The Annual General Meeting of the Society for the History of Natural History will take place at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) on Thursday 2 July at 12:30pm (BST). This will be followed by a presentation of the Society’s awards. Please save the date!

This year the AGM will coincide with our annual Summer Meeting. We are delighted to be collaborating with our colleagues at ZSL for this three-day international conference, as we mark both the bicentenary of the Zoo and our own 90th anniversary.

Please note: while all members of SHNH are warmly invited to join the AGM free of charge, advance registration is essential. To book a place at the AGM, please follow the link below, click “Get Tickets”, and select the final option in the list (“SHNH AGM – 2nd July”):

Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zsl-at-200-shnh-summer-meeting-with-the-zoological-society-of-london-tickets-1984217660436

IMPORTANT: attendance at the wider conference is restricted to those with paid, pre-booked tickets. Members wishing to attend any other elements of the Summer Meeting will need to purchase a separate conference ticket, via the same link above. A discounted rate is available, and we hope lots of members will feel able to join us.

This year, the position of Editor is due for election. A highly qualified candidate, Dolly Jorgensen, has been co-opted by Council, and their nomination form is included with the AGM papers below. We look forward to introducing her to you at the meeting.

Additionally, the positions of Meetings Secretary and Co-Editor are currently vacant. Although the deadline for this year’s AGM election has now passed, Council is able to co-opt members throughout the year, and we warmly welcome expressions of interest in either role. Applications for vacant Council positions are open to all members of the Society, and further details of the roles can be found on our website. Any interested parties are invited to contact the Secretary by emailing Secretary@SHNH.org.uk.

Further information, including our Annual Report for 2025, details of our award winners, and the minutes of the previous AGM, can be found below.

Meanwhile, we hope you will be able to join us for a celebration of the Society’s work in July!

Will Beharrell
Secretary, Society for the History of Natural History (SHNH)

The Agenda for the AGM, and all the supporting documents including the list of nominees to Council portfolios are available below.

SHNH AGM 2026 AGENDA

1) Welcome from the President

2) Apologies for absence

3) Minutes of the AGM held on 16 July 2025

4) Report of the Trustees for 2025

• Legal Status
• Address
• Objectives and Activities
• Trustees
• President’s Report for 2025
• Membership
• Publications and Communications
• Meetings
• Awards and Grants
• International Representatives
• Treasurer’s Report and Statement of Financial Activities for 2025

5) Elections to the portfolios of Council and election of Trustees

6) Any other business

7) Presentation of Awards for 2026

• Introduction to the Society’s awards by the Awards and Grants Secretary
• The Founder’s Medal
• The President’s Award
• The SHNH Natural History Book Prize (John Thackray Medal)
• The W. T. Stearn Student Essay Prize

9) Closing remarks from the President

10) Vote of thanks and close of AGM

SHNH AGM 2026 DOCUMENTS

1. Agenda
2. Draft minutes of the previous AGM
3. Annual Report & SOFA 2025
4. Trustee nomination form: Jørgensen