... there are the British Mineralogical Society; the Entomological Society; the Medico-Botanical Society; the Architectural Society; the Philosophical Society; the Geological Society, Somerset House; the Horticultural Society, 23, Regent Street, which has a very extensive garden at Turnham Green; the Society of Civil Engineers; the London Architectural Society; the Astronomical Society; the Hunterian Society; the Societa Armonica; the City Philosophical Society; the Meteorological Society; the Philomathic Society; the Philogical Society; the Royal Geographical Society; the Dilettanti; and the Royal Society of Literature, St. Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square.

Mogg's New Picture of London and Visitor's Guide to it Sights, 1844

[ ... back to main menu for this book]

Scientific Societies.—The following are the principal Scientific Societies, with their objects and terms of subscription, according to official returns provided, at the Editor’s request, by their respective secretaries. The societies omitted are those from which his request for information has failed to elicit any reply:
ANTHROPOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GT. BRITAIN AND IRELAND, 4, St. Martin’s-place, Trafalgar-sq-— Subscription: £2 2s. per annum, due 1st January. Object: The study of man and mankind in all their varieties, in their relation to each other, and to the rest of the animal kingdom.
BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 32, Sackville-st. — Subscription: Life, £10 10s.; annual, £1 1s.; entrance fee, £1 1s. Object: To investigate, preserve, and illustrate all ancient monuments of history, manners, customs, and arts of our forefathers, &c.
BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE, 22, Albemarle-st, Piccadilly. — Subscription: Life subscription, £10. Annual members pay £2 the first year, and £1 per annum afterwards. Associates for the year, £1. Object: To give a stronger impulse and a more systematic direction to scientific inquiry; to promote the intercourse of those who cultivate science in different parts of the British Empire with one another, and with foreign philosophers to obtain more general attention for the objects of science, and the removal of any disadvantages of a public kind which impede its progress.
BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE, Northampton. square.-— Subscription: £1 1s. per year, country members, 12s. Object: The advancement of chronometer, watch, and clock making.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, Burlington House, Piccadilly — Subscription: Entrance fee, £6 6s.; annual subscription, £2 2s. Object: The advancement of the science of geology in all its departments, stratigraphical, petrological, mineralogical, paleontological, &c.
GEOLOGISTS’ ASSOCIATION, University College, Gower-street. — Subscription: Entrance fee, 10s; annual, 10s. Object: To facilitate the study of geology and its allied services by the holding of meetings for the reading of papers, and the delivery of lectures; by excursions, the formation of a library, and the publishing of proceedings.
HARVEIAN SOCIETY OF LONDON— Subscription: No information. Object: The advancement of medical science.
INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, Somerset House-terrace, Strand. Subscription: Fellows, £2 2s. per annum; associates, £1 1s. per annum. Object: To ensure that consulting and analytical chemists are duly qualified for the proper discharge of the duties they undertake, by a thorough study of chemistry and allied branches of science, in their application to the arts, public health, agriculture, and technical industry.
LONDON DIALECTICALSOCIETY, Langham Hall, 43, Gt. Portland-street. — Subscription: 10s 6d per annum. Object: The society meets for the discussion of social, political, and philosophical subjects, upon the first and third Wednesdays in each month, from October to July; chair taken at 8 o’clock.
LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY 22, Albemarle-st. — Objects: The promotion and extension of mathematical knowledge.
METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, 30, Great George-street, Westminster.
— Subscription: Entrance fee, £1; annual subscription, £1 Object:  The advancement of meteorological science. Meetings for the reading and discussion of papers are held on the third Wednesday in the month, November to June. A quarterly journal of the proceedings of the society is published, and sent free to all Fellows. Standard observations are made by well-qualified an approved observers at inspected and authorised stations of the society distributed throughout the United Kingdom, and abstracts of the observations are printed in the journal The library and office of the society, at 30, Great George-street, Westminster, open between the hours of 10 and 5. The meetings are held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Great George-street, Westminster
NUMISMATIC SOCIETY OF LONDON, 4, St. Martin’s-place, Trafalgar-square. — Subscription: £1 1s. per annum; entrance fee £1 1s. Object: The study of the history of money in classical, medieval, and modern times.
