Series GB 378 GSL/POR - Portraits of Members of the Geological Society

Identity area

Reference code

GB 378 GSL/POR

Title

Portraits of Members of the Geological Society

Date(s)

  • 1792-2011 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

1499 items or folders

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

From the beginnings of the Society, Members donated specimens, books and illustrations to the Library and Museum collections. The earliest mention of a portrait image being given was Louis Albert Necker's donation of an engraving of his maternal grandfather Horace Benedict de Saussure in December 1811 [no longer extant].

The Society also holds larger oil paintings and portrait busts of its Fellows, again acquired through donation or by purchase. However from the 1860s onwards, when commercial photography became more available, the Society actively sought to collect images of its Fellows probably inspired by a printed notice issued by the photographer's studio Maull and Polyblank announcing the formation of a carte de visite series of Geological Society Fellows (LDGSL/332). The majority of the images in the portrait collection derive from this series, stopping around the First World War. After the 1930s, and up until the 1990s, portraits were generally only collected of Presidents of the Society.

Archival history

GB 378 GSL/POR 1792-2011 Series 1499 items or folders

From the beginnings of the Society, Members donated specimens, books and illustrations to the Library and Museum collections. The earliest mention of a portrait image being given was Louis Albert Necker's donation of an engraving of his maternal grandfather Horace Benedict de Saussure in December 1811 [no longer extant].

The Society also holds larger oil paintings and portrait busts of its Fellows, again acquired through donation or by purchase. However from the 1860s onwards, when commercial photography became more available, the Society actively sought to collect images of its Fellows probably inspired by a printed notice issued by the photographer's studio Maull and Polyblank announcing the formation of a carte de visite series of Geological Society Fellows (LDGSL/332). The majority of the images in the portrait collection derive from this series, stopping around the First World War. After the 1930s, and up until the 1990s, portraits were generally only collected of Presidents of the Society.

Portraits, mostly of Members of the Geological Society of London, 1792-2011, comprising of oil paintings, portrait busts, prints and drawings and sculptures of individuals notably including:

Mary Anning; William Babington; James Scott Bowerbank; William Buckland; Thomas Henry De la Beche; Hugh Falconer; Archibald Geikie; George Bellas Greenough; Henry Thomas Huxley; Charles Lyell; John MacCulloch; Gideon Mantell; Roderick Impey Murchison; William Pengelly; John Phillips; Joseph Prestwich; Andrew Crombie Ramsay; Adam Sedgwick; William Smith; Abraham Gottlob Werner; Henry Woodward.

Also 1,042 black and white photographs of Fellows who were chiefly active between the 1850s and 1920s, including Foreign Members and Correspondents; images of groups, notably a meeting of 'The British Association at Newcastle in 1838' and 'Discussion on the Piltdown Skull', 1915; images of Presidents of the Society, 1833-2011; images of winners of medals and funds, 1947, 1980-2003; images of staff of the Geological Society, 1863-1997.

The series has been built up over a number of years and put together in rather a piecemeal fashion. There is therefore no clear arrangement, particularly after GSL/POR/52.

Access is by appointment only, daily readership fee is applicable unless you are a member of the Society. 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

An online, detailed catalogue will be available shortly.

Much of the portrait series has been digitised, and preview images can be found attached to the detailed catalogue records.

Description 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.

December 2013. Lyell , Sir , Charles , 1797-1875 , 1st Baronet , geologist Huxley , Thomas Henry , 1825-1895 , scientist and educationist Mantell , Gideon Algernon , 1790-1852 , geologist Greenough , George Bellas , 1778-1855 , geographer and geologist Geikie , Sir , Archibald , 1835-1924 , Knight , geologist Buckland , William , 1784-1856 , geologist and Dean of Westminster Babington , William , 1756-1833 , physician and mineralogist Anning, Mary (1799-1847), geologist Portrait painting Visual materials Individual portraits Illustrations Fine arts Paintings Painting Portraits Group portraits Photography Portrait photography Murchison , Sir , Roderick Impey , 1792-1871 , 1st Baronet , geologist Phillips , John , 1800-1874 , geologist Ramsay , Sir , Andrew Crombie , 1814-1891 , Knight , geologist Sedgwick , Adam , 1785-1873 , geologist Woodward , Sir , Arthur , Smith , 1864-1944 , Knight , geologist Geological Society

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Portraits, mostly of Members of the Geological Society of London, 1792-2011, comprising of oil paintings, portrait busts, prints and drawings and sculptures of individuals notably including:

Mary Anning; William Babington; James Scott Bowerbank; William Buckland; Thomas Henry De la Beche; Hugh Falconer; Archibald Geikie; George Bellas Greenough; Henry Thomas Huxley; Charles Lyell; John MacCulloch; Gideon Mantell; Roderick Impey Murchison; William Pengelly; John Phillips; Joseph Prestwich; Andrew Crombie Ramsay; Adam Sedgwick; William Smith; Abraham Gottlob Werner; Henry Woodward.

Also 1,042 black and white photographs of Fellows who were chiefly active between the 1850s and 1920s, including Foreign Members and Correspondents; images of groups, notably a meeting of 'The British Association at Newcastle in 1838' and 'Discussion on the Piltdown Skull', 1915; images of Presidents of the Society, 1833-2011; images of winners of medals and funds, 1947, 1980-2003; images of staff of the Geological Society, 1863-1997.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The series has been built up over a number of years and put together in rather a piecemeal fashion. There is therefore no clear arrangement, particularly after GSL/POR/52.

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. 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

An online, detailed catalogue will be available shortly.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Much of the portrait series has been digitised, and preview images can be found attached to the detailed catalogue records.

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