Charles Moore F.G.S
(1814-1881)

Charles Moore was born in Illminster in 1814 and moved to Bath in 1837, where he worked as a bookseller.

His interest in collecting fossils began in his mid twenties when he saw some boys rolling a pebble (or nodule) in the demolished remains of an old school. The pebble split and revealed a wonderfully preserved fossil fish of the genus Pachycormus.

He later found the bed near Illminster from which the fossil fish had come, he later found many more fish here. These finds became the nucleus of a large collection of fossil fish and reptiles.

When his father died in 1844 Moore returned to Illminster to continue the family book and printing business which he continued until he was 38 years old.

Moore made contact with many important geologists at that time, the most influential being Thomas Davidson a brachiopod specialist. Davidson made much use of the Moore collection.

The Moore collection contains approx. 5000 specimens. The Virtual Museum will eventually, it is hoped, document all of this. However, it will take some considerable time to compile. If you visit this museum regularly you will find constant updates.