GB 0097 LONDON POSITIVIST SOCIETY - London Positivist Society / English Positivist Committee

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0097 LONDON POSITIVIST SOCIETY

Title

London Positivist Society / English Positivist Committee

Date(s)

  • 1876-1974 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

7 boxes and 1 oversize folder.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The London Positivist Society was established in 1867 by Richard Congreve. The Society appears to have concerned itself mainly with the application of positivism to political events. It produced pamphlets and wrote letters to the press protesting against such issues as the Irish Coercion Bill, the war in the Transvaal, the Empire in India, and religious tolerance. Its members also engaged in a series of public lectures to explain positivism to the general public, petitioned parliament, and attended conferences and meetings of positivists from around the world. The Society was renamed the English Positivist Committee in 1934.

Archival history

GB 0097 LONDON POSITIVIST SOCIETY 1876-1974 Collection (fonds) 7 boxes and 1 oversize folder. London Positivist Society
English Positivist Committee
The London Positivist Society was established in 1867 by Richard Congreve. The Society appears to have concerned itself mainly with the application of positivism to political events. It produced pamphlets and wrote letters to the press protesting against such issues as the Irish Coercion Bill, the war in the Transvaal, the Empire in India, and religious tolerance. Its members also engaged in a series of public lectures to explain positivism to the general public, petitioned parliament, and attended conferences and meetings of positivists from around the world. The Society was renamed the English Positivist Committee in 1934.

Minute books, account books and annual reports; correspondence (mainly of Henry Tompkins and Donald Fincham as Secretary), with members, with other Positivists, Humanists and Historians, and concerning the August Comte Memorial Trust; notes and papers by Henry Tompkins, including a short autobiography, addresses on positivist subjects, and notes on books he had read; other positivist writings, including pamphlets, reports and the text of talks; and various ephemera and pictures, including photographs of members, broadsheets and programmes, typescripts of correspondence between August Comte and George Lewes, and notes on the history of the Society.

This collection is arranged in 5 sections:

  1. Minute books, 1878-1956.
  2. Correspondence, 1884-1956.
  3. Henry Tompkins' notes and papers, c1900-1954.
  4. Other positivist writings, c1900-1958.
  5. Various ephemera and pictures, 1840-1974.

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English

Printed handlist and online catalogue available

Output from CAIRS using template 14 and checked by hand on March 27, 2002 27 Mar 2002; revised 8 May 2002 August Comte Memorial Trust Autobiographies Civil and political rights Congreve , Richard , 1818-1899 , positivist English Positivist Committee Fincham , Donald G , fl 1916-1969 , positivist Freedom of religion Freedom of thought Harrison , Frederic , 1831-1923 , author and positivist Historians Humanism Human rights Imperialism India International conflicts Irish Home Rule Lewes , George Henry , 1817-1878 , author Liberation movements Literary forms and genres Literature London Positivist Society Philosophical schools Philosophy Political doctrines Political movements Positivism Prose Second Boer War, 1899-1902 Social scientists South Asia Tompkins , Henry , fl 1870-1954 , positivist War Wars (events)

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Minute books, account books and annual reports; correspondence (mainly of Henry Tompkins and Donald Fincham as Secretary), with members, with other Positivists, Humanists and Historians, and concerning the August Comte Memorial Trust; notes and papers by Henry Tompkins, including a short autobiography, addresses on positivist subjects, and notes on books he had read; other positivist writings, including pamphlets, reports and the text of talks; and various ephemera and pictures, including photographs of members, broadsheets and programmes, typescripts of correspondence between August Comte and George Lewes, and notes on the history of the Society.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

This collection is arranged in 5 sections:

  1. Minute books, 1878-1956.
  2. Correspondence, 1884-1956.
  3. Henry Tompkins' notes and papers, c1900-1954.
  4. Other positivist writings, c1900-1958.
  5. Various ephemera and pictures, 1840-1974.

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Conditions governing access

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Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Printed handlist and online catalogue available

Allied materials area

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Existence and location of copies

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Note

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Description identifier

Institution identifier

British Library of Political and Economic Science

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Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area