Editing British Science Association (section)

===Foundation===
[[File:British Science Association logo.png|thumb|The former British Science Association logo launched in 2009]]
[[File:BA science logo.gif|frame|right|Old logo used for "The BA"]]
The Association was founded in 1831<ref>{{cite book|editor=Hessenbruch, Arne|title=Reader's Guide to the History of Science|author=James, Frank A.J.L.|chapter=British Association for the Advancement of Science|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|pages=106–107|isbn=9781134262946|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fjhdAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA106}}</ref> and modelled on the German [[Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte]].<ref>The German organisation was founded in 1822.</ref> It was founded during post-war reconstruction after the Peninsula war to improve the advancement of science in England.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/history|title=Our history|website=British Science Association|date=12 December 2014|access-date=2019-03-08|archive-date=23 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023214845/https://www.britishscienceassociation.org/history|url-status=live}}</ref> The prime mover (who is regarded as the main founder) was Reverend [[William Vernon Harcourt (scientist)|William Vernon Harcourt]], following a suggestion by Sir [[David Brewster]], who was disillusioned with the elitist and conservative attitude of the [[Royal Society]]. [[Charles Babbage]], [[William Whewell]] and [[James Finlay Weir Johnston|J. F. W. Johnston]]<ref>David Knight, 'Johnston, James Finlay Weir (1796–1855)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.</ref> are also considered to be founding members. The first meeting was held in [[York]] (at the [[Yorkshire Museum]]) on Tuesday 27 September 1831 with various scientific papers being presented on the following days. It was chaired by [[Charles Wentworth-Fitzwilliam, 5th Earl Fitzwilliam|Viscount Milton]], president of the [[Yorkshire Philosophical Society]], and "upwards of 300 gentlemen" attended the meeting.<ref>''Caledonian Mercury'', 6 October 1831.</ref> The ''Preston Mercury'' recorded that those gathered consisted of "persons of distinction from various parts of the kingdom, together with several of the gentry of Yorkshire and the members of philosopher societies in this country". The newspaper published the names of over a hundred of those attending and these included, amongst others, eighteen clergymen, eleven doctors, four knights, two Viscounts and one Lord.<ref>''Preston Chronicle'', 8 October 1831.</ref>

From that date onwards a meeting was held annually at a place chosen at a previous meeting. In 1832, for example, the meeting was held in Oxford, chaired by Reverend Dr [[William Buckland]]. By this stage the Association had four sections: Physics (including Mathematics and Mechanical Arts), Chemistry (including [[Mineralogy]] and Chemical Arts), Geology (including Geography) and Natural History.<ref>''Jackson's Oxford Journal'', 23 June 1832.</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/252857|title=Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last1=British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last2=Science|first2=British Association for the Advancement of|date=1831–1832|volume=1st & 2nd Meeting (1831-1832)|location=London.|access-date=12 April 2019|archive-date=12 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412154909/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/252857|url-status=live}}</ref>

During this second meeting, the first objects and rules of the Association were published. Objects included systematically directing the acquisition of scientific knowledge, spreading this knowledge as well as discussion between scientists across the world, and to focus on furthering science by removing obstacles to progress.<ref name=":2" /> The rules established included what constituted a member of the Association, the fee to remain a member, and the process for future meetings. They also include dividing the members into different committees. These committees separated members into their preferred subject matter, and were to recommend investigations into areas of interest, then report on these findings, as well as progress in their science at the annual meetings.<ref name=":2"/>

Additional sections were added throughout the years by either splitting off part of an original section, like making Geography and Ethnology its own section apart from Geology in 1851, or by defining a new subject area of discussion, such as Anthropology in 1869.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/49150|title=Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last1=British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last2=Science|first2=British Association for the Advancement of|date=1851|volume=21st Meeting (1851)|location=London.|access-date=12 April 2019|archive-date=12 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412154913/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/49150|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46630|title=Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last1=British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last2=Science|first2=British Association for the Advancement of|date=1857|volume=27th Meeting (1857)|location=London.|access-date=12 April 2019|archive-date=12 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412153847/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/46630|url-status=live}}</ref>

A very important decision in the Association's history was made in 1842 when it was resolved to create a "physical observatory".   A building that became well known as the [[Kew Observatory]] was taken on for the purpose and [[Francis Ronalds]] was chosen as the inaugural Honorary Director.  Kew Observatory quickly became one of the most renowned [[meteorology|meteorological]] and [[earth's magnetic field|geomagnetic]] observatories in the world.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sir Francis Ronalds: Father of the Electric Telegraph|last=Ronalds|first=B.F.|publisher=Imperial College Press|year=2016|isbn=978-1-78326-917-4|location=London}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ronalds|first=B.F.|date=June 2016|title=Sir Francis Ronalds and the Early Years of the Kew Observatory|journal=Weather|volume=71|issue=6|pages=131–134|doi=10.1002/wea.2739|bibcode=2016Wthr...71..131R|s2cid=123788388 }}</ref> The Association relinquished control of the Kew Observatory in 1871 to the management of the Royal Society, after a large donation to grant the observatory its independence.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/93055|title=Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last1=British Association for the Advancement of Science.|last2=Science|first2=British Association for the Advancement of|date=1872|volume=41st Meeting (1871)|location=London.|access-date=13 January 2018|archive-date=1 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701223941/http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/93055|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1872, the Association purchased its first central office in London, acquiring four rooms at 22 Albemarle Street. This office was intended to be a resource for members of the Association.<ref name=":1"/>

One of the most famous events linked to the Association Meeting was an exchange between [[Thomas Henry Huxley]] and Bishop [[Samuel Wilberforce]] in 1860 (see the [[1860 Oxford evolution debate]]). Although it is often described as a "debate", the exchange occurred after the presentation of a paper by Prof Draper of New York, on the intellectual development of Europe with relation to Darwin's theory (one of a number of scientific papers presented during the week) and the subsequent discussion involved a number of other participants (although Wilberforce and Huxley were the most prominent).<ref>''Oxford Chronicle'', 7 July 1860.</ref> Although a number of newspapers made passing references to the exchange,<ref>''Liverpool Mercury'', 5 July 1860.</ref> it was not until later that it was accorded greater significance in the [[evolution debate]].<ref>''Jackson's Oxford Journal'', 4 August 1894.</ref>