formation of the society : unpublished records. 3 
Banks, near Barnsley, 
2nd December, 1837. 
Sir, 
Allow me to solicit your co-operation in forming and support- 
ing the proposed Society. In the present stage of the proceedings, 
I can only call your attention to the general ohjects of the Society, 
and to their great utility in a scientific point of view. In proof of 
which, if such be necessary, I may appeal to the valuable papers on 
the Geology of the Northern Coal Field that have appeared in the 
Natural History Society of Northumberland and Durham, and to 
the interesting communications on Mechanical subjects that have 
been made at the meetings of the Polytechnic Society of Cornw^all. 
Without hoping to rival either of these Institutions, it cannot be 
doubted that a great mass of detached information must exist in the 
possession of individuals, which, if collected and compared, would 
throw great light on those points in the coal formation of Yorkshire, 
about which so much uncertainty at present exists, and, on the other 
hand, many useful mechanical contrivances, which deserve to be 
generally known, are confined to the place of their first invention or 
adoption. 
I am, Sir, yours respectfully, 
Thomas Wilson. 
Forty gentlemen were present at the meeting on the 14th 
December, who signified their approval of the objects already fore- 
shadowed and constituted themselves members of the Society, and 
immediate steps were taken to organize it. The meeting derived 
much valuable assistance from the advice of Prof. John Phillips, 
then residing at York, who came over to attend the meeting and 
help in the formation of the proposed Society. The Rt. Hon. Earl 
Fitzwilliam, F.R.S., was elected to, and accepted, the office of 
President, and Thos. AVilson, Esq. , of Banks Hall, near Barnsley, that 
of Secretary. 
Prof. Johnston, of Duiham, who had been invited to be present 
at the meeting, but was unable to accept the invitation, was at 
Leeds the following day reading one of a series of lectures on the 
geological structure of rocks. Mr. Embleton and others were 
