Bournemouth Library Microscope Display
Saturday 17th May 2025
Debbie Burfitt
This year the Quekett Microscopical Club (QMC) joined forces with the Bournemouth Natural Science Society (BNSS) to give a slightly larger and more varied display at the Bournemouth Public Library. Despite the warm sunshine and the competition from FA Cup day we were welcomed by Bournemouth Public Library and an enthusiastic audience in their spacious display area on the second floor. This event was part of the Club’s microscopy outreach programme.
Quekett stand
This was an extremely luxurious display area with very sturdy tables and ample poster space to display some beautiful photographs, leaflets and books brought by Pam Hamer that attracted much interest by many visitors.
Display of photomicrographs
Grenham Ireland did not disappoint with his animated display of barnacles from Poole Harbour. He explained that the non-native Darwin’s barnacle (Austrominius modestus) has a competitive advantage over native barnacles, because they can breed all year round instead of seasonally. He worked his skill on the sample from Poole Harbour and was able to demonstrate the active beating of their thoracic appendages with his video camera connected to a large computer monitor.
Grenham Ireland’s display
There was also an Olympus binocular dissecting microscope with a live sample of zooplankton which contained numerous copepods and barnacle nauplius stage larvae. Lastly but by no means least, Grenham had a Zeiss light microscope with attached inspection camera showing the barnacle nauplius stage larvae from the plankton sample at high magnification.
Grenham Ireland with families
Jacque Bainbridge brought a vast array of insect, spider and rock samples for closer inspection, using a variety of magnifiers and binocular microscopes. One of the most popular specimens was the shed exoskeleton of a tarantula because of moulting. The recent and fossil corals drew much attention along with micas that sparkled. Crystal and mineral structure from a rich and varied rock collection could be more closely inspected with spotlights and magnifiers. Jacque’s care and extensive knowledge kept visitors looking for long periods of time. I am amazed and so impressed at how Jacque managed to pack all this display into a portable trolley and arrive at the library by bus!
Jacque Bainbridge’s display
Visitor with Jacque Bainbridge’s display
Pam Hamer provided a display on a wide range of techniques used in forensics. There were prepared slides of blood. On one table was also an examination of coins and notes to determine the genuine currency compared to forgeries. Pam was very trusting to leave a real £5 note for microscope inspection, and pound coins under a binocular microscope to study verifiable features of real currency. By far the most popular part of her display was the fingerprinting. After volunteering their fingerprints on special filter paper, their print patterns were revealed by brushing over the print with cocoa powder. Children had the option to take their fingerprint home sealed in by Sellotape.
Pam Hamer
Pam Hamer’s small microscopes and lenses
Debbie Burfitt went on her usual sampling trip to Arne Nature Reserve. As it was spring she had the opportunity to sample a range of trees and mosses in the woodland by the lowland heath and seaweeds from the beach at Shipstal Point. The wet bench was used to compare broadleaved trees to conifers using a hand lens and an illuminated magnifier. Red, green and brown seaweeds were poured into a tray for structural inspection. Children were encouraged to deduce the diagnostic features to enable identification. Live temporary mounts were made by visitors of a plant of their choice to inspect under the light microscopes available on the dry bench.
Debbie Burfitt with visitors
With at least 20–25 families coming over we were all kept continually busy throughout the day. Our display area was strategically placed next to the Saturday chess club held at the library, and many chess players came out of the club to enjoy the display. The advertising campaign run by the library attracted many young families of children that were being home-schooled. They were extremely interested to learn about the BNSS and the QMC and the resources on offer. There was a gentle but continual stream of visitors to enable us to really spend time with each visitor to explain our displays. The day went by very quickly, and the 4 p.m. closing time approached without much notice. It was a successful and very enjoyable day.
Report by Debbie Burfitt