GB 0060 DF 5005 - Huxley Memorial Committee: minutes, correspondence and papers

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0060 DF 5005

Title

Huxley Memorial Committee: minutes, correspondence and papers

Date(s)

  • 1895-1900 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

3 volumes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Thomas Henry Huxley died in Eastbourne on 29 June 1895 at the age of 70. A Memorial Committee was set up in August the same year with the object of collecting money to provide a fitting tribute to this great scientist. The first Provisional Committee was replaced by a large and distinguished General Committee, which met in November under the chairmanship of the Duke of Devonshire, and decided to seek funds for a statue, a medal and a studentship. An Executive Committee of twenty was set up at this meeting, and a number of local committees took charge of fund-raising in their areas. Statue and medal sub-committees were constituted soon afterwards. Of the £3378 which was collected over the next four years, £1813 was spent on a marble statue by Edward Onslow Ford which was unveiled in the Central Hall of the Natural History Museum by the Prince of Wales in April 1900. Dies for a portrait medal were commissioned from the sculptor Frank Bowcher, and the remaining money was passed to the Royal College of Science as an endowment. A student in zoology, botany or palaeontology would be awarded the Huxley Gold Medal, with the option of receiving a silver medal and a sum of money instead. The committees were wound up in 1900 once the unveiling had taken place.

Archival history

GB 0060 DF 5005 1895-1900 Sub fonds 3 volumes Huxley Memorial Committee

Thomas Henry Huxley died in Eastbourne on 29 June 1895 at the age of 70. A Memorial Committee was set up in August the same year with the object of collecting money to provide a fitting tribute to this great scientist. The first Provisional Committee was replaced by a large and distinguished General Committee, which met in November under the chairmanship of the Duke of Devonshire, and decided to seek funds for a statue, a medal and a studentship. An Executive Committee of twenty was set up at this meeting, and a number of local committees took charge of fund-raising in their areas. Statue and medal sub-committees were constituted soon afterwards. Of the £3378 which was collected over the next four years, £1813 was spent on a marble statue by Edward Onslow Ford which was unveiled in the Central Hall of the Natural History Museum by the Prince of Wales in April 1900. Dies for a portrait medal were commissioned from the sculptor Frank Bowcher, and the remaining money was passed to the Royal College of Science as an endowment. A student in zoology, botany or palaeontology would be awarded the Huxley Gold Medal, with the option of receiving a silver medal and a sum of money instead. The committees were wound up in 1900 once the unveiling had taken place.

Minutes, correspondence and papers of the Huxley Memorial Committee, including two out of three volumes of minutes of the various Huxley committees kept by G B Howes, into which are pasted printed papers, newscuttings, notes and letters. There is also a volume containing a complete set of the printed notice produced by the committees at different times. The whereabouts of the third minute book is unknown.

As outlined in scope and content.

English

Entry copied from the Natural History Museum online catalogue by Sarah Drewery.

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.

Sep 2008 Huxley , Thomas Henry , 1825-1895 , scientist and educationist Ford , Edward Onslow , 1852-1901 , sculptor Huxley Memorial Committee

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Minutes, correspondence and papers of the Huxley Memorial Committee, including two out of three volumes of minutes of the various Huxley committees kept by G B Howes, into which are pasted printed papers, newscuttings, notes and letters. There is also a volume containing a complete set of the printed notice produced by the committees at different times. The whereabouts of the third minute book is unknown.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As outlined in scope and content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

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Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Natural History Museum

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