The Society of Engineers was a British

learned society A learned society (; also learned academy, scholarly society, or academic association) is an organization that exists to promote an discipline (academia), academic discipline, profession, or a group of related disciplines such as the arts and s ...

established in 1854. It was the first society to issue the professional title of Incorporated Engineer. It merged with the

Institution of Incorporated Engineers The Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) was a multidisciplinary engineering institution in the United Kingdom. In 2006 it merged with the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) to form the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IE ...

(IIE) in 2005, and in 2006 the merged body joined with the

Institution of Electrical Engineers The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. It began in 1871 as the Society of Te ...

to become the

Institution of Engineering and Technology The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is a multidisciplinary professional engineering institution. The IET was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), dating back to 1871, and ...

History

Establishment

Established in May 1854 in The Strand, London, the Society of Engineers was one of the oldest professional

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

bodies in the United Kingdom (after the

Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers The Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers was founded in England in 1771. It was the first engineering society to be formed anywhere in the world, and remains the oldest. It was originally known as the Society of Civil Engineers, being renamed fo ...

, 1771, the

Institution of Civil Engineers The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is an independent professional association for civil engineers and a charitable body in the United Kingdom. Based in London, ICE has over 92,000 members, of whom three-quarters are located in the UK, whi ...

, 1818, and the

Institution of Mechanical Engineers The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 120,000 member ...

, 1847) It promoted the interests of members worldwide and was concerned with all branches of engineering. It was founded by

Henry Palfrey Stephenson Henry Palfrey Stephenson (27 March 1826 – 30 April 1890) was a Scottish-born civil engineer, and a founder of the Society of Engineers. The son of Major John Stephenson of the 6th Dragoon Guards, Stephenson was born at Portobello, near Edi ...

and Robert Monro Christie as a means of reunion for former students of

Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient paris ...

College (the short-lived

College for Civil Engineers The College for Civil Engineers in Putney, Southwest London, was one of the earliest educational establishments to teach civil engineering. History A private college, it was founded in 1839 and initially based in Gordon House in Kentish Town but w ...

, 1839–c.1851)Society of Engineers: Committee and Officers for 1861
Retrieved: 30 September 2015 — one of few institutions then giving technical and scientific training for engineers — with Stephenson serving as president in 1856 and 1859.

Timeline

* 1839 –

founded * 1854 – Society of Engineers (SoE) founded * 1884 – Junior Institution of Engineers founded * Date unknown – Junior Institution of Engineers renamed the Institution of Mechanical & General Technician Engineers (IMGTechE) * Early 20th century – Association of Supervisory Electrical Engineers (ASEE) founded * 1928 – Cumann na nInnealtoiri (The Engineers Society) is founded in Ireland * Early 20th century – Institute of Engineers and Technicians (IET) founded * Mid 20th century – Institution of Incorporated Executive Engineers (IIExE) founded * Mid 20th century – The Institution of Electronics and Radio Engineers (IERE) founded * 1965 – Institution of Electrical and Electronics Technician Engineers (IEETE) founded, incorporating ASEE (with support from the IEE) * 1965 – The Society of Electronics and Radio Technicians (SERT) founded by amalgamation of IERE with Radio Trades Examination Board (RTEB). SERT then supported RTEB renamed as the Electronics Examination Board (EEB) * 1969 – A number of Corporate Members of the Society of Engineers founded on the 27 October 1969 The Society of Professional Engineers (SPE) that maintains a register of Engineers who have proved their competence and can be accurately described as Professional Engineers and who on Registration can use the designation "P.Eng."; * 1969 – The Institution of Civil Engineers and Cumann na nInnealtóirí merged to form the

Institution of Engineers of Ireland The Institution of Engineers of Ireland ( ga, Cumann na nInnealtóirí) or the IEI, is the second oldest Engineering Society on the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, and was established in 1835. The institution primarily represents mem ...