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN, 17, Bloomsbury-square.- Subscription: Members £1 1s. per annum; associates. 10s 6d. Object: For the purpose of advancing chemistry and pharmacy, and promoting a uniform system of education of those who practise the same; and to provide a fund for he relief of distressed members, their widows, and orphans.
ROYAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, 16, New Burlington-st. — Subscription: Entrance fee, £2 2s.; annual subscription, £1 1s; life composition, £12 12s. Object: The encouragement and prosecution of researches into the arts and monuments of the early and middle ages. A journal is issued quarterly, called the “Archaeological Journal.”
ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Burlington House, Piccadilly.— Subscription: Entrance fee in all cases, £2 2s. annual subscription, £2  2s. ; life composition, £21. Object: The Royal Astronomical Society was instituted for the encouragement and promotion of astronomy.
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY OF LONDON, Inner Circle, Regent’s-park.— Subscription: Candidates for admission to the society must be proposed by 3 Fellows of the society, and elected by ballot. Persons elected Fellows pay an admission fee of £5 5s., and an annual contribution of £2 2s., or one sum of £26 5s., which payment includes the admission fee, and exempts them from all further contributions. The widows or the widowers of deceased Fellows, upon being themselves elected Fellows, are exempted from the admission fee. Annual subscriptions are due on the 1st day of January, in advance. Fellows are entitled to vote at general meetings, to personal admission to the gardens, &c., whenever they are open, and to the personal admission of 2 friends to the gardens, &c., on ordinary occasions. Persons elected member shall pay a sum of £10 10s. Members have personal admission the gardens, &c., whenever they are open, for life, but not the privilege of admitting friends to the gardens. Object: This society was incorporated in 1839 by royal charter granted to several noblemen and gentlemen for the “Promotion of Botany in all its branches, and its application to Medicine, Arts, and Manufacture and also for the formation of extensive Botanical and Ornamental Gardens within the immediate vicinity of the metropolis.” It is composed of Fellows and members elected by ballot, and its affairs are managed by a president an council. The gardens of the society comprise the whole of the inner circle of the Regent’s-park, held under a Crown lease, terminating in the year 1901. The principle features are an ornamental park-like promenade of nearly 20 acres, an ornamental piece of water, winter garden, covering about 20,000 ft. of ground, hothouses and a tank for tropical plants; collections of medico-botanical, economic, and other plants and trees arranged in the order of their natural affinities in the open ground; a library of botanical works, and a museum, which is also used as a lecture-room; so that copious illustrations are provided for professors, students, and artists in aid of their respective pursuits—to whom orders for free admissions are granted under certain regulations. Lectures on botanical subjects are delivered in the museum. Exhibitions of plants and fruits for prizes take place at stated periods during the spring and summer; provision is also made for extensive displays of special plants during the season. On promenade, exhibition, and fete days, bands of music are engaged.
ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, 1, Savile-row, Burlington-gardens.— Subscription: Entrance fee, £3; annual subscription, £2; life composition (including entrance fee), £28. Object: To collect, digest, and print, in a cheap and convenient form, useful and interesting facts and discoveries. To collect a library of geographical works, voyages and travels ; instruments, maps and charts, as well as such documents and materials as might convey the readiest information to persons intending to visit foreign countries, and who might again in their turn there deposit the results of their observations for the benefit of the public. To prepare brief instructions for such as are setting out on their travels, pointing out the parts most desirable to be visited; the best and most practical means of proceeding thither; the researches most essential to make phenomena to be observed; the subjects of natural history most desirable to be procured; and to obtain all such information as might tend to the extension of our geographical knowledge. To correspond with similar societies in different parts of the world, and with individuals engaged in geographical pursuits. To reward with a medal, or otherwise, such individuals as, in the opinion of the council, had of late contributed most towards the advancement of geographical science and discovery. Periodical publication: Annual “Journal,” illustrated with numerous maps. Monthly periodical: “Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, and Monthly Record of Geography,” illustrated with one or more maps.
SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 9, Conduit-street, Hanover-square, and 33, Bloomsbury-street. — Subscription:  (no information). Object: The investigation of the archaeology, history, arts, and chronology of ancient and modern Assyria, Palestine, Egypt, and other Biblical lands.

Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879