The volume includes the following selected entries and inserted documents: printed circular issued in the name of
William Brockedon, 29 Devonshire Street, Queen Square, to those artists who had agreed to become members of a "conversazione of artists", inviting them to attend a meeting at the National Gallery of Practical Science, Adelaide Street, Strand, in order to agree rules for the society, with, on the reverse, a list of the hundred artists concerned, in their several categories of painters, painters in watercolours, sculptors, architects and engravers, 11 March 1833; letter from
T. L. Donaldson to Brockeden informing him of the passing of a resolution to thank him for the formation of the society, 21 March 1833; minutes of general meeting, including transcript of a report read by the secretary detailing the background to the formation of the society; note of the re-election of
[Thomas] Griffith as treasurer, the election of
[John] Britton as secretary and the re-election of the existing committee; details of the election to replace eleven of those named in the original list of one hundred artists, ten of whom had declined membership [including
[William] Etty and
[George] Cattermole]; note of decision to invite twenty "Noblemen and Gentlemen, patriotic encouragers of Native Talent" to the meetings; and details of the election of three honorary members, 11 December 1833;
Laws and Regulations of The Graphic Society, London, 1834; honorary secretary's circular notice to members announcing the society's annual general meeting, to be held at the Thatched-House tavern, St James's Street, 20 November 1834; minutes of committee meeting at which it was resolved to print and send out to members the preceeding circular, 19 November 1834; secretary's annual account, 1833; minutes of general meeting, including a resolution to increase the size of the committee by the addition of two painters, one engraver and one architect [originally five members, one from each class], 2 December 1835; minutes of general meeting, including note of election of Charles Atkinson as new secretary, and transcript of letter from John Britton, resigning office, 13 January 1836; minutes of annual general meeting, including resolutions about where to hold the society's conversazioni, following the announcement of the intended demolition of The Thatched House tavern, 16 November 1842; minutes of annual general meeting, including transcript of a letter proposing that members make up a portfolio of sketches in honour of William Brockedon, in recognition of his status as the effective founder of the Graphic Society; and resolution henceforth to include the literary and scientific visitors in one class, [12] November 1844; minutes of annual general meeting, including a resolution to meet a deputation from the Institute of Fine Arts, to discuss suggested co-operation between art societies to find a building suitable for their meetings, 12 November 1845; resolutions of the committee and other members [subsequently confirmed] to increase the number of sculptors to eight, and gradually reduce the number of architects to fifteen, 27 October 1847; transcript of notice signed by members of the committee, dealing with irregularities in attendance at meetings of the society: minutes of committee (held at the library of University College), 30 October 1850; proposal for submission to general meeting calling for an extra meeting of the Graphic Society, to which foreign artists in London might be invited, with members contributing portfolios of sketches: minutes of committee meeting, 30 October 1850 (adopted by annual general meeting, 13 November 1850); resolved to notify members of the use of the rooms of the Horticultural Society for general meeting: committee minutes, 5 November 1851; and [end of volume] list of names and addresses of members and visitors, 1836. The volume also contained the following loose papers: notice to members on irregularities at meetings, 9 April 1858 [GS/1/1]; letter from
James E. Doyle, 54 Clifton Gardens W., to
Charles G. Lewis, asking him to explain to the committee why he could not show any of his designs to fellow members, 12 February [1872] [GS/1/2]; and letter from
William Gale, Graphic Society, 7. New Court, Lincoln's Inn. W.C., to
Frederick A. Eaton, acknowledging the acceptance, by the President and Council of
Royal Academy, of the archives of the Graphic Society: the committee of the Graphic Society wish to express the satisfaction they feel that the records of the society will be in the safe keeping of the Royal Academy, 17 July 1891 [GS/1/3].