Nationality British Residence York, United Kingdom Died 1940 | Role Archaeologist Name John Kirk | |
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Born 1869 Hull Occupation Archaeologist and Curator Known for Founding the York Castle Museum | ||
Organizations founded York Castle Museum | ||
John Lamplugh Kirk BA MB M.R.C.S PhD FSA (1869 – 1940) was a British amateur archaeologist and founder of York Castle Museum in York, North Yorkshire.
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Personal life
He was born in Hull in 1869 and practised as a doctor in London before moving to Pickering in 1898. Kirk resided in Houndgate Hall, Pickering from 1910 to 1938. Kirk spent some time painting natural and landscape scenes, such as his 1891 'Stags in the Snow'.
Kirk was intimately involved in Yorkshire Archaeological Society and was a member of the general committee, executive committee and acted as director and honorary treasurer.
Archaeologist
Kirk excavated part of the Roman camp at Malton in 1927 with Philip Corder. The results of this excavation formed the core of the Roman archaeology collection of the Malton Museum. He and Corder also excavated at the side of Langton Roman Villa, near Malton, the excavations of which were led by Dr. Kirk. Regarding Kirk's role in the Langton excavations, Corder wrote: "The daily supervision and all the organisation of the work once again fell to Dr. Kirk, who directed the excavation in person, until ill health led to his forced retirement. Even then he largely directed the final stages of the work from his bed".
Published works as an archaeologist include:
Curator
Kirk had amassed a collection of objects relating to the study of Social History. The Female Prison (now part of York Castle Museum) was bought by the York Corporation in 1934 and modified to house the Kirk Collection of "bygones", opening as the Castle Museum in 1938. In the same year he was elected an honorary member of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society.