Updated Programme for meeting on John Ray’s Catalogue of Cambridge Plants, 1660: the first English “County Flora”

The Society for the History of Natural History is hosting a joint meeting to celebrate the publication of the English translation of John Ray’s Catalogus plantarum circa Cantabrigiam nascentium by the Ray Society. Originally published by John Field in Cambridge in 1660, this is the first English “County flora” as well as being the first […]

From Royal Gifts to Biodiversity Conservation: the history and development of menageries, zoos and aquariums

The Spring meeting in 2011 will be  “From Royal Gifts to Biodiversity Conservation: the history and development of menageries, zoos and aquariums”.  It is a joint meeting, the co-sponsors being SHNH, the North of England Zoological Society (NEZS), the Linnean Society of London, the Bartlett Society and The World Society of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), to […]

New volumes added to Archives of natural history online

SHNH Editor, Dr Charles Nelson reports that the uploading of the electronic versions of the back issues of Archives of natural history, including the earliest volumes which had the title Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History, on to the journal’s site at Edinburgh University Press is now nearly completed. All volumes from […]

Message from the President August 2010

Council had a good meeting on 29th July, at which we welcomed four new councillors – Professor John Edgington, Ms Miranda Lowe, Dr Isabelle Charmantier and Mr Julian Wilson.  In order to obtain a new, and younger, perspective on the business of recruitment and retention of members to the Society, Julian, Isabelle and Miranda were […]

The exhibition ‘Colourful Encounters: Toucans and other Ecuadorian Birds’ by John Gould has opened at Henry Southeran Ltd, London until 30th July.

Sir David Attenborough OM CH FRS unanimously elected as first Patron of the Society for the History of Natural History

Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM CH FRS was unanimously elected as the first Patron of the Society for the History of Natural History at the Annual General Meeting held in Torquay on 15 May 2010. In speaking of his new role Sir David wrote, "The subject is one that greatly interests me and I hope […]

Report on SHNH Spring meeting: Bicentenary of Henry Gosse, 1810-1888 Torquay Museum, 14-15 May 2010

The Torquay Museum, near Gosse’s home in Marychurch,  in the later years of his life, was the venue for the 2010 Spring meeting and AGM, and welcomed 36 delegates to their Pengelly Hall for two days in a somewhat unseasonably cool May. The keynote speaker, Ann Thwaite, author of Glimpses of the Wonderful, the life […]

“Explore 500 years of world history” is on at the the Maughan Library, Kings College London

The exhibition, Explore 500 years of world history, runs from Tuesday 27 April to Saturday 31 July 2010. The exhibition takes place in the Weston Room, Maughan Library & Information Services Centre, Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1LR, and is open 09.30-17.00, Monday to Saturday.   The transfer to King’s in 2007 of the historical library […]

Final Programme for SHNH Spring Meeting on Philip Henry Gosse Bicentenary Celebration

Spring Meeting and SGM/AGM Philip Henry Gosse Bicentenary Celebration: Celebrating the life and work of Philip Henry Gosse Friday and Saturday 14 and 15 May 2010 Torquay Museum, 529 Babbacombe Road, Torquay, TQ1 1HG, UK Friday 14 May 2010 10.00   Registration and refreshments (tea and coffee on arrival) 10.30   Welcome and safety announcements etc. 10.35   […]