Presidents. 209 



Years 



Date of in 



Election. 



The Marquis of Northampton Nov. 30, 1838 10 



b. Jan. 1, 1790 : d. Jan. 17, 1851. One of the earliest Presidents of 

 the Geological Society ; Pres. Brit. Assoc. 1836 and 1848. 



The Earl of Rosse Nov. 30, 1848 6 



b. June 17, 1800 : d. Oct. 31, 1867. Astronomer. Construction of 

 great reflecting telescope commenced 1845. Researches on nebulae 

 and other celestial phenomena in ' Philosophical Transactions.' 

 1840, '44, '50, '61, and '68. Chancellor of University of Dublin 

 (1862). 



Lord Wrottesley Nov. 30, 1854 4 



b. Aug. 5, 1798 ; d. Oct. 27, 1867. Practical Astronomer, carrying on 

 his observations at two small observatories, one at Blackheath, the 

 other at Wrottesley. Gold Medal of the Astronom. Soc. for a 

 catalogue of Stars (1839). Pres. Astronom. Soc. (1841). Author 

 of two Astronomical Papers in the ' Philosophical Transactions.' 

 Pres. Brit. Assoc. (1860). Specially interested in Government 

 measures for improving the position of Science in this country, and 

 in the introduction of Science as a branch of teaching in Public 

 Schools. 



Sir Benjamin Brodie, Bart Nov. 30, 1858 3 



b. 1783; d. Oct. 21, 1862. Physiologist and Surgeon. For thirty 

 years on the Staff of St. George's Hospital. Medical adviser to 

 three successive Sovereigns. First President of the Medical 

 Council. Author of an important work on the Diseases of the 

 Joints, and of numerous papers in the ' Philosophical Transac- 

 tions,' and the ' Transactions of the Royal Medical and Chirur- 

 gical Society.' 



Sir Edward Sabine Nov. 30, 1861 10 



b. Oct. 14, 1788; d. June 26, 1883. K.C.B. (1869); General (1870). 

 On active service 1812-16. Astronomer with Sir John Ross's 

 Expedition in Search of North West Passage (1818). Accom- 

 panied Parry's first expedition (1819). Appointed to conduct 

 pendulum experiments in different latitudes (1819), and Joint 

 Commissioner to determine the difference of longitude between 

 the observatories of Paris and Greenwich (1825). 



Sir George Airy Nov. 30, 1871 2 



J. June 27, 1801 j d. Jan. 2, 1892. Senior Wrangler (1823) . Lucasian 

 Professor of Experimental Science (1826). Plumian Professor 

 of Astronomy and Director of Cambridge Observatory (1828). 

 Astronomer Royal (1835). Chairman of the Commission charged 

 with the Construction of Standard Weights and Measures (1834). 

 Pres. Brit. Assoc. (1851). Organised Expedition for Observing 

 Transit of Venus (] 874) . 



