> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/transcribe-wellcome/research/people/alphabetical/borer-mary-cathcart.md). # Borer, Mary Cathcart Graduate from UCL, B.Sc. in Geography and Cultural Anthropology. Social historian, fiction and non-fiction author, screenwriter. Employed at WHMM in 1928 after graduation from UCL. Graduation photo is in Wellcome L series images, - [L0023909](https://wellcomecollection.org/works/f4aw5spm) ![](https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MRPhw-Kd6KNiHzFBwfy%2Fuploads%2FgFP6PrKhNTVDk5PAbAu6%2Ffile.jpeg?alt=media) Image: [L0023910](https://wellcomecollection.org/works/c43ngken) ## Work at WHMM Object selection for purchase: viewing items day before auction sales and marking up catalogues with items of interest. Identifying and registering items arriving after auction sale purchase. Worked mostly at the museum premises Wigmore Street or at warehouse for stored objects (Oxford St Marylebone Lane at Oxford St end), occasionally too at Willesden stores. Selected objects for display, arranged and interpreted them. (“There had been talk in the early days of our taking our PhDs, but as it turned out we had no facilities for this and no contact or access to the library at Willesden.” – oral history p11.). ## Biographical notes Studied under Dr. Perry and Professor Elliot Smith at UCL; Perry recommended her for the job at WHMM (Symons 1987, 8-9) Borer left WHMM in 1935 and went on archaeological expedition to Armant, near Luxor, Egypt, with husband Oliver Myers under auspices of Egypt Exploration Society. Married name Mary Myers, m. Oliver Humphry Myers (1903-1966) ## Sources Oral history in Symons 1987, pp 7-13. Biographical notes and list of publications: ## WL archive materials * MSS.8269. One essay entitled 'Notes on Woad'. * MSS.8963 One screenplay entitled 'The Chief: Lord Lister - 1825-1912'. * WA/HMM/RP/Sta/2. ‘Staff Reports’ ‘Mary Borer’ Jan 1932-Jul 1933. (Handwritten, so contains handwriting sample, and what she worked on.) * WA/HMM/ST/ Lat/A.26. Report by Malcolm on Borer’s resignation. ## Oral history > Overshadowing the years in Wigmore Street was the registration of the vast Pareyn collection of ethnographic material from the Belgian Congo – hundreds of carved wooden effigies, thousands of spears, knives, shields, headdresses and so forth. There was a time when we, in the ethnographical department, could tell at a glance which river and tribe each item came from. * Symons 1987, p12-13. ## Handwriting sample: WA/HMM/RP/Sta/1 staff reports, 1929-30 --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.wellcomecollection.org/collections-information/lQ0fMyP8xr8hWWJiQkfl/transcribe-wellcome/research/people/alphabetical/borer-mary-cathcart.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.