Affichage de 239 résultats

Royal Society account books, 1660-2004, falling into two chronological groups; the first series contains the early accounts for the Royal Society, 1660-1768. Much of this material deals with the financial state of the Society during the term of office of James West, and represents the administrative work of the two Library Keepers/Clerks, Francis Hauksbee and Emanuel Mendes da Costa. The second group consists of cash-books and ledgers of the 19th and 20th centuries, 1867-1976. These deal with the Society's general finances, as well as its administration of the Government Grant and various Trust Funds. A third section contains copies of the Royal Society's Annual Accounts - both signed and unsigned.

A small collection of papers of Sir Arthur George Tansley, mainly related to the formation of organisations, in the period 1918-1921, that aimed to promote pure and applied scientific research. The bulk of the collection consists of papers relating to Tansley's involvement in the Scientific Research Association. The Scientific Research Association's papers include rules, promotional leaflets and circulars, financial material and a relatively large amount of correspondence. A smaller amount of material survives for the National Union of Scientific Workers including rule booklets, membership lists, reports from meetings, agenda and promotional leaflets and circulars. Only a few items are preserved in this collection for the Federation of Technical and Scientific Associations and the Cambridge Research Group. The published articles and reports at AT/5 mainly concern issues related to the funding, support and the general state of scientific research. As a whole the collection reveals many problems faced by those who wished to organise research work after the first world war, such as the problem of rival organisations created to promote research whose aims overlapped, and disagreements over how and whether research could be organised. For example a letter from the Royal Society to the Scientific Research Association commented that 'lines of development' were 'discovered not by councils or committees but by the instinct of individuals, and the less this is trammelled by organization the better' (AT/2/6/1/42). The article 'Research and Organisation' at AT/2/3/15 was written in an attempt to answer such criticisms by arguing that research could be organised. Other issues also surface in the correspondence of the Scientific Research Association. For example one letter opposed support for any scheme founded on government funding as 'government endowment will, in the long run, corrupt Science...' (AT/2/6/2/17). There were also disagreements as to whether emphasis should be laid upon 'the promotion of scientific research' or 'the economic interest' of research workers which seems to have contributed to a division between the National Union of Scientific Workers and the Scientific Research Association (AT/2/4/3).

The papers are extensive, relating to almost every aspect of Blackett's career in science and public life. There is biographical and personal material including large numbers of letters of congratulation received on the occasion of the various scientific and public awards and honours with which Blackett's achievements were recognised. There are records of his work on particle disintegration, cosmic rays, astrophysics and magnetism in the form of laboratory notebooks, working papers, correspondence, lectures, publications and broadcasts. There is documentation of his activities on various defence projects and as a member of government committees before, during and after the Second World War. Blackett's political interests are represented by material relating to the Association of Scientific Workers, Labour Party discussion groups on science and technology policy and the Ministry of Technology instituted after the Party's 1964 electoral victory. There are records of a wide range of science-related interests such as the history of science and technology, science, education and government, and nuclear weapons and disarmament, and of his overseas activities including material relating specifically to India and that concerned with matters more generally affecting developing countries.

A few lacunae in the surviving material have been identified. There are no documents relative to Blackett's service with the National Research and Development Corporation or the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and, of his correspondence during the Second World War, only that for 1942 survives.

The correspondence, papers and diaries of Sir Charles Blagden. Blagden's papers are interesting on several levels, generally for his close contact with European men of learning, and his relationship with Sir Joseph Banks. Blagden's professional researches are represented by medical notes in the boxed sequence. These are grouped with papers on other subject interests, including linguistics, e.g. a draft Tahitian-English dictionary, compiled from conversations with Omai, whom Blagden inoculated after Omai's voyage to England with James Cook. Blagden's interest in antiquities and travel is documented by diary entries, as is his intercourse with fellow scientists, particularly those associated with the founding of the Royal Institution.

Files of letters and papers submitted to Royal Society Council in consideration of particular topics. Surviving files set out the following information: subject of title of the file, contents, date laid before Council, dates of decisions communicated and notes of action taken

Papers of the Council for Science and Society comprising 138 files; 2 volumes of minutes and associated loose papers and 19 printed books or pamphlets issued by the Council, 1972-1990. The types of records include minutes of the Council meetings and Executive Committee meetings, Financial sub-committee papers and accounts, annual reports, correspondence, press cuttings and miscellaneous items, The series was stored in a single four drawer filing cabinet. (contents now transferred to boxes).

