Richmond Scientific Society


The Richmond Scientific Society aims to promote and nurture interest in all branches of science, serving a wide range of ages and abilities, from layman to expert. The society runs a programme of lectures in Richmond, London on a variety of scientific topics.
The RSS is a registered charity. It was formerly a branch of the British Science Association and has a close relationship with the Hampstead Scientific Society., giving members of each society free attendance at the other's lectures.

Membership

The public can join the RSS on payment of an annual fee. The Society has about 50 members, with lecture audiences of about 30.

Events

The society holds an annual general meeting, social functions and a programme of monthly lectures, which usually run from September to May of the following year. The lectures, which cover a broad range of scientific subjects, are free to RSS members and open to the public on payment of a small fee at the door. The venue is Vestry House, Paradise Road, Richmond, TW9 1SA.

Support

The RSS provides support for science education in local schools, such as the provision of materials and items of equipment.

History

The Society was founded on 2nd March 1948 by Samuel Tolansky, a Lithuanian who was Professor of Physics at Royal Holloway College and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, at age 41. His opening address was What is Atomic Energy? He was President for that year and a Vice-President for the following two.
In January 1949 he gave a lecture on Interpretation of Dreams, and in January 1950 a lecture on Extreme Cold and Extreme Heat.
In his professional life he became particularly interested in the optics of diamond, and investigated optical characteristics of moon dust from the Apollo 11 first moon landing.
In 1969 he appeared on the BBC astronomy programme The Sky at Night.
He was a principal investigator for the Apollo programme, and a crater situated near the Apollo 14 landing site was named after him.
;Early Years
In 1948, the Society held five lectures in Richmond Community Centre, Sheen Road, an AGM with Biological films, and an annual dinner. There were visits to Wisley RHS Gardens, Kew Observatory, Oxshott Woods and Kew Gardens.
In 1949, events started in January with a Saturday public exhibition in the Community Centre. Again there were five lectures, with a tour of Old Richmond, visits to Glaxo Laboratories, Down House, Hampton Court, National Physical Laboratory and another fungus foray.
In 1950 there were five lectures as usual and visits to The National Gallery and Morden water purification works. In June, the Society hosted the 54th Annual Congress of the South Eastern Union of Scientific Societies and Dr.J Ramsbottom, one of Richmond's prominent members, was elected President of the Union.
In 1951, to reduce costs, lectures were held in St.Luke's Church Hall, but soon changed to the Parkshot Rooms; later to the Old Town Hall. Since 1981 Vestry House has been used.
;Charitable Status
The object of the Society was "to bring together all those interested in the various branches of science by means of lectures, discussions, visits, excursions, and other suitable activities".
In 1988 the Society applied to the Charity Commission for England and Wales to become a charity. The Society's rules were changed as required, the object now being "to educate the public in the various branches of science", and having eight described powers including "to provide monies, goods or services either alone or in association with any other body or persons" and "to organise and provide or to assist in the organisation and provision of a regular programme of educational visits and excursions".
RSS became a charity on 7th March 1988.
;British Association for the Advancement of Science
On 11th September 2002 the RSS became the first affiliated society acting as a Branch of the BA. RSS and the BA had a mutually agreed 'Memorandum of Understanding', defining roles and entitling RSS to grants from the BA. The £250 grants were put towards hall hire and other expenses.
In 2011 the BA changed its name to British Science Association to avoid confusion with British Airways, but it forbade abbreviation to 'BSA' to avoid confusion with motorcycles! By 2017 it was now allowing the use of 'BSA'. In 2020, BSA made all its branches autonomous, so there was no longer a place for RSS as an affiliate acting as a branch. Also its grants are now only given to organisations who try to interest people not already interested in science. RSS events do not qualify so no longer receive grants, and RSS is no longer affiliated to BSA.
;Educational Support
In December 1986, RSS started 'Richmond Holiday Lectures' for schools, initially with a three day series called 'Life in Orbit', in Jodrell Lecture Theatre, Kew Gardens. Titles were Let's escape from Earth, Seven nights in orbit, and Next stop the space station.
Heinz Wolff, who had recently appeared on TV running The Great Egg Race, was hired to perform. The event was financed from donations from many local businesses, Parish Lands owners of Vestry House, and an entry charge of £2.50.
The following year was almost equally successful. Professor Richard Gregory of Bristol University and 'The Exploratory' science museum gave talks on Seeing, Hearing and Inventing, in the Edmond Kean Theatre, Richmond Tertiary College, Twickenham. It was benefitted by a donation of £250 from Sainsbury's as part of their 'Good Neighbour' scheme.
In December 1988, Prof Charles Taylor, assisted by Bill Coates who had also assisted in many Royal Institution Christmas televised lectures, gave talks on Science in Our Lives in the Jodrell Lecture Theatre.
In 1989 the talks had to be arranged for January. Prof Maunder of Newcastle University talked on Motion - the constant challenge, but the attendances were extremely disappointing, owing to State school pupils having to return early from Christmas holidays.
RSS decided to abandon further holiday lectures as the schools would not grant concessions. Instead, in 1990, RSS held an event in Orleans Park School, a performance by the Kinetic Theatre of Where there's smoke there's a fire in October, and a lecture by Dr Peter Musgrove, MD of The Wind Energy Group entitled Wind Power: Britain's best renewable energy option in November at The Tertiary College.
The lectures were given under the banner 'Young Science Events in Richmond'. These were also poorly attended despite extensive advertising, so RSS passed their surplus monies to the Royal Institution, ending their sponsorship of YSER. However, in 1998, RSS received a legacy from former member Dr Grace Waterhouse, and from this fund made donations to YSER until 2005.
More recently, RSS has received legacies from former members Cecil Gittins and John Millbank, and is now in an even better position to donate to school projects. Beneficiaries to date are Teddington School, Richmond Maker Labs, and Holy Trinity CE Primary School. Tiffin School has on loan a solar telescope bought and owned by RSS.