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Charter
Of the Geological Society of London.
George the Fourth, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith.
To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas the Reverend William Buckland, B.D., Arthur Aikin, Esquire, John Bostock, M.D., George Bellas Greenough, Esquire, Henry Warburton, Esquire, and several others of our loving subjects, being desirous of forming a Society for investigating the Mineral Structure of the Earth,
Purpose for which the Society is instituted.
and having for promoting such investigation expended considerable sums of money in the purchase and collection of Books, Maps, Specimens, and other objects, and in the publication of various works, the said William Buckland, Arthur Aikin, John Bostock, George Bellas Greenough, and Henry Warburton have humbly besought Us to grant unto them and unto such other persons as shall be appointed and elected Fellows of the Society, as hereinafter is mentioned, Our Royal Charter of Incorporation, for the better carrying on the purposes aforesaid. Now therefore know ye that We, being desirous to encourage so laudable an undertaking, have, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, willed, ordained, constituted, declared, given, and granted, and by these presents Do, for us, our Heirs, and Successors, will, ordain, constitute, give, and grant,
That our loving subjects the said Reverend William Buckland, Arthur Aikin, John Bostock, George Bellas Greenough, and Henry Warburton, and such other persons as shall from time to time be appointed and elected Fellows of the said Society in manner hereinafter directed, and their respective successors, shall for ever hereafter be by virtue of these presents one Body Politic and Corporate, by the name
of "
The Geological Society of London." And we do will, constitute, and declare them and their successors to be one Body Politic and Corporate, for the purposes aforesaid, and by the name aforesaid to have perpetual succession, and to have a Common Seal, with full power and authority to alter, vary, break, and renew the same at their discretion, and by the same name to sue and be sued, to
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implead and be impleaded, and to answer and be answered unto in every Court or place of Us, our Heirs, and Successors.
And we do will, constitute, and grant, that the persons hereby incorporated, and their successors, shall be for ever able and capable in the Law, to purchase, receive, hold, possess, and enjoy, to them and their successors, any goods and chattels whatsoever, and (notwithstanding the statutes of Mortmain) to take, purchase, hold, and enjoy, to them and their successors, any lands, tenements, or hereditaments whatsoever, not exceeding at the time or times of purchasing or acquiring such lands, tenements, or hereditaments respectively, the yearly value of Two thousands pounds in the whole, computing the same at rack rent which might have been had or gotten for the same respectively at the time of the purchase or acquisition of the same: And shall have full power and authority to sell, alien, charge, or otherwise dispose of any real or personal property, so to be by them acquired as aforesaid, and to act and do in all things relating to the said corporation in as ample manner and form as any other our liege subjects being persons able and capable in the Law, or any other Body Politic or Corporate in our said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, may or can act or do.
And we do hereby declare and grant, That the number of Fellows of the said Society shall be indefinite; and that they the said Reverend
William Buckland, Arthur Aikin, John Bostock, George Bellas Greenough, and Henry Warburton shall be the first Fellows of the said Society; and that any three or more of them shall and may, on or
power, for a time, to appoint other Fellows, and Foreign Members. President and Council.
before the Third Friday in February next ensuing the date of these presents, under their respective hands in writing, appoint such other persons to be Fellows and Foreign Members of the said Society as are willing to be appointed, and as they may think fit.
And we do further declare and grant, That for the better government of the said Society, and for the better management of the concerns thereof, there shall be from the date of these presents, thence-
First Council to consist of five Members: Future Councils of twenty-three Members.
forth and for ever, a President and Council of the said Society, and that such Council (whereof the President shall be deemed a Member) shall, from the date of these presents until the third Friday in February next ensuing, consist of Five Members: and from the said third Friday in February thenceforth and for ever, shall consist of Twenty-three Members.
First Council of five appointed, and to remain in office until the third Friday in Feb. 1826.
And we do hereby appoint the said Reverend William Buckland to be first President; and the said Reverend William Buckland together with the said Arthur Aikin, John Bostock, George Bellas Greenough, and Henry Warburton, to be the first Council, all and each of the aforesaid persons to continue in such their respective offices until the third Friday in February next ensuing the date of these presents.
And we further direct, That the Fellows of the said Society, or any
Future Councils of twenty-three how and when to be elected.
