The Manchester Geographical Society (founded 1884) is a learned society and a registered charity (No. 1134626) based in Manchester, England.

Manchester Geographical Society
Formation15 October 1884; 140 years ago (1884-10-15)
TypeLearned Society
Registration no.1134626
Legal statusCharity
PurposeFurther pursuit of geographical knowledge
Encourage/publish geographical research on/relevant to North-West England
HeadquartersManchester, UK
Official language
English
Activities
  • Research
  • Publications
  • Lectures
  • Events
Collections
  • Library (Books, Atlases, Maps)
  • Archives
Chairman
Colin Harrison
Websitewww.mangeogsoc.org.uk

History

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When it was founded, by a group of Manchester businessmen, it was addressed by Sir Henry Morton Stanley, the African explorer.[1] The society's original interest was in commercial and political geography, and it later contributed to creation of the first Lecturership (Henry Yule Oldham) in Geography at Owen’s College, Manchester (1891) and the first Chair in Geography (Herbert John Fleure) at the University of Manchester (1930). The Society’s Museum (1901–73) was later dispersed. [2]

Notable individuals involved in the Society’s early years have included Spencer, 8th Duke of Devonshire (President 1885–92), George V (President 1892–1936) and Louis Charles Casaertelli. Among the society's founders was Eli Sowerbutts who was its Secretary (1884–1904), whose sons also became Secretary, Harry Sowerbutts (1904–19) and Thomas William Sowerbutts (1919–33).[3] The Society became a registered charity in 1963,[4] and was later incorporated as a Charitable Trust in 2010. [5]

Lunchtime Lecture Series

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Throughout its history the Society has organised an annual lecture series providing free public talks on a range of topics from September to June.[6]

Research Fund

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The Society’s Research Fund provides North-West England university lecturers with funds for small projects.[7]

Bursaries and Prizes

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Each year, the Society provides Bursaries to enable postgraduate Geography Students to attend conferences. It also awards Prizes for the best Geography Undergraduate Finals Performance Students at the University of Manchester.[8]

Journal

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North West Geography
DisciplineHistory
LanguageEnglish
Edited byCathy Delaney
Publication details
Former name(s)
Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society (1885–1960)
The Manchester Geographer (1960–93)
The North West Geographer (1997–2000)
History2001–present
FrequencyAnnual
Standard abbreviations
ISO 4North West Geogr.
Indexing
ISSN1476-1580
Links

The Society’s published journal was The Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society (1885–1960), succeeded by The Manchester Geographer (1960–93) and The North West Geographer (1997–2000). In 2001, it was renamed North West Geography (2001–present) and became a free online journal. The Society has also published an Exploring Greater Manchester series of excursion guides.[9]

Library (and Atlas and Map) and Archive Collections

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The Society’s Library (1884–1970) has been on permanent loan to the University of Manchester Library since 1970: it contains books on Britain (especially North-West England), nineteenth and twentieth century exploration, and travel and geography in Europe, Oceania, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Its Map Collection (totalling over 2,000) from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries covers Africa, various continents as well as admiralty charts and other ephemera. The Society’s Atlas Collection (on loan to the John Rylands Library, Manchester) dates from 1701. The Society’s Archives (1884–2010) have also been deposited at the University of Manchester Library.[10]

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Stanley, H. M. (1884) To the new geographical society of Manchester
  2. ^ Leigh, M. D., (1980) "The Manchester Geographical Society, 1884–1979: An Historical Summary", in: The Manchester Geographer; vol. 1(1), pp. 7–14.
  3. ^ Geography: notices and notes...; no. 93-94. Manchester Geographical Society, July 1904
  4. ^ "Charity Commission of England and Wales". Charity Commission of England and Wales. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Charity Commission of England and Wales". Charity Commission of England and Wales. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Lecture Series – Manchester Geographical Society". Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  7. ^ "About – Manchester Geographical Society". Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  8. ^ "About – Manchester Geographical Society". Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Publications – Manchester Geographical Society". Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  10. ^ The Manchester Geographical Society

Further reading

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  • University of Manchester and Manchester Geographical Society. Loan Exhibition of Old Maps.--Facsimiles and Reproductions of manuscript maps and globes, early printed maps ... to be held in the Whitworth Hall of the Manchester University ... Catalogue of Exhibits. Manchester, 1923
  • A Catalogue of the Exhibition of Atlases to Celebrate the Centenary of the Manchester Geographical Society; compiled and arranged by William C. Brice, Brian Paul Hindle. Manchester: John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1984
  • Lloyd, Andrew Manchester Geographical Society Library Catalogue. Manchester: Manchester Geographical Society, 1992
  • --do.--Early Atlases and Printed Books from the Manchester Geographical Society Collection: a catalogue (in: Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester; Vol. 73, no. 2). Manchester: John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1991
  • Brown, T. Nigel L. (1971) The History of the Manchester Geographical Society, 1884-1950. Manchester: Manchester University Press ISBN 0719012511
  • Leigh, M. D., (1980) "The Manchester Geographical Society, 1884–1979: An Historical Summary", in: The Manchester Geographer; vol. 1(1), pp. 7–14.
  • Freeman, T. W. (1984) "The Manchester Geographical Society, 1884–1984", in: The Manchester Geographer; vol. 5, pp. 1–12
  • Hindle, B. P. (1998) "Turmoil and Transition: The Manchester Geographical Society, 1973–97", in: The North West Geographer; vol. 2(1), pp. .
  • Hindle, B. P. (2010) "Continuing Change: The Manchester Geographical Society, 1997–2010", in: The North West Geographer; vol. 10(2), pp. .
  • Hindle, Brian Paul (1997). "Manchester Geographical Society - Past and Present" (PDF). Manchester Region History Review. 11: 78–81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2006.
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