The Scottish Meteorological Society was founded in 1855 by

David Milne-Home David Milne-Home of Milne Graden FRSE FGS PGSE LLD (1805–1890) was a Scottish advocate, geologist and meteorologist. He was the founder of the Scottish Meteorological Society in 1855, and served as its chairman. From 1874 to 1889 he served as p ...

with private funding, particularly from wealthy landowners who wished to compile meteorological records in order to improve agriculture. The Society founded the observatory on

Ben Nevis Ben Nevis ( ; gd, Beinn Nibheis ) is the highest mountain in Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland ...

, officially opened in 1883. In 1921, the Society amalgamated with the

Royal Meteorological Society The Royal Meteorological Society is a long-established institution that promotes academic and public engagement in weather and climate science. Fellows of the Society must possess relevant qualifications, but Associate Fellows can be lay enthus ...

Publications

* ''Journal of the Scottish Meteorological Society'', Volume 1 (1864) - Volume 18 (1917/19)

Notable members

* W S Bruce * Alexander Buchan, credited with establishing the weather map as the basis of weather forecasting *

, chairman of the Council of the Society *

Cargill Gilston Knott Cargill Gilston Knott FRS, FRSE LLD (30 June 1856 – 26 October 1922) was a Scottish physicist and mathematician who was a pioneer in seismological research. He spent his early career in Japan. He later became a Fellow of the Royal Society, ...

, President of the Society * John Murray, oceanographer *

Robert Traill Omond Robert Traill Omond FRSE LLD SMS (1858–1914) was a British physicist, geologist and meteorologist who set up the Ben Nevis Observatory. Life He was born on 5 June 1858, the son of Mary Eliza Traill, daughter of Thomas Stewart Traill, and Dr ...

, first Superintendent of the Ben Nevis observatory * Dr James Stark, first Secretary of the Society *

Thomas Stevenson Thomas Stevenson PRSE MInstCE FRSSA FSAScot (22 July 1818 – 8 May 1887) was a pioneering Scottish civil engineer, lighthouse designer and meteorologist, who designed over thirty lighthouses in and around Scotland, as well as the Stevenson sc ...

, co-founder and secretary *

Charles Thomson Rees Wilson Charles Thomson Rees Wilson, (14 February 1869 – 15 November 1959) was a Scottish physicist and meteorologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his invention of the cloud chamber. Education and early life Wilson was born in the parish ...

Clement Lindley Wragge Clement Lindley Wragge (18 September 185210 December 1922) was a meteorologist born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England, but moved to Oakamoor, Staffordshire as a child. He set up the Wragge Museum in Stafford following a trip around the wor ...

, awarded the Society's Gold Medal

References

Professional associations based in Scotland Organizations established in 1855 Learned societies of Scotland Climate of Scotland Meteorological societies Geographic societies Climatological research organizations 19th century in Scotland 1921 in Scotland History of agriculture in Scotland 1855 establishments in Scotland Defunct organisations based in Scotland History of science and technology in Scotland 1921 disestablishments in Scotland {{Scotland-hist-stub