Galton at the Ladies Soiree of the Royal Society (letter dated 29 May 1894); enclosure with letter dated 14 September 1894 has a card for recording year of marriage, ages of father and mother, and sex and age of children for his study on sex ratios.

FOLDER 3

20 Jan 1895-Dec 1898

Letters concerning his research on parental age and whether this affects the sex of children; John Venn was going to look over his tables. Letter dated 19 May 1895 gives thanks for sending Fingerprint Directories and makes suggestions about how to record fingerprints. Also states that Galton has coined a new word 'fingerprint' whereas before it was always two separate words. Discusses progress with his work on 'fertility of heiresses'. Enclosure with letter dated 2 December 1897 has preliminary results of his work on greyhounds. Discusses work on horses' hair colour. Enclosure with letter dated 14 December 1898 shows results of whelps' coat-colour.

FOLDER 4

Jul 1901- Oct 1908

Karl Pearson suggested that he should tabulate some coat colours of horses for heredity purposes. Enclosure with letter dated 28 April 1902 is a flyer for 'single-handed dividers (F Howard Collins's patent)'. Enclosure with letter dated 19 May 1903 has cover sheet for his 'Rules for Authors Editors etc'. Sorry to hear news about Galton's sister who wrote guide to the unprotected which he had recommended to many. Glad that fingerprints was working out. Letter dated 15 January 1905 working out definition of eugenics. Enclosure with letter dated 27 September 1908 is facsimile of his compass card for which he was award a bronze medal at the Franco-British exhibition.

c.1889-1908

130 letters and 7 enclosures

The papers are available at UCL Special Collections and Archives subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

A digitised copy is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.

The original material is held at UCL Special Collections. This catalogue is held by the Wellcome Library as part of Codebreakers: Makers of Modern Genetics.