Eleven or more of them, shall and may on the said third Friday in February next ensuing, and also shall and may on the third Friday in
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February (or as near thereto as conveniently may be) in every successive year, assemble together at the then last or other usual place of meeting of the said Society, and, by method of ballot, remove from the then present Council one-fifth or more of the persons of whom it shall then
One-fifth or more to vacate annually.
be composed; And also shall and may, by the like method of Ballo, elect other persons, being Fellows of the said Society, into the Council, who, together with the persons not so removed, shall form the Council for the then next ensuing year, so that the Members of such Council shall amount in number to twenty-three.
And also, That the Fellows of the said Society, or any eleven or more
What officers are to be elected annually, from among the Members of the Council.
of them, shall and may, at the time and in manner aforesaid, by tie like method of Ballot, elect from among the Members of the Council, when formed and elected in the manner aforesaid, one person to he President of the said Society for the year ensuing, and so many aid such persons as they shall think proper to be Vice-Presidents, Secretary or Secretaries, and Treasurer or Treasurers of the said Society for the year ensuing.
And also shall and may, in case of the death of the President, or of
Power to fill up vacancies in case of death.
any Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer, or of any other Member of the Council for the time being, of the said Society, within the space of two months next after such death, or as near thereto as conveniently may be, in manner aforesaid, elect some other person, being a Fellow of the said Society, to supply the place of such President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, or other Member of the Council so dying.
And we do further declare and grant, That from and after the said third Friday in February now next ensuing, the Fellows of the said Society, or any eleven or more of them, shall and may have the power,
from time to time, at the General Meetings of the said Society, to be held at the usual place of meeting, or at such other place as shall have been in that behalf appointed, to elect by method of Ballot such persons to be Fellows and Foreign Members of the said Society, and such
elect new Fellows, and Foreign Members and other
Fellows or Foreign Members to remove from the said Society as they shall think fit; and also shall and may from time to time nominate and appoint such persons as they shall think proper, to be Officers and Servants for carrying on and executing the necessary concerns of the
said Society, and such Officers and Servants again remove, and renew or restore, as they shall see occasion.
And we do further declare and grant, That from and after the said third Friday in February now next ensuing, the Fellows of the said Society, or any eleven or more of them, shall and may have the power
Power to make Orders or Bye-laws.
to make and establish such Orders and Bye-Laws as shall appear to them useful for the government of the said Society, for defining the powers to be entrusted to the Council, the President, and other Officers thereof, and the duties to be performed by such Officers respectively; for the management of the Estates, Goods, Lands, Revenues and business of the said Society; and for the regulating the particular
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manner of proposing, electing, admitting, and removing all and every the Fellows, Foreign Members, Officers, and Servants thereof; for fixing the times and places of the Meetings of the said Society; and also the Sum or Sums to be paid by the Fellows towards carrying on the purposes of the said Society; and the same Orders and Bye-Laws, from time to time, as they may see occasion, to alter, suspend, or repeal; and to make such new Orders and Bye-Laws in their stead as they shall think most proper and expedient, so as the same be not repugnant to these presents, or the laws of this our realm.
And also, That the Council, or any five or more of the Fellows of the said Society, shall have power to move the enactment of any new Bye-Law, or the alteration, suspension, or repeal of any existing Bye-Law, provided notice of such Motion shall have been delivered to one of the Secretaries in writing, and shall have been read from the Chair at two successive Meetings of the Fellows of the said Society; but that no such motion shall be deemed or taken to pass in the affirmative until the same shall have been discussed and decided by Ballot at another Meeting summoned especially for that purpose, an absolute majority of the Fellows then present having voted in the affirmative. In Witness whereof, We have caused these our Letters to be made Patent.
Witness Ourself at our Palace at Westminster this Twenty-third day of April, in the Sixth Year of our Reign.
By Writ of Privy Seal,
(Signed)
Scott.
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implead and be impleaded, and to answer and be answered unto in every Court or place of Us, our Heirs, and Successors.
February (or as near thereto as conveniently may be) in every successive year, assemble together at the then last or other usual place of meeting of the said Society, and, by method of ballot, remove from the then present Council one-fifth or more of the persons of whom it shall then 
manner of proposing, electing, admitting, and removing all and every the Fellows, Foreign Members, Officers, and Servants thereof; for fixing the times and places of the Meetings of the said Society; and also the Sum or Sums to be paid by the Fellows towards carrying on the purposes of the said Society; and the same Orders and Bye-Laws, from time to time, as they may see occasion, to alter, suspend, or repeal; and to make such new Orders and Bye-Laws in their stead as they shall think most proper and expedient, so as the same be not repugnant to these presents, or the laws of this our realm.