The landed property of the Royal Society
1938; Royal Society; Volume: 1; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1098/rsnr.1938.0019
ISSN1743-0178
Autores Tópico(s)Historical Economic and Social Studies
ResumoMany institutions have found it advantageous to invest a proportion of their capital in land and buildings, but not many scientific societies follow this practice, some finding trust funds more convenient, others considering that the supervision which landed property requires outweighs its other advantages. The Royal Society, however, has from time to time acquired by purchase or accepted by gift or bequest such property, and on the whole it has gained by doing so. Both the First and Second Charters authorize ‘the President, Council and Fellows of the Royal Society of London to have, acquire, receive and possess lands, tenements, meadows, feedings, pastures, liberties, privileges, franchises, jurisdictions and hereditaments whatsoever to them and their successors in fee and perpetuity . . . (the Statute concerning alienation in mortmain notwithstanding) and also to give, grant and assign the same lands. . . .' Now under the Charitable Trusts Acts of 1853 and 1855 such endowments cannot be held by the Society. This matter has come before the Courts more than once; in 1874 the Master of the Rolls decided that gifts to the Royal Society, so far as they are pure personalty, are good charitable gifts, but otherwise void.
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