The Takeover 1889–1890

Lodge was undoubtedly the most distinguished of the original members of the Liverpool Physical Society and he was easily the most important contributor to its early meetings. Of the other early members, only the astronomer Isaac Roberts had established a scientific reputation, mainly for his spectacular contributions to stellar photography. In 1886, using his 20-inch reflector, he had taken a three hour exposure of the Pleiades which revealed a totally unsuspected nebulosity surrounding the cluster, and in the same year a photograph of the Andromeda nebula had shown its distinctly spiral structure. Although named one of the first Vice Presidents, he soon retired to Sussex, where the skies were clearer, and had little opportunity or inclination to play any active part in the meetings.

The 96 members listed for the first year included, besides those already named as officers or members of Council: Edward E. Robinson and Benjamin Davies, collaborators and assistants in Lodge's experimental work at University College; R. J. Harvey Gibson, a botanist, also of University College; the Rev. F. F. Grensted, a teacher at Merchant Taylor's School, and an investigator of natural phenomena in the best traditions of the scientific amateur; Osmund Jeffs, President of the Liverpool Science Students Association; Brierley H. Collins of the Electricity Supply Company, Ltd.; Eva Melly and S. Hey wood Melly, family friends of Oliver Lodge. Of the others, Jane Brandreth Holt, niece of George Holt, became, in July 1890, the first woman to gain first class honours in experimental physics from the University of London; A.