> 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/rowbottom-margaret.md). # Rowbottom, Margaret Margaret Esther Rowbottom. Historian of science. Life dates: 1908-1999 Image: ### Work at WHMM Rowbottom joined WHMM as an assistant in the museum’s ethnographic section in 1933 after a bachelor’s degree in Physics and studies in anthropology. When first employed, she worked under the direction of [Rosa Burstein](https://github.com/wellcomecollection/transcribe-wellcome/tree/f72c2b61ac1ad669053741de27081d2c70951534/researching-the-museum-and-library/people/alphabetical/Burstein,%20Rosa/README.md), “as a general assistant to help in sorting museum material”. Rowbottom stayed at Wellcome’s museum for her whole career, organising exhibitions, recataloguing objects, and specialising in European history of science. ### Biography [Obituary by John Symons (2000)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1044291/) Notes in the description of her archived personal papers PP/MER ### WA/HMM archives * WA/HMM/CO/Sub/211 - memoranda 1937-1959 ### Sources Oral history in Symons 1987, p. 36 discussing cataloguing and sorting objects in 1933: > The ethnographical category was by far the largest, and it was this material that [Miss Burstein ](https://github.com/wellcomecollection/transcribe-wellcome/tree/f72c2b61ac1ad669053741de27081d2c70951534/researching-the-museum-and-library/people/alphabetical/Burstein,%20Rosa/README.md)and I sorted into appropriate sub-categories for re-packing – the whole of the first floor South Gallery was devoted to this purpose. Later when we had caught up with the arrears of sorting, we were also put onto accessioning. From interest and in order that I might work on more or less equal terms with the other members of the ethnographical staff, I added anthropology to my General Degree. Tags: museum staff; anthropology; 'Ethnographic section; scientific staff --- # 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/rowbottom-margaret.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.