Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society

Robert Dennis Chantrell won the competition to build the new Hall for the Society in May 1819 in Classical style.[5] The Hall was sited on the corner of Park Row and Bond Street in the Georgian west end of Leeds.[6] The foundation stone was laid by Benjamin Gott on 9 July 1819 and the Hall was opened on 6 April 1821.[7] The Hall had a lecture theatre, library, laboratory and museum.[6][8] Charles Turner Thackrah gave the opening address, pointing out that the Hall would provide a place for "the conversational diffusion of knowledge".[6] Before the creation of any college or university in Leeds, the Society provided an important opportunity for civic education.[6]

The Hall was refaced and extended in 1861-62 by Dobson & Chorley.[7][9] A new entrance was built on Park Row.[8] In 1876, the inaugural meeting of the Leeds Architectural Association was held in the Hall.[9]

The Hall was badly damaged in an air raid in 1941 when many museum exhibits were lost, but the building was given a new concrete façade and remained as a museum until 1965.[7][8] The Hall was demolished in 1966.[8] William Gott was a benefactor to the museum, and one of the Society's vice presidents in later life.[10]

In 1925, the Society began publishing two journals: Proceedings of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. Scientific section (which ran from 1925 to 1998, producing twelve volumes)[11] and Proceedings of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. Literary and Historical Section (which ran from 1925 to 1999, producing twenty-five volumes).[12]

The Society celebrated its bicentenary in 2019 and launched a new website in 2021.

The following have been presidents of the society:[4]

