Pupils to net information on lepidopterist

Dalintober pupils are looking for details about a well-known Campbeltown builder who built up his own collection of butterflies. P6 pupils from the school have spent months working on a butterfly project, funded by the Ernest Cook Trust and supported by Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, with education officers from Kilmartin Museum. They have studied the butterfly life cycle and observed the natural fauna and flora at Westport beach, recording the number of butterflies and moths. Julia Hamilton, of Kilmartin Museum, said: ‘One of the most important elements of this project was for the children to study the Robert Weir butterfly collection which has been in the care of Campbeltown Museum since the 1920s, and this is where we need the readers’ help. ‘This beautiful and magnificent Victorian collection of butterflies was originally owned by Robert Weir who was a very well-known Campbeltown builder in the mid to latter part of the 19th century; the business being passed onto his son and then continuing into the 1900s. ‘The children know a little about Robert Weir and his company, but we have been unable to find out if Robert did travel the world (Asia, Africa, North and South America, Australasia, and Europe) and collect the butterflies personally.’ The children have worked on the project since March and the culmination of their work will be on display with some of the butterfly collection, in Campbeltown Museum, from June 25, Monday to Friday, until mid-December. Ms Hamilton added: ‘If any reader has a photograph of Robert Weir or has any information as to how he came to have such a collection of butterflies, please could they contact myself or Kirsty on 01546 510278 or by emailing education@kilmartin.org.’