The ‘janitor-geologist’ and the ‘cold materialistic scientific men’: James Croll's navigation of scientific societies

Abstract

Scientific societies played a crucial role in the emergence of a professional culture of science in Britain in the midto late-19th Century. At first sight, James Croll’s membership of a limited numberof scientific associations may be assumed to be the result of his lackof social credit and scientific connections. In this article, by examining Croll’s correspondence, I demonstrate that Croll’s select participation in scientific clubs and associations reflected his strategic pursuit of a vision of science set apart from party or societal affiliation. I focus on the contrasting histories of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Geological Survey, as well as the institutional history of the Philosophical Magazine. Situating the institutions in their respective social and cultural contexts, I argue that the more meritocratic, inclusive social structure of the Survey and Magazine helps explain Croll’s choice to avoid affiliation with the Royal Society of Edinburgh.