The Physical Society of London, England, existed
from 1874 to 1921.
It was a scientific society and produced the
Proceedings of the Physical Society of London.
In 1921 the society became the Physical Society
and in 1960 merged with the Institute of Physics
(IOP), the combined organisation eventually
adopting the name of the latter society.
The society was formed in 1874 due to the
efforts of Professor Frederick Guthrie, Professor
of Physics at the Royal College of Science,
South Kensington, and his assistant, William
Fletcher Barrett.
They canvassed support for a 'Society for
physical research' and on 14 February 1874,
the Physical Society of London was formed
with an initial membership of 29 people.
The Society's first president was John Hall
Gladstone.Meetings were held every two weeks,
mainly at Imperial College London.
From its beginning, the society held open
meetings and demonstrations and published
Proceedings of the Physical Society.
The first Guthrie lecture, now known as the
Faraday Medal and Prize, was delivered in
1914.
In 1921 the society became the Physical Society
and in 1932 absorbed the Optical Society (of
London).
In 1960 the merger with the Institute of Physics
took place, creating the Institute of Physics
and the Physical Society, which combined the
learned society tradition of the Physical
Society with the professional body tradition
of the Institute of Physics.
Upon being granted a royal charter in 1970,
the organization renamed itself as the Institute
of Physics.
== Presidents of the Physical Society
