Huxley Memorial Committee: minutes, correspondence and papers

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0060 DF 5005
Held at	: Natural History Museum   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/library-and-archives.html ›
Full title	: Huxley Memorial Committee: minutes, correspondence and papers
Date(s)	: 1895-1900
Level of description	: Sub fonds
Extent	: 3 volumes
Name of creator(s)	: Huxley Memorial Committee
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Thomas Henry Huxley died in Eastbourne on 29 June 1895 at the age of 70. A Memorial Committee was set up in August the same year with the object of collecting money to provide a fitting tribute to this great scientist. The first Provisional Committee was replaced by a large and distinguished General Committee, which met in November under the chairmanship of the Duke of Devonshire, and decided to seek funds for a statue, a medal and a studentship. An Executive Committee of twenty was set up at this meeting, and a number of local committees took charge of fund-raising in their areas. Statue and medal sub-committees were constituted soon afterwards. Of the £3378 which was collected over the next four years, £1813 was spent on a marble statue by Edward Onslow Ford which was unveiled in the Central Hall of the Natural History Museum by the Prince of Wales in April 1900. Dies for a portrait medal were commissioned from the sculptor Frank Bowcher, and the remaining money was passed to the Royal College of Science as an endowment. A student in zoology, botany or palaeontology would be awarded the Huxley Gold Medal, with the option of receiving a silver medal and a sum of money instead. The committees were wound up in 1900 once the unveiling had taken place.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Minutes, correspondence and papers of the Huxley Memorial Committee, including two out of three volumes of minutes of the various Huxley committees kept by G B Howes, into which are pasted printed papers, newscuttings, notes and letters. There is also a volume containing a complete set of the printed notice produced by the committees at different times. The whereabouts of the third minute book is unknown.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

As outlined in scope and content.

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Conditions governing reproduction:

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Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Entry copied from the Natural History Museum online catalogue by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Sep 2008