# Oxley Grabham

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**Oxley Grabham** (1864-1939) MA was a British naturalist, ornithologist, and museum curator.[1][2]

## Career

Grabham was a [Master's](/source/Master's_degree) graduate of Cambridge University[3] and Keeper of the [Yorkshire Museum](/source/Yorkshire_Museum) from 1904 to 1919. He was appointed by the [Yorkshire Philosophical Society](/source/Yorkshire_Philosophical_Society) to the position of Keeper in 1904 following the retirement of the previous incumbent, [Henry Maurice Platnauer](/source/Henry_Maurice_Platnauer).[4] He was a member of the [British Ornithologists' Union](/source/British_Ornithologists'_Union) and a committee member of the [Yorkshire Naturalists' Union](/source/Yorkshire_Naturalists'_Union).[5]

Grabham was occasionally involved in archaeological excavations. In February 1911 he worked with [John Kirk](/source/John_Kirk_(archaeologist)) on the excavation of a [Bronze Age](/source/Bronze_Age) [Tumulus](/source/Tumulus) near Pickering and of an [Iron Age](/source/British_Iron_Age) [chariot burial](/source/Chariot_burial) at [Pexton Moor](/source/Pexton_Moor).[6] He was also involved in the excavation of [Wade's Causeway](/source/Wade's_Causeway).[7][8]

Grabham published in several journals, like *[The Zoologist](/source/The_Zoologist)* and *[British Birds](/source/British_Birds_(magazine))*.

He was described in his obituary in the [Yorkshire Post](/source/Yorkshire_Post) as "a naturalist of some distinction, he formed a collection of Yorkshire mammals which became famous on account of the specimens which illustrated the variety of types, many of which are rare and some unique."[9]

## Personal life

In 1914 Grabham was an [executor](/source/Executor) of the will of [Tempest Anderson](/source/Tempest_Anderson).[1]

Upon his retirement due to ill health he was granted £150 a year for five years, plus a gratuity of £100 for special treatment.[1] He was succeeded as Keeper by [Walter Collinge](/source/Walter_Collinge), and voted an honorary member of the [Yorkshire Philosophical Society](/source/Yorkshire_Philosophical_Society) upon his retirement.[2] After retirement he was a resident of [Thornton Dale](/source/Thornton_Dale).[9]

## Publications

- 1897. "Owls and their Longevity", *The Naturalist*. p129.
- 1899. "Yorkshire's Bats", *The Naturalist*. p69-75.
- 1907. (With Metcalfe, T.A., Smith, Sydney H., and Kirk, Charles) *British Mammals. Sixty Photographs from Life*. London, Gowans & Gray, Ltd.
- 1907. "Mammalia". In Page, W. (ed.) *Victoria History of the Counties of England: Yorkshire, Vol.1*. London: Archibald Constable. p351-356.
- 1908. "[The colony of Little Terns at Spurn Point, Yorkshire](https://britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V02/V02_N10/V02_N10_P317_321_A052.pdf)", *British Birds***,** p317–32.
- 1909. "The Dormouse at home". *Country Life* (16 October 1909). p521-522.
- 1916. *[Yorkshire Potteries, Pots, and Potters](https://archive.org/details/yorkshirepotteri00grab/page/n3/mode/2up)*. York: Yorkshire Philosophical Society.

## References

1. Pyrah, B. (1988). *The History of the Yorkshire Museum and its Geological Collections*. North Yorkshire County Council. pp. 110–114.

1. "Obituary: Oxley Grabham". *Yorkshire Philosophical Society Annual Report, 1939*. 1939.

1. "An Order Refused: Pickering Man Unsuccessfully sued by Wife". *[Leeds Mercury](/source/Leeds_Mercury)*. 12 November 1929.

1. Yorkshire Philosophical Society (1905). *Report of the Council of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. February 13th 1905*

1. ["40th Annual Report, 1901"](https://archive.org/stream/transactionsofyo2932york/transactionsofyo2932york_djvu.txt). *Transactions of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union*. **29**: 135–136. 1903.

1. Kirk, J. L. (1912). ["The Opening of a Tumulus near Pickering"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/250212#page/125/mode/1up). *Annual Report of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society for 1911*

1. Cowley Fowler, J. (ed.) (1913). ["Work of the Sections"](http://barlow.me.uk/clevelandnats/1910_11_.pdf). *Proceedings of the Cleveland Naturalists Field Club, 1910-1911*. **3** (1): 48.

1. ["Visit to Roman Road. September 3rd 1956."](http://whitbynaturalists.co.uk/wnarchives/annual_reports/1956.pdf). *Proceedings of the Whitby Naturalists Club*. 1956.

1. "Obituary: Oxley Grabham". *Yorkshire Post*. 8 December 1939.

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