An audience of approximately 50 people, who attended the Society’s 1326th Ordinary General Meeting at the State Library of NSW on 2 October, witnessed the launching of RSNSW’s first history book by the Governor of NSW, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, and the State Librarian, Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon.

Titled Knowledge for a Nation: Origins of the Royal Society of New South Wales, the 320-page volume was written by Blue Mountains historian Dr Anne Coote, produced by the Society’s Publishing Committee, and was supported by a Create NSW cultural grant managed by the Royal Australian Historical Society.

The launch was hosted by the RSNSW’s President, Dr Susan Pond AM FRSN, and Vice-President, Emeritus Professor Peter Shergold AC FRSN. After a video message of congratulations from Her Excellency, recorded at Government House, the event’s centrepiece was Dr Coote’s illustrated summary of the Society’s 19th-century evolution – from a short-lived philosophical group of five prominent colonial businessmen, meeting at each other’s homes, to assent from Queen Victoria in 1866 to use the term ‘royal’, to a globally influential, science-oriented, post-Federation organisation involving the founders and leaders of most of the State’s major cultural institutions.

From left to right in the image to the right are: Dr Caroline Butler-Bowden, Dr Anne Coote, Dr Susan Pond, Dr Davina Jackson (editor of the book and chair of the Society’s Publishing committee), and Emeritus Professor Peter Shergold.

A video of the launch speeches and Dr Coote’s lecture is now available on the RSNSW YouTube channel. A collection of images from the occasion, including certificate presentations to the RSNSW’s new Members and Fellows, is also available for viewing and download.