Laboratory notebooks and records of C T R Wilson.

Letters and papers relating to the Royal Society's administration. The first 4 volumes contain papers (in the form of legal opinions, Council decisions, committee reports, etc.) and letters on a number of topics described at the beginning of each volume (except volume 3). These range from purely internal matters, such as elections and admissions, residences of the Society, lists of property - to the Society's involvement in external information gathering, notably the management of surveys and observatories. Volumes 5-7 differ in content, period or both, from the preceding papers; they are individually titled. Volume 5 ('Miscellaneous administrative papers of the 17th and early 18th centuries'), includes minutes of the Society's earliest committees, drafts of diplomas for Foreign Members and financial information on the Society, 1662-1733. Volumes 6-7 are concerned with bequests and property, ('Papers and letters relating to bequests, trusts and matters arising from them 1840-1900'), and 'Papers and letters concerning the Acton Estate 1857-1884').

Working papers and correspondence of Sir Francis (Franz) Eugene Simon. Scientific notebooks in the collection date from 1919-1934, largely the period of Simon's researches on low temperature physics at the Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut of Berlin University, and subsequently at Breslau. Other notes and manuscripts for lectures and articles are post 1930, while a large group of correspondence files are from the years 1922-1956, providing a full account of Simon's dealings with many fellow scientists and scientific organisations. Individual letter files concern V.M. Goldsmidt, Max Born, Gwyn Owain Jones and Nevill Mott among many other notable figures. Details of Simon's involvement in atomic energy development are to be found in papers on uranium isotope separation (MAUD Committee notes) and UK Atomic Energy Authority correspondence. Simon's professional appointments as head of the Clarendon Laboratory and as science correspondent to the Financial Times are represented by substantial groups of letters. There are twelve notebooks with some associated papers; the series also includes files of lectures, articles, cuttings and souvenirs, including photographs, with files of correspondence. Two later additions to the collection consist of correspondence and files highlighting Simon's contacts with industrial firms, universities and international organisations.

Extensive papers of Howard Walter Florey, Baron Florey, relating to almost every aspect of his career in science and public life. The scientific materials include a complete run of laboratory notebooks, 1924-1968, files on the work for which Florey is best known, penicillin and antibiotics, 1940-1962, together with papers, research notes and photographs on mucus secretion, traumatic shock and electron microscopy. Florey's writings are preserved in the form of drafts and proofs of published items, together with relevant correspondence. His correspondence indicates the depth of his involvement in the affairs of particular organisations, notably the Oxford University School of Pathology and the Royal Society. The work of Ethel Florey (née Hayter) and Margaret Augusta Florey (née Fremantle) is also present.

Scientific papers sent to the Royal Society, many of which were published in the 'Philosophical Transactions'. As the name implies, the series is a combination and continuation of Early Letters and Classified Papers into the 19th century. Later, the sequence divided into Philosophical Transactions and Archived Papers. From the time that the Letters and Papers (or New Guard Books as they were originally known) were created, none of these original papers were copied into Letter or Register Books. Scientists represented include William Herschel (66 papers) William Watson (36 papers) Henry Baker (32 papers) Everard Home (31 papers), William Stukely (30 papers), and John Smeaton (23 papers). As the series progresses, the character of the documents alters - the earlier decades contain larger numbers of short letters, but by the 19th century most of the manuscripts are in the form of long monographs. The texts are supported by a large quantity of original illustrations throughout the series. This collection provides a virtually unbroken run of presentations by leading 18th century scientists; the few gaps include 1746-1749, when no papers were collected. Occasionally such missing items may be located in the archives of other institutions.

Copies of letters received by the Royal Society, the originals of which are in the Early Letters collection. The Letter Books were copied (as were the Journal and Register Books) for security reasons. The numbering of the volumes and their chronological range is slightly eccentric. Volumes numbered 1-18 are letters of 1662-1727; within this group, Volume 11 has been extended into two volumes. No Volume 17 was created in order to leave a gap in the series for retrospective copying of original papers. The succeeding Volumes 19-26 overlap in time, giving correspondence for the years 1720-1740. There are also five supplementary volumes providing fair copies of letters omitted from the main run; these are labelled A-B, B-C, D-G, G-H and H-S, the letters being arranged in order of author.

