Scholarly Societies Project

Society of Civil Engineers

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Society of Civil Engineers
Founding of the Society
Year
Authority / Notes
1771
This founding date is supported on p.2 and p.3 of Watson.

On p. 26, Watson indicates that from its beginning in 1771 it was a group of engineers that dined together, so that they might get to know one another better, thereby avoiding potential hostility that might arise in their public dealings with one another. On the same page, he indicates that, when the Society renewed itself in 1793 after the death of Smeaton, one its founders, it took on the additional goal of

" promoting and communicating every branch of knowledge useful and necessary to the various and important branches of public and private works in civil engineering."

The Society does not appear ever to have published a journal.

Seat of the Society
City
Authority / Notes
London
England
Holborn, a borough of London, is given on p.3 of Watson as the place of founding. It seems likely, from information given at various places in Watson, that most, if not all, of the meetings have been held in London.
Name of the Society
Dates
Name
Authority
1771 - 1830 Society of Civil Engineers It was founded with this name in 1771 according to p.2 of Watson. It appears to have been called this until 1830 (see p.87 of Watson).
1830 - Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers On p.87, Watson indicates that, in 1830, for the first time, the Society's rules and regulations gave this name for the Society. He adds that this has been its name ever since.

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Scholarly Societies Project