Newcomen Society

{{About|UK Newcomen Society|the US society with a similar name|Newcomen Society of the United States}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2018}}

{{more citations needed|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox organization

|image = The Newcomen Society logo.svg

|alt = Logo of the Newcomen Society is a griffin regardant.

|caption = Logo of the Newcomen Society

|formation = 1920

|type = Learned society

|purpose = Promotion and study of the history of engineering and technology

|headquarters = The Science Museum

|language = English

|leader_title = President

|leader_name =

|name = The Newcomen Society

|location = London

|website = http://newcomen.com/

|named_after=Thomas Newcomen}}

The Newcomen Society is an international{{citation needed|date=November 2023}} learned society that promotes and celebrates the history of engineering and technology. It was founded in London in 1920,The Newcomen Society. Journal of the Royal Society of Arts 72 (3709): 84 (1923) {{jstor|41356408}} and takes its name from Thomas Newcomen, one of the inventors associated with the early development of the steam engine and who is widely considered the "father of the Industrial Revolution". An early president was Loughnan St. L. Pendred.

The society is concerned with all branches of engineering: civil, mechanical, electrical, electronic, structural, aeronautical, marine, chemical and manufacturing as well as biography and invention.

The Newcomen Society is based at the Science Museum in London. There are regional branches in England: Midlands (Birmingham), North West (Manchester), North East (Newcastle), Western (Bristol) and Southern (Portsmouth), South Yorkshire (Sheffield) and one in Scotland (Glasgow and Edinburgh).

It publishes the International Journal for the History of Engineering and Technology (formerly the Transactions of the Newcomen Society) and Newcomen Links, a quarterly newsletter. An online archive of previous Transactions is available to members. The society also has a YouTube Channel with videos of meetings, conferences and online lectures.

The motto of the Society is the Latin actorum memores simul affectamus agenda, meaning "mindful of things that have taken place, at the same time we strive after things yet to be done". The choice of a griffin regardant for the logo was to symbolise vigilance and looking backward while going forward.

The Newcomen Society is a registered charity[https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/215410 Registered Charity number: 215410] and a limited company.[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00691545 Company Limited by Guarantee No. 00691545]

An American branch was established in 1923, but the Newcomen Society of the United States was entirely separate from its UK counterpart. The American group disbanded in 2007.

Notable members

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

  • F. S. Marvin (1924). The History of Technology. Transactions of the Newcomen Society. 113, pages 40–41 {{doi|10.1038/113040a0}}