Barstow, Richard W. (1947-1982 )

Richard William Barstow was the most enterprising of the modern-day field collectors in Cornwall and elsewhere in Britain. He started out working in the sampling office of the South Crofty mine, where he no doubt came in contact with interesting specimens; he later worked in the same capacity at the Geevor mine.

Barstow began his mineral business in January 1973 from his home in Tregeseal, near Botallack, Cornwall, then moved to Drakewalls House, Gunnislake in 1978. He visited many classic and recent localities and was remarkably successful in recovering good specimens, some of which he sold (green labels)and others he retained for his excellent personal collection (white labels). He also dealt in worldwide minerals, and was instrumental in fostering the renewal of interest in mineral collecting in England which is flourishing today. His monthly lists were very good, always containing something affordable and worth having, and his descriptions were very accurate.

Unfortunately he died at the young age of 35, from liver cancer. In 1986 the Plymouth City Museum purchased a portion of his fine private collection of Cornish and Devonshire minerals for £70,000. The new mineral species barstowite was named in his honor in 1997.

Reference: Michael P. Cooper, personal communication (2005)