The tercentenary of the Royal Society’s Charter

In July 1960 we celebrated the Tercentenary Year of the formal constitution of the Society by our Founders, when for the first time in history the reigning Sovereign, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our Royal Patron, graced our meeting with her presence. On 17 July 1962 we celebrate the Tercentenary of the passing of our first Royal Charter by the Great Seal on 15 July 1662, when our meeting will be graced by the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, F.R.S. On 28 November 1660, our twelve Founders met as usual after a lecture by Wren at Gresham College and agreed that they would continue their weekly meetings and pay a subscription towards the expenses. They drew up a list of forty-one suitable persons to be invited to join them. At their next meeting on 5 December, Sir Robert Moray ‘brought in word from the Court that the King had been acquainted with the designe of the meeting. And he did well approve of it and would be ready to give encouragement to it’. On 12 December they adopted simple regulations, ‘concerning the manner of election and Concerning the Officers and Fellows of the Society’. The Officers were to be a President or Director chosen monthly, a Treasurer and a Register

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