A gift of a collection of foreign butterflies from Lord Rothschild for display in the public library was acknowledged at a meeting of Luton Town Council on Tuesday, March 7th, 1916. Thanks were also expressed to Mr William Munns, of 90 Tennyson Road, Luton, who had made the approach for the gift and mounted the donated items in a handsome case.

Alderman Harry Arnold, Chairman of the Libraries Committee, said a number of interesting objects were being accumulated which he hoped would form the nucleus of a museum in the future. Mr Munns, a local enthusiast for natural history, had already lent an interesting collection of moths that were on display in the reference section of the library.

A short time ago, Mr Munns wrote to Lord Rothschild to explain what was being done to form the nucleus of a museum within Luton Public Library. He then arranged an appointment at Tring Museum, where Lord Rothschild spent an hour and a half showing his visitor his exhibits there.

Mr Munns was finally entrusted with a fine collection of butterflies for Luton Corporation.

These Mr Munns took home and at once set to work placing them in cabinets provided at his own expense to present to the library. These would be on display in next day or two.

The previous July a collection 19 drawers of birds eggs were presented to the library by the family of late ornithologist Mr John Howson Willmore, again with the hope of creating a museum collection.

[The Luton News: Thursday, March 9th, 1916]