| Description | Press cuttings and other printed information concerning the Royal Society and its Fellows. Compiled by the organisation's staff. Cuttings include obituary notices of Fellows and other scientists, notably George Rolleston (pp.9-11); Edward Sabine (pp.47-49); William Spottiswoode (pp.50-59) with several items of funeral ephemera; and William Siemens (pp.67-70), again, with ephemera. The Royal Society's conversaziones, anniverary and other meetings are reported upon. Other content includes articles on vivisection, with court reporting on charges against David Ferrier (pp.17-19); general articles on surgery and vivisection (pp.101-105); the Paris electrical exhibition (pp16-18); J Norman Lockyer on spectacular sunrises and sunsets resulting from the Krakatoa volcanic eruption (p.72); lighthouse illumination (pp.98-109). There are various other court reports. Letters to the editors of newspapers are also collected, including Charles Darwin on animal experimentation (p.7); John Tyndall on weather in the Alps (p.35).
Generally, the cuttings are attributed to the source newspaper and dated in manuscript. The volume contains several blank pages; pp.110-120 are not filled. A paper label on the cover is inscribed: 'Royal Society. Biographical. Dec 11. 1880 to Apr 8. 1885.' 'Biographical' has been struck through in pencil to emphasise the general nature of the content. |