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Thomas Bateman was a pioneer of modern archaeology. The history of local archaeology is dominated by his exploits. Bateman recorded and published his excavations, gathered his collections together in his own museum and sponsored people excavating in neighbouring counties. His collections form the basis of Sheffield Museums’ archaeological collection.

Thomas was born in 1821 in Rowsley, Derbyshire. He inherited his passion for archaeology from his father William Bateman who carried out several excavations and had a small collection of archaeological material. It was Thomas, however, who made archaeology his life’s work.

Bateman died suddenly in 1861. His only son, Thomas William, inherited his entire collection. He lent the local archaeological material to Weston Park Museum when it opened in 1876. When Thomas William found himself in financial difficulties he sold his father’s collection. The objects went to auction in London in 1893. A substantial amount of material was bought by Weston Park Museum.