Papers by, about or belonging to the Fellows of the Royal Society, and acquired by donation or purchase from outside sources. Large diverse series of papers intended to encompass all collections of documents which were not generated by the organization, but which were donated, purchased or otherwise acquired from outside sources. The series therefore contains all manner of papers by, about, or belonging to Fellows of the Royal Society. The subject matter is as diverse as the interests of the Fellows, and covers all branches of the sciences, including some non-scientific material. Generally, the Manuscripts are Western in origin. Also includes some records generated by the Society itself but added to the collection when considered unsuitable for existing categories.

Letters of Nevil Maskelyne on astronomy.

Letters from Sir Robert Moray to his friend Alexander Bruce, Earl of Kincardine, also known as 'The Kincardine Papers'. Bruce was sick of the ague in Bremen for part of this time, and the letters were written to alleviate the tedium of of Bruce's illness, hence ranging over topics which might not otherwise have been the subjects of correspondence. They include accounts of chemical experiments in his laboratory, his interest in magnetism, medicine in all its aspects, horticulture, fuel, whale fishing, its risks and profits, coal mining, water wheels and tide mills, stone quarrying and the various qualities of different stones, the pumping works needed for undersea coal mines at Bruce's home at Culross in Fifeshire, even to the trees whose wood was best for pipelines, and the diameter of the bore best suited to the purpose. Familiarity is shown with mathematical and surveying instruments, with music, and all sorts of mechanical devices and especially clocks and watches, more particularly the taking out of a patent in respect of a clock for use at sea for finding longitude. Bruce is advised on the choice of books over a wide range of subjects. Moray includes anecdotes to amuse his ailing correspondent; he describes his quiet life and is enthusiastic about many of his chemical experiments. Notable at the end of the letters Moray added what he described as his Masonic signature - a pentagram which also occurs in his crest.

Correspondence of Sir Edward Sabine, together with two volumes of correspondence on Terrestrial Magnetism by Sir Edward Sabine, Reverend Humphrey Lloyd and others.

Kew Observatory Sunspot measurements from 24 January 1864 to 9 April 1872.

Miscellaneous letters and papers concerning the landed property of the Royal Society covering the nineteenth century.

Letters and papers about the affairs of the Greenwich Observatory in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

General Index to the Papers published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, volumes 1-75. 1800-1905 volume I Authors, by H W Robinson. Printed in 1913.

Notebooks and papers of Benjamin Robins, consisting of a miscellaneous notebook primarily on gunnery and fortification (MS 39), a commonplace book (MS 46), a box of miscellaneous papers (MS 130) and a letter to Martin Folkes enclosing a written message from the Chevalier Ossorio, Envoy from the King of Sardinia, on the proper charge of cannon (MS 139).

Acquisitions book for the Royal Society Library, appears to be nineteenth century.

'Descriptio Itineris Alpini, Annis 1703, 1704 et 1705, per summas Helvetiae et totius Europae Alpes facti, a J Jacobo Scheuchzero, MD, Mathescos Professore Societatum Leopoldinae et Regiarum Anglicae et Prussiacae Membro'. Descriptions of journeys in the Alps by J J Scheuchzer, in four volumes:

Volume 1, 60 ff and 23 sheets of drawings

Volume 2, 109 ff and 39 sheets of drawings

Volume 3, 25 ff and 12 sheets of drawings

Volume 4, 279 ff and 13 sheets of drawings.

Papers on mathematics and physics collected by the Reverend Samuel Horsley DD, FRS.

Papers relating to the 250th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Royal Society consisting of two separately bound addresses from the University of Paris and the University of Parma, a box of addresses from Europe other than the United Kingdom, Japan, USA, and the British Empire; a box of addresses from the United Kingdom; and a box of other miscellaneous papers.

Manuscript of the work 'Philosophical Experiments, containing Usefull and necessary Instructions for such as undertake long Voyages at Sea', by Stephen Hales, printed by and at the expense of the Royal Society in 1739.

Papers of and relating to Joseph Priestley, inclusing volume of items relating to Priestley's life, three letters from Priestley, his spectacles, and Diploma and seal awarded in 1780 by Catherine II, Empress of Russia.

Correspondence of Sir Arthur Schuster and letters and papers concerning the International Association of Academies, 1899-1913.