, now known as Engineers Ireland. * 1978 – The Institution of Technician Engineers in Mechanical Engineering (ITEME) founded (with support from IMechE) * 1982 – The IMGTechE and ITEME merged to form the Institution of Mechanical Incorporated Engineers (IMechIE) * 1982 – IEETE renamed the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Incorporated Engineers * 1990 – IEEIE and SERT merged to form the Institution of Electronics and Electrical Incorporated Engineers (IEEIE) * 1998 – IEEIE, IMechIE and IET merged to form the Institution of Incorporated Engineers in electronic, electrical and mechanical Engineering (IIE) * 1999 – IEExE merged with IIE * 2001 – IIE granted royal charter and renamed the

(IIE) * 2004 – Institute of British Engineers (IBE) wound up * 2005 – EEB wound up * 2005 – Society of Engineers merged into IIE. The merger ensured continued recognition of the society as its members retained their post nominal letters (MSE or MSEng), and securedg a broader membership base for the IIE. * 2006 – IIE and IEE (

) joined to form the

(IET). * 2018 – SPE absorbed into IET * 2019 – The Society of Environmental Engineers (SEE) wound up The IET now has more than 150,000 members worldwide, and incorporates all members of the Society of Engineers.

Membership

Examinations

To become a member the candidate was subjected to an examination divided into three parts: * Part I: General Engineering * Part II: Design Paper (Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical/ Electronics Project). * Part III: Management

Membership qualifications

* ASE: Associate Engineering (Non-Corporate Member) minimum age 21 years, a qualification BTEC, HND, HNC or GNVQ/NVQ/SNQ Level 4 in engineering or similar approved qualification and 3 years of engineering training. Pass Part I of SoE's Exams. * AMSE: Associate Member (Non-Corporate Member) minimum age 23 years, ASE plus CertEng or BEng / BSc or GNVQ / NVQ / SNVO Level 5 in engineering or similar approved qualification and 5 years of engineering training /experience including 2 years practical or site work. Pass Part II of SoE's Exams. * MSE: Member (Corporate Member) minimum age 26 years AMSE plus DipEng or BEng(Hons)or similar approved qualification or MEng with approved project study at a participating university and 5 years engineering training/experience including 2 years practical or site work plus holding a position of professional responsibility for at least 3 years. Pass Part III of SoE's Exams. Sample of the Membership Certificate: The sensible data of the holder have been deleted for privacy reasons. *http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/38172939 See slides 7-42-43-44 http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest141513-1498327-technicians-engineers-challenges-possibilities/ The Society of Professional Engineers-SPE (UK) is a direct emanation of the Society of Engineers ( 1969 ). See links at the bottom of the page. * FSE: Fellow (Corporate Member) - No Direct Entry minimum age 33 years, Corporate Members of at least 7 years standing, who in the opinion of the Membership Elections Committee endorsed by the directors are deemed to have had sufficient experience (including major responsibility in the design, research or execution of engineering works) and who can also demonstrate continued career development. Services rendered to the society in particular or to the profession of engineering generally are also taken into account. * HonFSE: Honorary Fellow (Corporate Member) - No Direct Entry Honorary Fellows shall be persons of distinguished position or scientific attainments nominated and elected by the directors who shall consent to become members of the society.

Eminent members

The society has had many eminent engineers among its membership and in receipt of its awards which include the Churchill Medal. On 27 November 1946 at the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

, Sir

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

became an Honorary Fellow and approved the use of his name for the society's senior award. Another Honorary Fellow was radio pioneer Sir

Guglielmo Marconi Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquis of Marconi (; 25 April 187420 July 1937) was an Italians, Italian inventor and electrical engineering, electrical engineer, known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based Wireless telegrap ...

