Guide to the Records of the Geological Society of London (as filmed by the AJCP), 1831-1869

Request this via the Catalogue

Filter Online content

Some materials from this collection are available online.

Show only online content

Online content

View online

Summary

Collection number:

M1682

Creator:

The Geological Society of London

Extent:

4 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Letters 1834 of Allan Cunningham and others to the Secretary concerning Australian rocks and fossils.

Letters 1831-69 received by Sir Roderick Murchison relating to exploration, discovery of minerals and fossils, geological surveys and mapping of Australia and New Zealand.

Correspondents include Sir Henry Barkly, W.B. Clarke, Sir John Franklin, J.J. Hector, P.P. King, C. Sturt and Sir Henry Young.

Maps and sketches of districts in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Sarawak, including sketches 1860 by Charles Heaphy of volcanic country of Auckland.

Photographs of geologists including J.W. Gregory, R.L. Jack and Sir Edmund Teale.

Biographical / Historical:

The Geological Society was founded at a meeting of 13 gentlemen in London on 13 November 1807. They resolved 'that there be forthwith instituted a Geological Society, for the purpose of making geologists acquainted with each other, of stimulating their zeal, of inducing them to adopt one nomenclature, of facilitating the communication of new facts, and of ascertaining what is known in their science, and what yet remains to be discovered.' The Society was incorporated in 1825.

Most of the activities of the Society originated in its first few years. In 1808 a collection of minerals was started, in 1809 the formation of the library commenced, in 1810 rooms were acquired in Lincolns Inn Fields, in 1811 publication of the Transactions commenced, to be followed by the Proceedings in 1827 and the Quarterly Journal in 1845. Many of the leading British geologists, such as W.D. Conybeare, H. De La Beche, R.I. Murchison, W. Buckland, G.A. Mantell, C. Lyell and A. Sedgwick, joined the Society in this period and by 1830 there were over 500 Fellows.

In 1828 the Society obtained rooms at Somerset House and in 1874 it moved to Burlington House. There were no additions to the museum after 1869 but the other basic functions of the Society - the meetings and lectures, the awarding of prizes, the publications, and the library - have continued to the present day.

Source: H.B. Woodward. The history of the Geological Society of London. (London, Geological Society of London, 1907)

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:: Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use:: Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.