Chemical Society

History

One of the aims of the Chemical Society was to hold meetings for "the communication and discussion of discoveries and observations, an account of which shall be published by the Society". In 1847, its importance was recognized by a Royal Charter, which added to its role in the advancement of science, the development of chemical applications in industry. Only a decade after the creation of the Chemical Society of London, the society faced financial difficulties. Its survival was only possible through a merge with the Government School of Mines, now known as the Royal School of Mines, in 1853. One of the major issues was that most Chemical Society members were in London. In contrast, most industries were located farther north, with South Lancashire becoming one of the most important parts of the British chemical industry, overshadowing the Chemical Society's work.

The reason why the Chemical Society worked with the Government School of Mines is because they did extensive work with mines as well. The Chemical Society's work with mines focused on testing and sampling gases. Dr. Graham worked at Newcastle Coal Mines examining "light carbureted gas"(methane). This work was crucial as mining safety concerns grew, especially after the Felling Colliery Disaster, which led to the founding of the Society for the Prevention of Accidents in Coal Mines in 1813.

Although the Chemical Society often did not work with some larger chemical industries, smaller London industries offered collaboration opportunities. This included photography, which required fine chemicals for development, natural dyes, and drugs. August Wilhelm Hofmann, a prominent member, conducted groundbreaking research on coal tar products for two decades. Hofmann's work transformed coal tar from a waste material into a valuable resource for creating vibrant dyes, establishing a new industrial sector. His contributions led to his election as president of the Chemical Society in 1861.

Now because of the "marriage of science and industry heralded the creation of London's Royal College of Chemistry," lead to the increasing role of the Chemistry Society in London's Chemical industry. Membership was open to all those interested in chemistry, but fellowship was restricted to men only.

The Chemical Society of London succeeded where a number of previous chemical associations - the Lunar Society's London branch chemical society of the 1780s, the Animal Chemical Club of 1805, the London Chemical Society of 1824 - failed. Many of these societies mentioned built the basis on which the Chemical Society of London was founded. One assertion of a cause of success of the Chemical Society of London is that it was, unlike its forerunners, a "fruitful amalgamation of the technological and academic chemist".

Robert Warington had an upbringing in chemistry that ultimately led to the creation of the Chemical Society of London (in 1841). Warington had started making a name for himself in the chemistry world, having close ties with Liebig and Faraday. Using this, after working for 7 years in a brewery, he departed 2 years later, during which, he began paving the way for the founding of a Chemical Society in London. Utilizing connections he had made throughout his professional career he reached out to numerous chemists to create the first meeting of the official Chemical Society of London (March 30, 1841). By this meeting, they had acquired seventy-seven men as new fellows. One of the men from the Chemical Society of 1824, George Smith, was also a member of this 1841 society. Their numbers would grow to over one hundred by the year 1867. The society used its scholarly background to display its reputation and stature and grow its connections to elevate itself and its members.

Its activities expanded over the years, including eventually becoming a major publisher in the field of chemistry. On May 15, 1980, it amalgamated with the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society, and the Society for Analytical Chemistry to become the Royal Society of Chemistry. The Chemical Society also was expanding far before this as Roberts and Simmons wrote about British Chemical Societies, "Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, of those who worked outside the UK, more than half worked in Europe, the United States, or a range of other countries outwith the British Empire."

Original members

On 23 February 1841, a meeting was convened to take into consideration the formation of a Chemical Society. The Provisional Committee appointed for carrying that object into effect invited a number of gentlemen engaged in the practice and pursuit of chemistry to become original members. The following 77 communicated their written assent: