The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow is a

learned society A learned society ( ; also scholarly, intellectual, or academic society) is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and sciences. Membership may be open to al ...

established in 1802 "''for the improvement of the Arts and Sciences''" in the city of

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

. It runs a programme of lectures, starting its 222nd Series in October 2023. The Society formerly owned a building on Bath Street.

History

The Society was founded in 1802 as the Glasgow Philosophical Society by a meeting of sixty people in the former Assembly Rooms, and work began establishing a library collection. The Society was housed in various short-term accommodation until 1831, when a room was made available in the Andersonian University (now the

University of Strathclyde The University of Strathclyde () is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal charter in 1964 as the first techn ...

). The Society subsequently moved to the Corporation Galleries on

Sauchiehall Street Sauchiehall Street () is one of the main shopping streets in the Glasgow city centre, city centre of Glasgow, Scotland, along with Buchanan Street and Argyle Street, Glasgow, Argyle Street. Although commonly associated with the city centre, Sau ...

in 1868, and in 1880, in conjunction with the

Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland The Institution of Engineers in Scotland (IES) is a multi-disciplinary professional body and learned society, founded in Scotland, for professional engineers in all disciplines and for those associated with or taking an interest in their work. I ...

, built new premises on Bath Street. The Society was made a Royal Society in 1901, shortly before its centenary during the reign of

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second child ...

and while

Archibald Campbell, 1st Baron Blythswood Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell, 1st Baron Blythswood, (22 February 1835 – 8 July 1908) was a Scottish soldier, Tory politician, scientist and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. Life Born Archibald Campbell Douglas (he droppe ...

was President. In 1961, the Society's building was sold and the library, which by that time contained over five thousand volumes, dispersed. The Society has since provided its Lectures in both the University of Strathclyde. and the University of Glasgow. The archives of the Society are now maintained by the

Archives of the University of Glasgow The Archives of the University of Glasgow (GUAS) maintain the historical records of the University of Glasgow back to its foundation in 1451. Its earliest record is a charter dating from 1304 for the lands of the earliest mention of record-ke ...

Activities

The Society runs a programme of lectures through the year, including the Kelvin and Graham Lectures, commemorating physicist

Lord Kelvin William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin (26 June 182417 December 1907), was a British mathematician, Mathematical physics, mathematical physicist and engineer. Born in Belfast, he was the Professor of Natural Philosophy (Glasgow), professor of Natur ...

and chemist

Thomas Graham Thomas Graham may refer to: Politicians and diplomats *Thomas Graham, 1st Baron Lynedoch (1748–1843), British politician and soldier * Thomas Graham Jr. (diplomat) (born 1933), nuclear expert and senior U.S. diplomat *Sir Thomas Graham (barriste ...

respectively, and for which medals are awarded. Lord Kelvin was president of the Society and Thomas Graham Vice-President. The Arts Medal was replaced in 2011 by the Minerva Medal. “Arts” was thought to be restrictive and it was decided that, as Minerva was goddess not only of wisdom but also of music, poetry, medicine, commerce, weaving, crafts and magic, her broad portfolio covers both Arts and Humanities. For example, a recent recipient (2021) is Alison Phipps OBE FRSE, refugee researcher and first

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Chair in Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts. The image of Minerva appearing on the medal is taken from the image carved on the President’s chair which is on permanent loan to the University of Strathclyde. Recordings of lectures in recent years are archived at the University of Strathclyde.

Notable former presidents

* Thomas Anderson, chemist *

, politician *

James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce, (10 May 1838 – 22 January 1922), was a British academic, jurist, historian, and Liberal politician. According to Keith Robbins, he was a widely traveled authority on law, government, and history whose expe ...

, politician * William Gillies, nationalist *

, chemist (Vice-President) *

John Graham Kerr Sir John Graham Kerr (18 September 1869 – 21 April 1957), known to his friends as Graham Kerr, was a British embryologist and Unionist Member of Parliament (MP). He is best known for his studies of the embryology of lungfishes. He was invol ...

, embryologist *

, physicist * Professor Thomas Thomson, chemist *

David Templeton Gibson David Templeton Gibson FRSE (1899–1985) was a British chemist who spent his entire career at the University of Glasgow. Life He was born in Ireland on 23 November 1899, the son of Thomas Henry Gibson, a barrister, and his wife, Jessie Templet ...

, chemist

References

External links

The Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow Web site
* Historical records in NAHSTE {{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Philosophical Society of Glasgow Scientific societies based in the United Kingdom Learned societies of Scotland Science and technology in Glasgow Organizations established in 1802 1802 establishments in Scotland Organisations based in Glasgow with royal patronage

History

Activities

Notable former presidents

See also

References

External links