Series GB 378 GSL/GD - Geological Society Club records

Identity area

Reference code

GB 378 GSL/GD

Title

Geological Society Club records

Date(s)

  • 1824-2006 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

14 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Geological Society had originally formed as a 'Geological Dinner Club' at the Freemason's Tavern, Great Queen Street, London, on the 13 November 1807. However whilst the Society flourished, attendance at the Dining Club rapidly declined. A fine of 10s 6d was imposed for non attendance without prior warning, but by 1809 the total stood at £37 16s of which only £6 6s had been received. By around 1811, meetings of the Club had ceased.

The present Club was revived in 1824 by 30 members of the Society, some of whom had attended the previous Club. The first meeting was held at the Thatched House Tavern, St James' Street, on 5 November 1824. The rules on establishment limited membership to 40, however this number was never achieved during its early years and was reduced to 36 members in 1836. From 1904, the membership was gradually raised and by 1999 stood at 202 members.

Fellowship of the Society was, from the first, an essential qualification, however subsequent classes of supernumerary and honorary ranks were introduced later. Guests could be invited, unless the dinners were 'closed meetings' which could only be attended by Club members. In 1973, it was decided that most of the dinners, except for closed meetings, could be open events, that is attended by any Fellow of the Society.

Traditionally, meetings were held on the evenings of every Ordinary Meeting of the Society, but are now monthly.

Archival history

Second accession was wrongly added to the LDGSL series (ref: LDGSL 1095) rather than being integrated with existing material.
GB 378 GSL/GD 1824-2006 Series 14 boxes Geological Society Club , 1824-

The Geological Society had originally formed as a 'Geological Dinner Club' at the Freemason's Tavern, Great Queen Street, London, on the 13 November 1807. However whilst the Society flourished, attendance at the Dining Club rapidly declined. A fine of 10s 6d was imposed for non attendance without prior warning, but by 1809 the total stood at £37 16s of which only £6 6s had been received. By around 1811, meetings of the Club had ceased.

The present Club was revived in 1824 by 30 members of the Society, some of whom had attended the previous Club. The first meeting was held at the Thatched House Tavern, St James' Street, on 5 November 1824. The rules on establishment limited membership to 40, however this number was never achieved during its early years and was reduced to 36 members in 1836. From 1904, the membership was gradually raised and by 1999 stood at 202 members.

Fellowship of the Society was, from the first, an essential qualification, however subsequent classes of supernumerary and honorary ranks were introduced later. Guests could be invited, unless the dinners were 'closed meetings' which could only be attended by Club members. In 1973, it was decided that most of the dinners, except for closed meetings, could be open events, that is attended by any Fellow of the Society.

Traditionally, meetings were held on the evenings of every Ordinary Meeting of the Society, but are now monthly.

Second accession was wrongly added to the LDGSL series (ref: LDGSL 1095) rather than being integrated with existing material.

The majority of the collection, as described in 'A review of the archives of the Geological Society Club', by David A Gray, October 1995, was always held by the Society. The second accession, transferred in 2005 from the Liverpool Museum, was originally deposited in the Liverpool Geological Society's archives from the estate of Prof Owen Thomas Jones. A further accession was deposited by Dr A John Martin, Secretary of the Club, January 2000.

Records of the Geological Society Club, 1824-2006, including:

Geological Society Club meeting books, 1824-1964; Minutes of the Geological Society Club Committee, 1903-1999; Annual reports, 1903-1945; Rules of the Geological Society Club, 1824-1995; Membership lists, 1858-1926, 1983-1989; Attendance registers, 1884-2006; Financial records, 1824-2006; Menus, 1888-1927, 1974; Records of special or anniversary meetings, 1874-1974; Correspondence and administrative files of the Secretary and Treasurer, 1855-1995; Notes and statistics, compiled by Hilary Bauerman, on the history of the Geological Society Club, [1860-1904]; Printed histories of the Geological Society Club, 1973, 1995.

The records have been rearranged in light of the two further accessions which indicated clear series which were missing from the original arrangement.

Access is by appointment only, daily readership fee is applicable unless you are a member of the Society. Some records may be restricted under the Data Protection Act. Please contact the Archivist for further information.

Copies, subject to copyright and the condition of the original, may be supplied. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.
English

Detailed catalogue will be available online in the near future.

The collection, as it stood then, is described in 'A review of the archives of the Geological Society Club', by David A Gray, October 1995. However much of the pamphlet is out of date due to the further accessions and subsequent rearrangement.
Source: 'Centenary List of the Geological Society Club, 1824-1924', Spottiswoode, Ballatyne and Co Ltd, Oct 1924. Description by John Thackray, revised by Caroline Lam Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. June 2012 Societies Members' clubs Leisure Leisure time activities Clubs Social clubs Associations Organizations Menus Documents Information sources Geological Society

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The majority of the collection, as described in 'A review of the archives of the Geological Society Club', by David A Gray, October 1995, was always held by the Society. The second accession, transferred in 2005 from the Liverpool Museum, was originally deposited in the Liverpool Geological Society's archives from the estate of Prof Owen Thomas Jones. A further accession was deposited by Dr A John Martin, Secretary of the Club, January 2000.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Geological Society Club, 1824-2006, including:

Geological Society Club meeting books, 1824-1964; Minutes of the Geological Society Club Committee, 1903-1999; Annual reports, 1903-1945; Rules of the Geological Society Club, 1824-1995; Membership lists, 1858-1926, 1983-1989; Attendance registers, 1884-2006; Financial records, 1824-2006; Menus, 1888-1927, 1974; Records of special or anniversary meetings, 1874-1974; Correspondence and administrative files of the Secretary and Treasurer, 1855-1995; Notes and statistics, compiled by Hilary Bauerman, on the history of the Geological Society Club, [1860-1904]; Printed histories of the Geological Society Club, 1973, 1995.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The records have been rearranged in light of the two further accessions which indicated clear series which were missing from the original arrangement.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access is by appointment only, daily readership fee is applicable unless you are a member of the Society. Some records may be restricted under the Data Protection Act. Please contact the Archivist for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies, subject to copyright and the condition of the original, may be supplied. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Detailed catalogue will be available online in the near future.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Geological Society of London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area