. Churchill Medal recipients have included Sir

Frank Whittle Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, (1 June 1907 – 8 August 1996) was an English engineer, inventor and Royal Air Force (RAF) air officer. He is credited with inventing the turbojet engine. A patent was submitted by Maxime Guillaume in 1921 for ...

for jet engine design, Sir Christopher Hinton and Sir

John Cockcroft Sir John Douglas Cockcroft, (27 May 1897 – 18 September 1967) was a British physicist who shared with Ernest Walton the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1951 for splitting the atomic nucleus, and was instrumental in the development of nuclea ...

for their work on atomic energy, Sir

Geoffrey de Havilland Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, (27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965) was an English aviation pioneer and aerospace engineer. The aircraft company he founded produced the Mosquito, which has been considered the most versatile warplane ever built,D ...

for aircraft design, Sir

Bernard Lovell Sir Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell (31 August 19136 August 2012) was an English physicist and radio astronomer. He was the first director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, from 1945 to 1980. Early life and education Lovell was born at Oldland Comm ...

for radio astronomy and

Alan Wells Alan Peter Wells (born 2 October 1961) is an English cricketer. He played for Sussex from 1981 to 1996, where he was captain from 1992 to 1996. He then played for Kent from 1997 to 2000. In total he played 376 first-class matches in a career ...

for the Wells wave turbine.

Past presidents

*2004 Allan Cooper Wright *2003 S John C Gale *2002 David McLaren *2001 David W Purnell *1999 Brian Rhys Masterston *1998 Alan D Crowhurst *1997 Alan D Crowhurst *1996 John H Wilkinson *1995 Dennis F B Gibbard *1994 Eric S Long *1993 David McLaren *1992 Thomas Kenneth-Duncan *1991 T E Geldart *1990 J H Roderick Haswell *1989 Iain Cooper Wright *1988 Iain Cooper Wright *1987 Alan John Curzon *1986 Raymond Charles Yarnell *1985 David Vaughan Richards *1984 Victor Charles Ealey *1983 Charles Kenneth Haswell *1982 Colin Cruickshanks Bates *1981 John Alfred Gardner *1980 David John Hardcastle *1979 Richard Charles Wykes *1978 Albert Edward Witchlow *1977 Peter Michael Rex Olley *1976 Thomas Morgan Scanlon *1975 John David Burrows *1974 The Earl of Ilchester *1973 Douglas John Ayres *1972 Stanley Nash Bruce Gairn *1971 Brian Joseph Bell *1970 Frank Wilsenham Hyde *1969 William Godfrey Taylor *1968 Leo Giulio Culleton *1967 Robert Carey *1966 Gilbert Robert Charles Bunn *1965 Charles Leslie Nichol Laing *1964 Donald William Tull *1963 Donald William Tull *1962 John Charles Maxwell-Cook *1961 William Edward Humphrey *1960 Eric Godfrey Massey Collier *1959 Iain Cyril Cocking *1958 Robert Clark *1957 Edward Charles Lejeune *1956 Captain Harry Francis Jackson *1955 Henry George Taylor *1954 Walter Robert Howard *1953 Gerald Norman Swayne *1952 Ronald Samuel Vernon Barber *1951 Paul Sison Ham *1950 Cyril Lett Boucher *1949 Edward Sugden Waddington *1948 Ernest Edward Turner *1947 Victor Stephen Wigmore *1946 Albert Edward Turner *1945 Frank Parfett *1944 Frank Parfett *1943 Edward John Spiller Lamport *1942 Sir Henry Percy Maybury *1941 Sir Henry Percy Maybury *1940 Sir Henry Percy Maybury *1939 Sir Henry Percy Maybury *1938 H Bentham *1937 Bateman Brown Tarring OBE *1935 Hervey Carlton Hawkins *1934 Arthur Marinus Alexander Struben OBE *1933 James Douglas Haworth *1932 Frederick William Mackenzie-Skues *1931 Harry William Towse *1930 William Marrow Beckett MBE *1929 Archibald Kirkwood Dobbs *1928 Charles Henry James Clayton *1927 Douglas Charles Fidler *1926 Gerald Otley Case *1925 Archibald Stewart Buckle *1924 George Arthur Becks *1923 Arthur Marshall Arter *1922 Alfred Tony Jules Gueritte *1921 Lord Headley *1920 Burnard Geen *1919 Walter Noble Twelvetrees *1918 William Beedie Esson *1917 Henry Charles Adams *1916 Percy Griffith *1915 Norman Scorgie *1914 Henry Chawner Hine Shelton *1913 Arthur Valon *1912 John Kennedy *1911 Francis George Bloyd *1910 Diogo A Symons *1909 Edward John Silcock *1908 Joseph William Wilson *1907 Richard St George Moore *1906 Maurice Wilson *1905 Nicholas James West *1904 David Butler Butler *1902 Percy Griffith *1901 Charles Mason *1900 Henry O’Connor *1899 John Cory Fell *1898

