Literary and Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne

Founding

Founded in 1793 as a "conversation club" by the Reverend William Turner and others – more than fifty years before the London Library – the annual subscription was originally one guinea. The Lit and Phil library contained works in French, Spanish, German and Latin; its contacts were international, and its members debated a wide range of issues, but religion and politics were prohibited. Women were first admitted to the library in 1804. In February 2011, actor and comedian Alexander Armstrong became President of the Lit & Phil. He launched their funding appeal at a special gala event. At the start of 2012, membership of the Library reached 2,000, the highest number since 1952.

History

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the Lit & Phil was host to a long list of the intelligentsia of the era. Engineer and inventor George Stephenson showed his miner's lamp there, and in 1879, when Joseph Swan demonstrated his electric light bulbs, the Lit and Phil building became the first public building to be so illuminated.

The Society received in 1800 the country's first specimens of the wombat and the duck-billed platypus from John Hunter, Governor of New South Wales and honorary member of the Lit and Phil.

Between 1822 and 1825, a new building was created for the Society on Westgate Road, designed by John Green. The building is still in use today, with many original features including iron-work second-floor galleries.

Presidents

• 1793–1798: John Widderington
• 1798–1838: Sir John Swinburne, 6th Baronet
• 1838–1851: Charles William Bigge
• 1851–1855: Thomas Emerson Headlam
• 1855–1859: Robert Stephenson
• 1860–1900: William, Lord Armstrong of Cragside
• 1901–1911: Robert Spence Watson
• 1911–1914: Joseph Swan
• 1914–1916: Richard Oliver Heslop
• 1916–1931: Charles Algernon Parsons
• 1931–1940: G. M. Trevelyan
• 1940–1961: C. H. Hunter Blair
• 1961–1966: A. D. S. Rogers
• 1967–1968: P. L. Robinson
• 1969–1979: J. Philipson
• 1979–1987: S. T. L. Harbottle
• 1987–1998: D. T. Turnbull
• 1998–2005 P. J. Turnbull
• 2005–2008: B. R. Bennison
• 2008–2009: W. L. Bower
• 2009–2011: Mrs J. R. Sharp
• 2012–present: Alexander Armstrong

Notable members

Amongst the historic and contemporary members are the following:

• David Almond (born 1951)
• William Armstrong (1778–1857)
• John James Audubon (1785–1851)
• Thomas Bewick (1753–1828)
• Sid Chaplin (1916–1986)
• John Dobson (1787–1865)
• Ruth Dodds (1890–1976)
• Richard Grainger (1797–1861)
• Charles, 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845)
• J. Thomas Looney (1870–1944)
• James Losh (1763–1833)
• Harriet Martineau (1802–1876)
• Robert Stephenson (1803–1859)
• Joseph Wilson Swan (1828–1914)
• Neil Tennant (born 1954)
• Elizabeth and Robert Spence Watson (1837–1911)
• Thomas Masterman Winterbottom (1766–1859)

References

Sources

• Association of Independent Libraries
• The National Archives

References

1. Glover, Andrew. (2011-02-08). "Alexander Armstrong in appeal to save Lit and Phil". ncjMedia, Trinity Mirror.
2. (2011). "Lit and Phil - Welcome". litandphil.org.uk.
3. {{EW charity. 1120948. THE LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE
4. (2007-11-14). "Lit & Phil History – Independent Library Newcastle".
5. Editorial. (2009-09-24). "In praise of… Newcastle's Lit & Phil | Opinion". The Guardian.
6. (2011-12-15). "Interview: Alexander Armstrong, president of the Lit & Phil". [[The Journal (Newcastle upon Tyne newspaper).
7. "Copy of a letter received by the Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, from John Hunter, 5 August 1798 (Series 38.11)".
8. (1829). "Magazine of Natural History". Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green.
9. Hanley, Lynsey. (2010-06-25). "Beguiled by the Lit & Phil". The Guardian.