James Lomax

James Lomax lived and worked his whole life in Bolton and, over a period of 35 years, sold and donated much material to Bolton Museum.

He was born in 1857 and initially worked as a coal miner. He became interested in the properties of coal and in the fossils found in the mines. His first donation to the museum came in 1899 while still in the mines.

In 1906 he left the mines and founded “Lomax Palaeobotanical Laboratories”, initially at his home on Starcliffe Street and later at premises on Oakenbottom Road.

He collected and prepared fossil plants for research, teaching, museums and private collections.
He pioneered improved techniques for preparing sections and was often among the first to try out new materials.

He later expanded his remit, preparing sections and slides of all kinds of geological material.

He died in 1934.