• 1820–26: John Marshall
• 1826–28: Rev. W. H. Bathurst, M.A.
• 1828–31: Michael Thomas Sadler, M.P.
• 1831–33: William Hey
• 1833–35: James Williamson, M.D.
• 1835–37: Rev. Joseph Holmes, M.A.
• 1837–40: Rev. Richard Winter Hamilton
• 1840–42: Adam Hunter, M.D.
• 1842–45: John Hope Shaw
• 1845–50: Rev. William Sinclair, M.A.
• 1850–51: William West, F.R.S.
• 1851–54: Rev. Charles Wicksteed, B.D.
• 1854–57: John Hope Shaw
• 1857–58: James Garth Marshall, F.G.S.
• 1858–59: Rev. W. F. Hook, D.D.
• 1859–61: Rev. Alfred Barry, M.A.
• 1861–63: Thomas Pridgin Teale, F.R.S.
• 1863–66: Rev. Thomas Hincks, B.A.
• 1866–68: Charles Chadwick, M.D.
• 1868–72: John Deakin Heaton, M.D.
• 1872–74: Rev. Canon Woodford, D.D.
• 1874–76: J. I. Ikin, F.R.C.S.
• 1876–78: Rev. J. H. McCheane, M.A.
• 1878–81: T. Clifford Allbutt, M.D., F.R.S.
• 1881–83: Rev. John Gott, D.D.
• 1883–85: J. E. Eddison, M.D.
• 1885–86: Edward Atkinson, F.L.S.
• 1886–89: Thomas Marshall, M.A.
• 1889–92: Thomas Pridgin Teale, M.A., F.R.S.
• 1892–94: Rev. J. H. D. Matthews, M.A.
• 1894–96: Rev. Charles Hargrove, M.A.
• 1896–98: Edmund Wilson, F.S.A.
• 1898–1900: Nathan Bodington, M.A., Litt.D.
• 1900–02: J. H. Wicksteed, President Inst.M.E.
• 1902–04: Arthur Smithells, B.Sc., F.R.S.
• 1904–06: J. E. Eddison, M.D.
• 1906–09: E. Kitson Clark, M.A., F.S.A., M.Inst.C.E.
• 1909–11: Rev. J. R. Wynne-Edwards, M.A.
• 1911–12: C. T. Whitmell, M.A., B.Sc., F.R.A.S.
• 1912–14: P. F. Kendall, M.Sc., F.G.S.
• 1914–17: Rev. W. H. Draper, M.A.
• 1917–19: James E. Bedford, F.G.S.
• 1919–22: Sydney D. Kitson, M.A., F.S.A., F.R.I.B.A.
• 1922–24: Arthur J. Grant, M.A.
• 1924–26: Walter Garstang, M.A., D.Sc., F.Z.S.
• 1926–28: Edwin Hawkesworth
• 1928–30: Frederick Woodward Branson, F.I.C.
• 1930–32: E. O. Dodgson
• 1932–34: A. Gilligan, D.Sc., F.G.S.
• 1934–36: Richard Whiddington, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.
• 1936–39: Hugh R. Lupton, M.C., M.A.
• 1939–46: W. M. Edwards, M.C., M.A.
• 1946–48: E. A. Spaul, D.Sc., Ph.D.
• 1948–50: W. L. Andrews
• 1950–52: J. N. Tetley, D.S.O., LL.D.
• 1952–54: Terry Thomas, M.A., LL.D., B.Sc., Ph.D.
• 1954–56: H. C. Versey, D.Sc., F.G.S.,
• 1956–58: H. S. Vick, J.P.
• 1958–60: H. Orton, M.A., B.Litt.
• 1960–62: Sir George Martin, LL.D., J.P.
• 1962–64: E. J. Wood, M.A.
• 1964–66: Reginald Dawson Preston, D.Sc., F.R.S., F.Inst.P.
• 1966–68: John Le Patourel, M.A., D.Phil.
• 1968–70: G. P. Meredith, M.Sc., M.Ed., Ph.D.
• 1970–72: J. G. Wilson, M.A., Ph.D., F.Inst.P.
• 1972–74: J. Taylor, M.A.
• 1974–76: H. Henson, D.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.E.S.
• 1976–78: P. R. J. Burch, M.A., Ph.D.
• 1978–81: R. Reed, M.Sc., Ph.D
• 1981–83: Lord Marshall of Leeds, M.A., LL.B.
• 1983–85: B. R. Hartley, M.A., F.S.A.
• 1985–87: Dennis Cox, B.A., A.L.A.
• 1987–89: B. Colville, M.B., B.S., F.R.C.G.P.
• 1989–91: I. S. Moxon, M.A., B.A.
• 1991–93: R. F. M. Byrn, M.A., Ph.D.
• 1993–95: Mrs J. E. Mortimer, B.A.
• 1995–97: A. C. Chadwick, B.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc., C.Biol., F.I.Biol., F.R.G.S.
• 1997–99: O. S. Pickering, B.A., B.Phil., Ph.D., Dip.Lib.
• 1999–2003: P. J. Evennett, B.Sc., Ph.D., Hon. F.R.M.S.
• 2004–06: M. R. D. Seaward, M.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc., F.L.S.
• 2007–09: C. J. Hatton, B.Sc., Ph.D., C.Phys., F.Inst.P.
• 2010–13: A. C. T. North, B.Sc., Ph.D., C.Phys., F.Inst.P.
• 2014-16: J. M. Hill B.A., D.Phil., D.Univ., F.E.A., F.R.S.A.
• 2016–19 : C. J. Hatton, B.Sc., Ph.D., C.Phys., F.Inst.P.
• 2020–: G. E. Blair, B.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.S.B., F.L.S.

• John Atkinson
• Henry Denny
• Louis Compton Miall
• Henry Crowther

• Etheldred Benett – donor
• Alexander Crichton – donor
• Violet Crowther - curator
• William Gott - benefactor and vice president
• James Kitson, 1st Baron Airedale and his father James Kitson, Mayor of Leeds – new proprietary member and subscriber respectively in 1852–53[13]
• Francis Lupton – proprietary member in 1852–53[13]
• William Middleton and his son John William Middleton – subscriber and new ordinary member respectively in 1852–53[13]
• James Motley – donor
• Washington Teasdale – member
• John Joseph Willson – member

• Clark, Edwin Kitson (1924). The History of 100 years of life of the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. Leeds: Jowett and Sowry.

• Official website
• Leeds Museums & Galleries: Three Women: a plesiosaurus, a mistaken identity, and a hat.