[Kyancutta Museum]. BEDFORD, R., W.R. and J.

Memoirs of the Kyancutta Museum ... Number 1 [to Number 6]

Kyancutta, [The Authors], 1934 to 1939.

Quarto, six issues (all published), with a total of 82 pages plus 52 pages of illustrations (printed rectos only).

Wrappers (a few slightly chipped); Number 5 annotated in pencil and showing signs of use; overall a very good, complete set of this remarkable journal.

Each issue deals with a specific topic: New Species of Archaeocyathinae and Other Organisms; Further Notes on Archaeocyathi ...; Cyathospongia ...; Further Notes on Archaeos (Pleospongia) ...; An Outline of 'Biosophy' [and] Development and Classification of Archaeos. Memoir 3A (an addendum to Parts 1, 2 and 3), a processed work of 13 foolscap folio leaves printed rectos only, is included. Dr and Mrs Bedford and their son William arrived in Kyancutta (west of Port Augusta on the east-west railway line) in 1915; their activities in the small community were many and varied, and included setting up a Cottage Hospital (Mrs Bedford was a nurse) and a Co-op shop, conducting the Post Office and outback mail run, and setting up a thriving Museum and Library. They made several lengthy inland trips collecting the specimens upon which the original research in these journals is based. (What little biographical information we have has been gleaned from 'Life as I see it' by Leo H. Daniel, a processed work published in 1977).