Janus: Records of the Ray Club

University contains:
<-- See earlier
SOC.84	Records of the Cambridge University Guild of Change Ringers
SOC.85	Records of the Cambridge University Judo Club
SOC.86	Records of the Cambridge University Liberal Club
SOC.87	Minutes and publications of the Cambridge Philological Society
SOC.88	Reports of walks and activities of the Cambridge University Rambling Club, occasionally signed
SOC.89	Records of the Ray Club
SOC.90	Records of the Cambridge University Swimming Club
SOC.91	Records of Cambridge University Presbyterian-Congregational Society, predecessor and successor bodies
SOC.92	Records of the Cambridge University Underwater Exploration Group
SOC.93	Records of the Cambridge Dancers' Club
SOC.94	Records of the Cambridge University Russian Society
See later -->

More information

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Records of the Ray Club

Title	Records of the Ray Club
Reference	GBR/0265/SOC.89 (former reference: Ms.Add.8834)
Creator	Ray Club
Covering Dates	1837–1976
Extent and Medium	1 metre; paper
Repository	Cambridge University Archives

Content and context

The club was founded on 11 March 1837 at the instigation of Charles Cardale Babington (1808-1895, then a student at St John's College), John James Smith (Gonville and Caius College), and William Haughton Stokes (Gonville and Caius College). Babington, club secretary for fifty-five years, viewed the club as the natural successor to the botanical and zoological discussions that John Stevens Henslow (1796-1861) had encouraged by hosting Friday evening soirées for his students. Henslow was also of St. John's College, and he and Babington successively held the position of professor of botany (1826-61 and 1861-95 respectively). The name of the club refers to John Ray (1627-1705), naturalist and theologian. It drew its membership primarily, though not exclusively, from senior members. It was self-selecting and limited in number. There were numerous notable members including geologist Adam Sedgwick, biblical scholar and theologian Fenton John Anthony Hort , and physicists George Gabriel Stokes and Joseph John Thomson (all of Trinity College).

The records were transferred to the University Archives from the Manuscripts Department on 5 March 2008. The bulk of the material was presented by Dr. David Edwin Coombe of Christ's College to the Manuscripts Department in 1989. SOC.89.8 was found in the papers of Sir Harry Godwin by Richard Gilbert West (his successor as professor of botany) who presented them to the Manuscripts Department later in 1989. Both transfers were given the classmark Ms.Add.8834.

Access and Use

Please cite as Cambridge University Archives, Records of the Ray Club, SOC.89

Further information

Additional items are available in the Rare Books Department, Cambridge University Library:

Printed papers (classmark: Cambridge Papers J 7330).

Charles Cardale Babington, The Ray Club : address to the members (Cambridge, 1868) (Classmark: Cam.c.868.46).

Charles Cardale Babington, Memorials journal and botanical correspondence of Charles Cardale Babington (Macmillan and Bowes; Cambridge, 1897) (Classmark: Cam.c.897.7)

Transcriptions of three letters referring to the Ray Club are to be found in the Darwin Correspondence website at www.darwinproject.ac.uk (letter numbers: 406, 1911 and 2548).

Indexed

The online catalogue entry for Janus was completed in March 2008.

Index Terms

University of Cambridge. Ray Club

University/SOC.89 contains:

SOC.89.1

Meetings registers.
8 volumes; paper.

1837–1972

SOC.89.2

Printed laws.
2 items; paper.

1857–1894

SOC.89.3

Secretary's correspondence and papers.
Creator: Coombe, David Edwin.
3 files; paper.

1969–1976

SOC.89.4

Annual programme cards. The cards give details of Easter term and Michaelmas term meetings and names of members and associates. Many of the cards have been decorated with reprints of a portrait of John Ray and a view of his home ''Dewlands'' in Essex.
8 items; paper.

1934–1942

SOC.89.5

Material relating to the centenary dinner of the Ray Club, held 16 March 1937.
3 items; paper.

1936–1937

SOC.89.6

Correspondence and papers. The file comprises two letters re club business; two menus; a circular regarding the funeral of Charles Earle Raven and an offprint of R.T. Gunther's article, ''Letters from John Ray to Peter Carthorpe'', published in the Journal of Botany (London, August 1934).
6 items; paper.

Aug. 1937–8 July 1964

SOC.89.7

Correspondence and papers, accumulated by club member Harry Godwin. The papers include draft rules, 1967; club circulars; correspondence; notes; and dinner menus. There is also a photocopy of a paper by W.H. Mills entitled ''The origin and early history of the Cambridge Ray Club'', 1950.
1 file; paper.

1950–1976

SOC.89.8

Paper by A.C. Seward entitled ''Notes from the Minute Books of the Ray Club (1837-1926)''.
Creator: Seward, Albert Charles.
1 item; paper.

3 June 1931

SOC.89.9

Correspondence and papers, accumulated by club associate member Richard Gilbert West. The file comprises letters and club circulars from Henry Thirkill as club secretary. There is also a typescript summary of a ''communication'' given by Richard Gilbert West to the club on quaternary deposits at Hoxne, Suffolk.
1 file; paper.

3 June 1952-Dec. 1953