| RefNo | NLB/57/644 |
| AltRefNo | NLB/57p369 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Copy letter from Robert William Frederick Harrison, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Conrad Dressler, Esq |
| Date | 2 January [1920] |
| Description | Advises the delay in responding to his letter of 12 November is partly down to Robert Harrison's poor health, but also the delicacy surrounding the issue of the bust of Sir William Crookes [PRS, OM, Knight Chemist]. 'You apparently know the circumstances in which the executors of Sir William Crookes repudiated the gift which he had clearly made through our President to the [Royal] Society.' There was no fund that the Council of the Royal Society could draw upon to retain the bust. Nevertheless, the bust has remained at the Royal Society, and given that, Harrison sees no need to get up a subscription for its purchase. Says 'Any movement of that kind must originate outside this office; and if none of the friends of Sir William Crookes whom you know are prepared to start such a movement, I think it would be advisable in your interests for you to regain possession of the bust.' Mentions he is just retiring from office and so would not be dealing with the matter in the future. [Conrad Dressler was the artist who created the bust, and although Sir William Crookes had presented the item to the Royal Society himself, the executors of Sir William Crookes advised the presentation of the bust had been made under a misapprehension by Crookes to the conditions placed on the bust by the sculptor, who now claimed property. The Council of the Royal Society resolved to return the bust to the artist in June 1920. Conrad Dressler presented the bust to the Royal Society himself in 1920]. |
| Extent | 1p |
| Format | Carbon |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | S/0005 Sculpture bust of William Crookes |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA8188 | Crookes; Sir; William (1832 - 1919); chemist and science journalist | 1832 - 1919 |