William Worby Beaumont William Worby Beaumont (1848 – 14 April 1929) was an early automotive engineer and inventor. He was born in Chorlton in Lancashire in 1848, the son of the agricultural engineer William Henry Beaumont (1827-1907) and his wife Ellen ''née'' ...

*1897 George Maxwell Lawford *1896 Samuel Herbert Cox *1895 William George Peirce *1894 George Abraham Goodwin *1893 William Andrew McIntosh Valon *1892 Joseph William Wilson Junior *1891 William Newby Colam *1890 Henry Adams *1889 Jonathan R Baillie *1888 Arthur T Walmisley *1887 Professor Henry Robinson *1886 Perry Fairfax Nursey *1885 Charles Gandon *1884 Arthur Rigg *1883 Jabez Church *1882 Jabez Church *1881 Charles Horsley *1880 Joseph Bernays *1879 Robert Paulson Spice *1878 Robert Paulson Spice *1877 Thomas Cargill *1876 Vaughan Pendred *1875 John Henry Adams *1874 William MacGeorge *1873 Jabez Church *1872 Jabez Church *1871 Baldwin Latham *1870 William Adams *1869 Frederick William Bryant *1868 Baldwin Latham *1867

William Henry Le Feuvre William Henry Le Feuvre (1832–1896) was an English engineer, born on the island of Jersey. He was president of the Society of Engineers The Society of Engineers was a British learned society established in 1854. It was the first society to issue ...

*1866 Zerah Colburn *1865 William Thomas Carrington *1864 Charles Llewellyn Light *1863 Robert Monro Christie *1862 Edward Riley *1861 James C Amos *1860

Rowland Mason Ordish Rowland Mason Ordish (11 April 1824 – 1886) was an English engineer. He is most noted for his design of the Winter Garden, Dublin (1865), for his detailed work on the single-span roof of London's St Pancras railway station, undertaken with Wil ...

*1859

*1858 Robert Monro Christie *1857 George William Allan *1856

*1855 No official president *1854 No official presidentA list of Past Presidents of the Society of Engineers and the Civil and Mechanical Engineers’ Society - Institution of Incorporated Engineers website
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References

British Qualifications 34th Edition A Complete Guide to Educational, Technical Professional and Academic Qualifications in Britain . https://books.google.it/books?id=-CA2-PM2OKYC&pg=PA591&lpg=PA591&dq=British+Qualifications+,the+society+of+engineers+one&source=bl&ots=t8A2gi1qUv&sig=8aIcmYMfZyguO1Qo3AMtcm8rtYQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwil0J3ZsO3KAhVFCiwKHfHmCIsQ6AEINTAC#v=onepage&q=British%20Qualifications%20%2Cthe%20society%20of%20engineers%20one&f=true

External links

The IET, The Institution of Engineering and TechnologySPE - the Society of Professional EngineersABEI, the Association of British Engineers in Italy
{{authority control Engineering societies based in the United Kingdom

Engineers Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

1854 establishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1854