192 HISTORY OF OUR SOCIETY. 
The Midland Scientific Society, and during the Sixties, 
met alternately at Derby, Nottingham, Burton, Lichfield, 
and Leicester, the late Mr. E. Brown being its leading 
spirit. 
Our own Society largely owes its existence to the 
enterprise of three gentlemen—the late Head Master of 
the Grammar School (Mr. C. U. Tripp), the Rev. C. F. 
Thornewill, and the late Mr. William Molyneux. These 
gentlemen called a Public Meeting in the Grammar School, 
on October 27th, 1876, and at this meeting our Society 
was formed. 
‘The election of Mr. Evershed as the first president, and 
the reading of a most interesting paper on ‘The Old 
Bridge of Burton-on-Trent” by Mr. Molyneux at the first 
meeting, were steps which well indicated the thoroughly 
representative local character of the movement. In four 
months nearly 250 members and junior members had enrolled 
themselves, and I believe the only approach the Society 
has made to that number, since those early days, was in 
1894, when the total number of members and associates 
was 242. 
I will now briefly consider the work done by the Society 
during the Presidentships of Mr. Evershed, the Rev. C. F. 
Thornewill, Messrs. Henry Tomlinson, W. Molyneux, and 
Robert Thornewill, that is to say, from 1876 to 1881. 
During the whole of this time Mr. Tripp was our indefat- 
igable Honorary Secretary. The subjects introduced and 
discussed were of a varied nature; thus of Archzological 
interest, besides the paper on ‘The Old Bridge,” Mr. 
Molyneux read papers on “The History of Burton” and 
on ‘Bosworth Field’; Mr. Robert Thornewill read two 
papers on ‘‘The History of Burton Abbey.” Mr. J. C. Cox 
gave us a paper on “The Churches of Derbyshire,” and 
the Rev. J. King one on ‘‘ Underground Jerusalem.” 
Entomologists were well provided for, the Rev. C. F. 
Ma As 
