Manchester Geographical Society

The Manchester Geographical Society (founded 1884) is a learned society and a registered charity (No. 1134626) based in Manchester, England.

History

When the society was founded by a group of Manchester businessmen, it was addressed by Sir Henry Morton Stanley, the African explorer. Its original focus was on commercial and political geography, and it later contributed to the creation of the first Lecturership in Geography (held by Henry Yule Oldham) at Owen's College, Manchester in 1891, and the first Chair in Geography (held by Herbert John Fleure) at the University of Manchester in 1930. The society's museum (1901–1973) was later dispersed.

Notable individuals involved in the society's early years included Spencer, 8th Duke of Devonshire (president 1885–1892), George V (president 1892–1936), and Louis Charles Casaertelli. Among the founders was Eli Sowerbutts, who served as secretary from 1884 to 1904; his sons Harry Sowerbutts (1904–1919) and Thomas William Sowerbutts (1919–1933) also held the post. The society became a registered charity in 1963, and was incorporated as a Charitable Trust in 2010.

Lunchtime lecture series

Throughout its history the society has organised an annual lecture series providing free public talks on a range of topics from September to June.

Research fund

The society's research fund provides North West England university lecturers with funds for small projects.

Bursaries and prizes

Each year, the society provides bursaries to enable postgraduate geography students to attend conferences. It also awards prizes for the best performance in undergraduate geography finals at the University of Manchester.

Journal

The society's published journal was The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society (1885–1960), succeeded by The Manchester Geographer (1960–1993) and The North West Geographer (1997–2000). In 2001 it was renamed North West Geography (2001–present) and became a free online journal. The society has also published an Exploring Greater Manchester series of excursion guides.

Library, atlas, map, and archive collections

The society's library (1884–1970) has been on permanent loan to the University of Manchester Library since 1970. It contains books on Britain (especially North West England), 19th and 20th-century exploration, and travel and geography in Europe, Oceania, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Its map collection, comprising more than 2,000 items from the 18th to 20th centuries, covers Africa, other continents, Admiralty charts, and related ephemera. The society's atlas collection (on loan to the John Rylands Library in Manchester) dates from 1701. The society's archives (1884–2010) have also been deposited at the University of Manchester Library.

Footnotes

Further reading

• University of Manchester and Manchester Geographical Society. Loan Exhibition of Old Maps.--Facsimiles and Reproductions of manuscript maps and globes, early printed maps ... to be held in the Whitworth Hall of the Manchester University ... Catalogue of Exhibits. Manchester, 1923
• A Catalogue of the Exhibition of Atlases to Celebrate the Centenary of the Manchester Geographical Society; compiled and arranged by William C. Brice, Brian Paul Hindle. Manchester: John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1984
• Lloyd, Andrew Manchester Geographical Society Library Catalogue. Manchester: Manchester Geographical Society, 1992
• --do.--Early Atlases and Printed Books from the Manchester Geographical Society Collection: a catalogue (in: Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester; Vol. 73, no. 2). Manchester: John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1991
• Brown, T. Nigel L. (1971) The History of the Manchester Geographical Society, 1884-1950. Manchester: Manchester University Press
• Leigh, M. D., (1980) "The Manchester Geographical Society, 1884–1979: An Historical Summary", in: The Manchester Geographer; vol. 1(1), pp. 7–14.
• Freeman, T. W. (1984) "The Manchester Geographical Society, 1884–1984", in: The Manchester Geographer; vol. 5, pp. 1–12
• Hindle, B. P. (1998) "Turmoil and Transition: The Manchester Geographical Society, 1973–97", in: The North West Geographer; vol. 2(1), pp. .
• Hindle, B. P. (2010) "Continuing Change: The Manchester Geographical Society, 1997–2010", in: The North West Geographer; vol. 10(2), pp. .

External links