PROCEEDINGS 
OF 
THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
In the year 1833 a Summary of the Proceedings of the Plymouth 
Institution for the Session 1832-33 was published, and prefixed 
was a list of the Lectures which had been delivered from October, 
1813. 
There is no printed record of the papers read from the close of 
the Session 1832-33 up to the time of the commencement of the 
publication of Annual Reports and Transactions, the first of which 
was issued in 1856. The Council has thought it desirable that the 
printed lists should be completed; and I have compiled from the 
Minute Books the following, commencing with the Session 1833-34, 
and concluding with the last lecture of the Session 1854-55. 
In the Summary above alluded to it is stated that in 1812 
lectures were delivered at the private residences of members ; and 
Mr. J. ^N". Bennett in his interesting Historical Sketch of the 
Origin and Progress of the Plymouth Institution," published in 
the Report and Transactions in 1868, refers to these early meetings. 
Mr. Bennett has presented to the Library a small book (given him 
by the late Dr. Cookworthy) containing entries of the proceedings 
of the Society in the years 1812-13. Prom this volume I find 
that a meeting was held at the residence of Mr. Henry Woollcombe, 
on Saturday, October 3rd, 1812. There were present Dr. Lockyer, 
Dr. Leach, Mr. William Eastlake, Mr. G. Eastlake, jun., Mr. W. 
Prance, Mr. A. B. Johns, Mr. George Ogg, Mr. William Prideaux, 
and Mr. Woollcombe ; and it was resolved that " a Society should 
be formed for the purpose of deliverin'g lectures on scientific as 
well as other subjects of interest during the ensuing winter." At 
subsequent meetings it was decided that the number of members 
should not exceed thirty ; that there should be four presidents ; 
that the meetings for the delivery of lectures should be held 
fortnightly; and that the society should be called the Plymouth 
Institute. The four first meetings were held at the houses of 
Mr. Henry Woollcombe and Mr. George Ogg, the remainder at the 
Plymouth Dispensary. 