A calligraphic sample book, presumably compiled to demonstrate the skills of the unknown artist. Containing samples of writing and drawing styles, including some fine natural history drawings of freshwater animals.

f.1: fanciful decorative border including vignettes of indians with feather headresses, birds, snails, rams' heads, sphinxes, architectural columns, candles and paintings.

f.2: illustrations of four types of freshwater fishes: barbel (top); pike (bottom); bream (left) and gudgeon (right). With outer and inner borders of very small and patterned calligraphy.

f.3: specimen of calligraphy: Proverbs 16: 7-9 commencing "Wenn dem Herrn..." and ending "...aber der Herr allein gibt dass es fortgehe". Highly decorated 'W', using flowers, leaves and fruits.

f.4: seven lines of text with letters staggered at the line centre. Accompanied by a freely drawn bird [a swan on water?] and an illustration of a crayfish or lobster.

f.5r: three columns of written text, various styles and forms of address, commencing "Dantiscanae urbis origo"

f.5v: three coluns of written text, various styles and forms of address, commencing "Qua' tibi depictum..."

The presentation is noted in a meeting of the Royal Society of 26 February 1700/1: "Mr Owen was permitted to be present. He presented a fine piece of writing in a book done on Vellum at Dantzick [Gdansk, Poland]. He was thanked for it". [JBO/10 p.212].

Correspondence to and from James Sowerby and other family members from naturalists and collectors in Britain and abroad.

A notebook of the Clerk of the House of Lords.

Minutes of the Philosophical Club of the Royal Society, 1847-1901.

Reports to the Medical Research Council by W R Boon and W B Hawes on two processes:

1. Methods of separation of blood fractions as developed at Harvard Medical School by Dr Cohn

2. High-vacuum - infra-red drying methods as developed at Samuel Deutsch Serum Center, Chicago, by Dr Sidney O Levinson.

Typescript of article 'The Administration of the Royal Society' by Edwin Herbert Samuel, 2nd Viscount Samuel, presented by Dr Anthony R Michaelis, Editor of 'Interdisciplinary Science Review'.

Copies of the letters of Erasmus Darwin transcribed from original manuscripts or photocopied from published versions by Desmond George King-Hele.

Notes compiled by Sir William Paton and F C MacIntosh, and drafts and proofs of the biographical memoir of George Lindor Brown.

Astronomical Observations at Lauenburg and Lyssabel, 1820.

Correspondence, papers and notebooks including the dissertation 'The excitatory and inhibatory states in reflex action' by Edward George Tandy Liddell.

Manuscript of 'The plan and heads of an essay for the improvement of clock and watch works' London, February 18th 1765 by Alexander Cumming.

Bibliography of the works of L E J Brouwer by Walter P Van Stight.

Two articles by Frank Philip Bowden entitled: 'A study of the physical and chemical phenomena associated with the rubbing and with the impact of solids' and 'A plan for the study of solids'. Both with various manuscript notes and appendicies, and both documents marked 'confidential' . Undated, but post 1944.

Three letters of application for Waynflete Professorship of Physiology, two of J N Langley and Charles Scott Sherington dated 1895; one undated from Francis Gotch.

Methodo Inverso dos Limites ou Desenvoluimento geral das Funcoens algorithmicas em Series par Francisco de Borja Garcao Stockler.

Nominations for visiting professors to the Royal Society.

Declarations in lieu of charter oath by Royal Society Fellows.

The Royal Society Library and Museum; 'Libri desiderate' library request book with minutes of the Library Committee from undated to 1932.

Identifications and field notes by Edred John Henry Corner and Wee Lek Chew from the Royal Society's expeditions to Kinabalu, North Borneo, 1961 and 1964; with a preliminary report on the Cambridge expedition to Mount Kinabalu, 1965.

Original plates by George Lindsay Johnson from the paper 'Opthalmoscopic Studies on the eyes of mammals', published in 'Philosophical Transactions' B Volume 254, 1968.

Photographs from tours of England and France, with related photographs and sketches, 1848-1854, 1888 and 1916, largely dating from 1848-1854, made by Henri Victor Regnault and John Stewart.

An account of the Mato Grosso based on the Royal Society and Royal Geographical Society expedition to central Brazil in 1967-1969 by Anthony Smith. Typescript marked 'First draft'.