[The Hard backed book, with leather-like covers and spine, contains faint blue-green lined pages, was supplied by Eleph G. Bisat, Commercial Printer and Stationer, and Account Book Manufacturer, 5, Barter Gate, Doncaster. On the first two plain pages a price of 3/- is written. The first entries in the book are in the hand of Matthew H. Stiles]
The Doncaster Microscopical and General Scientific Society.
Minute Book N0. 3
Beginning Oct. 1894.
Oct 16, 1894
Committee Meeting in the Reference Room, Free Library.
Present – Dr. Mitchell Wilson (President), Messrs. H.H. Corbett, J.G. Walker, T.L. Atkinson, G. Bisat, F. Whaley, & M.H. Stiles, Hon Sec.
The arrangements for the coming Conversazione were discussed & decided upon.
Mr. Whaley & Mr. Bisat were requested to look after & arrange the Photographs; Mr. Corbett the Natural History Specimens, Fossils etc.; Mr. Stiles, Mr. Winter & Mr. Roberts the Microscopes.
Oct 18, 1894
The Annual Meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union was held in the Mansion House.
A Programme of the meeting & a report of it from the Doncaster Chronicle are inserted on the following Pages.
Signed Mitchell Wilson
Conversazione At The Mansion House
In connection with the annual meeting of the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, which was held in Doncaster, on Thursday, the proceedings concluded with a microscopical conversazione in the Mansion House, During the afternoon sectional meetings were held, and afterwards the members who came from all parts of Yorkshire were entertained to tea by the Mayor and Mayoress.
Subsequently a general meeting was held when the retiring president, Mr. R. H. Tiddeman, M.A., F.G.S., delivered an address on geological work for local societies.
The arrangements, which were carried out by Mr. M.H. Stiles, the local hon. sec., gave general satisfaction – indeed the visitors expressed themselves highly pleased with the reception accorded to them and Mr. Stiles has received a complimentary letter from the President, thanking him for the excellent arrangements. On no previous occasion have the members been more considerately treated by the local authorities.
Although it was described as a microscopical conversazione the display was by no means confined to microscopes. There was a fine display of photographs by Mr. F. Whaley, Mr. G.B. Bisat, Mr. J.R. Thompson, Mr. M.H. Stiles, Mr. W. Roberts, Mr. H. Percy, Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Barton of Bawtry. Sprotborough and Cusworth appear to be happy hunting ground for the amateur photographer, and several especially pretty picturesque of that neighbourhood were shown. Several very good photographs of natural phenomena were shown by Mr. Leadbeater of Rotherham. Fossils were exhibited by James Howard of the Deaf and Dumb institution, whilst Miss Godfrey of Bennitthorpe, showed a most beautiful axe head which was found on the Race Common some years ago. Mrs. J.G. Robinson exhibited a nice collection of shells, and Mr. Kaye, of Scot Lane, sent a most interesting and valuable collection of medallion portraits and other curious articles.
Microscopes were lent by Mr. B. S. Brundell, Rev. W.R. Weston, Rev. E.H. Bennett, Mrs. Smith, (The Grange, Thorne), Mr. J.M. Kirk, Mr. M.H. Stiles, Mr. George Winter, Mr. Walter Roberts, Mr. W.T. Jackson, Mr. W.C. Brown (Appleby), Mr. W.R. Willey (Infirmary), Mr. G.A. Lewis, Mr. C.M. Hartley, Mr. G.B. Bisat, Dr. H.J. Clark, Mr. P.W. Matthewman, Mr. Furnival, Mr. W. Parkin, Mr. J.B. Richardson, Mr. James Spencer (Halifax), Rev T Gough (Retford, two), Mr. F.W. Branson (Leeds, six), Messrs., Watson and Sons (London, six), Mr. J. Charters-Birch (Leeds), Mr. J.W. Howarth (Leeds), Mr. E. Gledhill (Halifax), Dr. Burman (Wath), Mr. J. Neale, B.A. (Ackworth), Mr. R.C. Burn.
Among the microscopical objects exhibited were : Living- Cristabella, Volvox, Paludicella, Melicerta Floscularia, and various Entornostraca. The following diatoms were shown – Aniscodiscus, Heliopelta, a typical slide of Pleurosigma showing all the better known varieties , group of Diatoms