Details

Facsimile editions (different versions and dates) of the first minute book of the Society. [Note: The Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers was founded in 1771, and was originally known as the Society of Civil Engineers, being renamed following its founder's death. It was the first engineering society to be formed anywhere in the world, and remains the oldest. When the Society was founded its title was the 'Society of Civil Engineers'. When William Mylne started a new Minute Book in 1822 he used the heading 'Engineers' Society' in the reports of each session until 1869, when he changed it to "Smeatonian Society". The rules and regulations issued in 1830 bore the title 'Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers' for the first time, which has been its title ever since. Eventually the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers became more of a dining club and a group of younger engineers began to demand a better grouping to aid their profession and the Institution of Civil Engineers was formed in 1818.