The Yorkshire Mycological Committee is a committee within the

Yorkshire Naturalists' Union The Yorkshire Naturalists' Union is an association of amateur and professional naturalists covering a wide range of aspects of natural history. It is one of United Kingdom's oldest extant wildlife organisations and oldest natural history federati ...

. First formed in 1892, it was the first permanent organisation dedicated to the study of

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

. It was the principal founding organisation of the

British Mycological Society The British Mycological Society is a learned society established in 1896 to promote the study of fungi. Formation The British Mycological Society (BMS) was formed by the combined efforts of two local societies: the Woolhope Naturalists' Fiel ...

History

The Mycological Committee was first founded in 1892 so that the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union might better organise its recording of

across Yorkshire via annual 'fungal forays'. The Rev. William Fowler was appointed as its first Chairman with Charles Crossland being appointed its first secretary.

George Edward Massee George Edward Massee (20 December 1845 – 16 February 1917) was an English mycologist, plant pathologist, and botanist. Background and education George Massee was born in Scampston, East Riding of Yorkshire, the son of a farmer. He was educ ...

would succeed Fowler and together with Crossland would run the Committee until 1916. The period of Massee's tenure would see the Mycological Committee function completely independently of the

(a national mycological society founded primarily by members of Mycological Committee. This was primarily due to a disagreement of an unknown nature between Massee and

Carleton Rea Carleton Rea (7 May 1861 – 26 June 1946) was an English mycologist, botanist, and naturalist. Background and education Carleton Rea was born in Worcester, the son of the City Coroner. He was educated at The King's School and Magdalen Coll ...

, a prominent figure in the British Mycological Society. By 1903, the Committee was so prominent that it attracted the attention of

George Francis Atkinson George Francis Atkinson (January 26, 1854 – November 14, 1918) was an American botanist and mycologist.Makers of American Botany, Harry Baker Humphrey, Ronald Press Company, Library of Congress Card Number 61-18435 He was born on January 26, ...

who attended the 1903 foray as a guest of

. Notably, he did not attend any events hosted by the

Notable members

(1854–1918; visiting member) *

(1845–1917) * Charles Crossland (1844–1916) * James Needham (1849–1913) * Kathleen Sampson (1892–1980) *

Henry Thomas Soppitt Henry Thomas Soppitt (21 June 1858 in Bradford, Yorkshire – 1 April 1899 in Halifax, Yorkshire) was an English mycologist, plant pathologist, botanist and former greengrocer turned drysalter. He was a close collaborator with Charles Crossland ...

(1858–1899) * Harold Wager (1862–1929) *

Roy Watling Roy Watling (born 1938) is a Scottish mycologist who has made significant contributions to the study of fungi both in the identification of new species and correct taxonomic placement, as well as in fungal ecology. Biography Watling was the Hea ...

(b. 1938)

References

{{reflist Mycology 1892 establishments in England Mycology organizations