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Edinburgh Geological Society

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1834-

Biography

The Edinburgh Geological Society was formed in 1834. It was born out of a meeting of eleven members of a class in mineralogy conducted by Mr Alexander Rose. The meeting was held on Thursday 4 December 1834 in Robertson's Tavern, Milne's Close, in the city, where the decision was taken to start a society for "Discussion and Mutual Instruction". The society was to meet in Mr Rose's house at 2 Drummond Street, and was to be known as the Geological Society

Its first President was John Castle, and its first Secretary, James Brodie. Both were members of Mr Rose's class. The first scientific meeting of the Society was held on 8 December 1834, and the subject for discussion being whether or not Arthur's Seat (a hill in the city's Holyrood Park) was of volcanic origin. In 1863, the Society elected Sir Roderick Impey Murchison as its first Patron (1863-71), and he was followed by Sir Charles Lyell (1871-75)

While today the Edinburgh Geological Society draws on the considerable geological expertise of the University of Edinburgh and the British Geological Survey (at Murchison House), it welcomes and encourages amateur and professional alike to become involved in its lectures and excursions. The primary requirement for membership is an interest in geology.

The Society has acquired such prestige that there is little difficulty in attracting high calibre speakers on a wide variety of subjects. Lecture meetings are held throughout the winter in the Grant Institute (Kings Buildings site). In the summer, a varied programme of excursions is organised.

The Society publishes The Edinburgh Geologist once or twice a year. This publication consists of short papers on a wide range of geological topics with descriptions of geological localities.

Found in 49 Collections and/or Records:

Minute Book No 13, 1964-1972

 Item — Volume MS 2921.1: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/13
Scope and Contents

Volume containing minutes of ordinary meetings and details of the Society's business. This includes the nomination and election of members, accounts and reports. There are also details of papers read at meetings. A large number of items are pasted into the notebook. These include billets of meetings, lists of office-bearers and reports by office-bearers.

Dates: 1964-1972
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No 14, 1972-1982

 Item — Volume MS 2921.2: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-4/1/14
Scope and Contents

Binder containing minutes of ordinary meetings and details of the Society's business. This includes the nomination and election of members, accounts and reports by office bearers. There are also details of papers read at meetings and awards presented.

Dates: 1972-1982
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No I, 04 December 1834 - 13 August 1840

 Item — Volume MS 2917.1: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/1
Scope and Contents Small notebook containing minutes of meetings. These include: details of membership and those which attended each meeting, details of the development of "laws of the society" including subscription rates, and details of mineral and book purchases. A proposed merger with the Cuverian Society is also noted. Geological questions discussed and conclusions reached are minuted. These include "Is coal of vegetable origin?", "Is Arthur's Seat of acqueous or volcanic origin?" and "What...
Dates: 04 December 1834 - 13 August 1840
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No II, 27 August 1840 - 04 June 1842

 Item — Volume MS 2917.2: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/2
Scope and Contents Notebook containing minutes of meetings. These include: details of membership including those which attended each meeting and the financial affairs of the Society. Annual reports for 1840 and 1841 are included and summarise the society's activities and finances for the year. Lists of names and addresses of all members are included. Geological questions discussed and conclusions reached are minuted. 4 meetings were spent discussing "Is the glacier theory of Agassiz applicable to...
Dates: 27 August 1840 - 04 June 1842
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No III, 07 July 1842 - 02 May 1850

 Item — Volume MS 2917.3: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/3
Scope and Contents Notebook containing minutes of meetings. Membership details include: details of new and retiring members, those who attended each meeting and deaths. Newspaper obituaries for George Sanderson and Hugh Smith are pasted into the book. The financial affairs of the Society are reported, and a newspaper clipping with the annual report for 1847 included. Details of the development of the society library are minuted. Abstracts of member's papers are minuted, along with the resultant...
Dates: 07 July 1842 - 02 May 1850
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No IV, 17 October 1850 - 04 June 1857

 Item — Volume MS 2917.4: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/4
Scope and Contents 2 notebooks pasted together containing minutes of meetings. Membership details include: details of new and retiring members and those who attended each meeting. A list of names and address for members in 1858 is pasted into the back of the book. The financial affairs of the Society are reported, and the annual report for 1850 is pasted into the front of the book. The reading of member's papers are minuted, along with the resultant discussions, although many abstracts have been...
Dates: 17 October 1850 - 04 June 1857
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No V, 16 January 1862 - 26 October 1863

 Item — Volume MS 2917.5: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/5
Scope and Contents Notebook containing minutes of both council and general meetings, including an alphabetical index at the beginning of the book and 172 numbered pages. Full details of the Society's business is recorded including: details of honorary, corresponding and normal membership, details of office-bearers and their election, financial details, reports on the Society's general business, plans and reports on a Conversazione held on 15 March 1863, details of donations for the Society's...
Dates: 16 January 1862 - 26 October 1863
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minute Book No VI, 05 November 1863 - 15 October 1867

 Item — Volume MS 2917.6: Series Coll-43/1
Identifier: Coll-43/1/6
Scope and Contents Notebook containing minutes of both council and general meetings with 398 numbered pages. Full details of the Society's business is recorded including: details of honorary, corresponding and normal membership, reports from Annual General Meetings including details of office-bearers and their election, financial details, reports on the Society's general business including the final decision to admit women members on 23 March 1865, reports on a recruitment drive, details of...
Dates: 05 November 1863 - 15 October 1867
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society / Minutes of General Meetings

Minutes of Council Meetings, 01 November 1867-05 May 1982

 Series — Volume MS 2922.1- MS 2924.1: Series Coll-43/2
Identifier: Coll-43/2
Scope and Contents

Minutes of General Meetings consists of:


  1. 9 handwritten minute books (1867-1982)
Dates: 01 November 1867-05 May 1982
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society

Minutes of General Meetings, 04 December 1834-29 March 1982

 Series
Identifier: Coll-43/1
Scope and Contents

14 handwritten minute books (1834-1982) The subjects discussed include geological subjects, papers published by members and aspects of membership.

Dates: 04 December 1834-29 March 1982
Found in: University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections / Records of Edinburgh Geological Society

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 48
Collection 1
 
Subject
Membership 19
Corporate Minutes 16
Meetings 15
Nominations for Membership 13
Societies, Geological 13
∨ more
Accounts 10
Edinburgh -- Scotland 8
Scholarly Publishing 8
Finance 7
Collection Development (Libraries) 4
Fieldwork 4
Geology 4
Minerals 4
Printing 4
Astronomy 3
Coal 3
Geology Museums 3
Mineralogy 3
Advertising 2
Awards 2
Flood, Biblical 2
Glacial Theory 2
Speeches, Addresses etc 2
Stationery 2
Volcanism 2
Administration 1
Arran Buteshire Scotland 1
Clay 1
Cramond (Edinburgh, Scotland) 1
Dinosaurs 1
Eigg Inverness-shire Scotland 1
England 1
Geologists 1
Geology | Societies, etc. | 1
Geology, Stratigraphic Carboniferous 1
Invoices 1
Isle of Bute Buteshire Scotland 1
Lanarkshire (Scotland) 1
Lectures and Lecturing 1
Leith, Water of (Scotland) 1
Libraries 1
Microscopy 1
Midlothian (Scotland) 1
North Berwick (Scotland) 1
Old Red Sandstone 1
Periodicals 1
Periodicals, Publishing 1
Professional Associations 1
Scotland 1
Study, Courses of 1
Theory of Evolution 1
Transportation 1
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