Aylesbury Mechanics’ Institute and Literary Society [AMILS] (1840-1915?), Temple Street, formed in 1840 as the Mechanics’ Institute (Kelly 1915), in 1854 it was referred to as the Mechanics’ Institution and Reading Rooms (Post Office 1854). New premises in Temple Street were opened in 1880, built at the expense of Sir Nathaniel de Rothschild; there was a spacious reading room on the ground floor with a library above (Kelly 1883, 279). In 1883, it was referred to as the Mechanics’ Institute and Literary Society (Kelly 1883, 285). By 1899, it had become the Literary Institute and the library contained 1 600 volumes (Kelly 1899, 21). By 1915, the library had grown to 2 500 volumes and the Literary Institute had about 250 members (Kelly 1915, 27).
Beaconsfield Literary and Mechanics’ Institute [BLMI] (c.1883-c.1899), High Street was listed in 1883 (Kelly 1883, 289), so was probably formed before that year. However, as there was no mention in a directory for 1854 (Post Office 1854), it was probably formed sometime between 1854 and 1883. There is no mention in directories for 1899, 1911 and 1915 (Kelly 1899; Kelly 1911, 316-7; Kelly 1915, 27), so presumably ceased to exist sometime before 1899.
Buckingham Literary and Scientific Institution [BLSI] (c.1854-c.1899), Bridge Street was listed in a directory for 1854 (Post Office 1854), so was probably founded before that year. In 1883, it occupied the upper floor of the Town Hall in Bridge Street and had a library of 800 volumes (Kelly 1883, 297 & 300). There does not appear to be any mention of this organization in directories for 1899, 1911 and 1915 (Kelly 1899; Kelly 1911, 316-7; Kelly 1915) so it presumably ceased to exist some time before 1899.
Chesham Mechanics’ Institute [CMSI] (c.1854-c.1915), Market Square, was probably formed before 1854, as it was listed in a directory for that year (Post Office 1854). The address was given as Town Hall (Post Office 1854). By 1883, the address was given as Market Square (Kelly 1883, 307 & 310). The Mechanics’ Institute was also listed in 1899 (Kelly 1899, 59-60 & 62-3) and in 1907 (Kelly 1907), with William F Lowndes Esq. as president. However, by 1911 the Chesham Mechanics’ Institute was no longer listed, but the Chesham Institute was listed, also at Market Square and with William F Lowndes Esq. as president (Kelly 1911, 316-7). By 1915, it seems that it might have again changed its name, this time to the Chesham Club and Literary Institute, and moved to Station Road (Kelly 1915). The officers of the Chesham Institute in 1911 and the Chesham Club and Literary Institute in 1915 were almost identical: William F Lowndes esq. president; J G Stone, junior honorary secretary; and H Culmer, librarian.
Great Marlow Literary and Scientific Institution [GMLSI] (c.1854-1899/1915), High Street was established in 1853 (Kelly 1883, 355) It was described in 1854 as ‘well patronised by the principal inhabitants’ (Post Office 1854). In 1883, it included a library of ‘1 000 volumes of useful and standard works, newspapers and periodicals, with London and provincial directories’, with a lecture room separately located in St Peter’s Street (Kelly 1883, 358). From 1899, there is no mention of the Great Marlow Literary and Scientific Institution, but it is possible that it became the Great Marlow Institute, which appears in directories for 1899 (Kelly, 1899), 1911 (Kelly, 1911) and 1915 (Kelly, 1915).
High Wycombe Natural History Society [HWNHS] (c.1883-9) sources so far consulted, this society is mentioned in directories for 1883 and 1899 only. On a page devoted to the geology of Buckinghamshire, High Wycombe Natural History Society is mentioned under Natural History and Scientific Societies (Kelly 1883, 266; Kelly 1899, 10). However, it does not seem to appear elsewhere in the 1883 or 1899 directories. Furthermore, in 1907 and 1915 on the geology of Buckinghamshire page, under Natural History and Scientific Societies, The High Wycombe Literary and Scientific Institution (see below) is mentioned.
The High Wycombe Literary and Scientific Institute [THWLSI] (c.1883-?) – See Wycombe Literary and Scientific Institution (Kelly 1883, 416).
New Wolverton Science and Art Institute [NWSAI]- See Wolverton Science and Art Institute
Olney Mechanics’ Institute [OMI] (c.1883-1907), High Street, listed in directories for 1883 (Kelly 1883, 372) and 1899 (Kelly 1899, 141) and 1907 (Kelly 1907), but very little detail is given. It is not listed in directories for 1854 (Post Office, 1854), 1911 (Kelly, 1911, 316-7) and 1915 (Kelly, 1915).
Princes Risborough Literary Institute and Reading Room [PRLIRR] (c.1899-1915), High Street, listed in directories for 1899 (Kelly 1899), 1907 (Kelly 1907), 1911 (Kelly 1911, 316-7) and 1915 (Kelly 1915). It is not included in a directory for 1883 (Kelly 1883).
Slough Mechanics’ Institute and Reading Room [SMIRR] (c.1854-1883), Church Street, listed in directories for 1854 (Post Office 1854) and 1883 (Kelly 1883, 382). In 1883, it had a library of 800 volumes (Kelly 1883, 385). It is not listed in directories for 1899 (Kelly 1899), 1911 (Kelly 1911, 316-7) and 1915 (Kelly 1915).
Wendover Literary Institution/Society [WLIS] (c.1865-1915), variously listed as an ‘institution’ and a ‘society’, the Wendover Literary Institution was built in 1865, by the late Lieut-General Philip Smith (Kelly 1899). In 1883, it was stated that lectures were occasionally delivered and that there was a ‘commodious reading room’ with a library of 500 volumes (Kelly 1883, 402). However, in 1899 (Kelly 1899, 180-1) and 1915 (Kelly 1915, 209), the library consisted of 250 volumes, but there was a periodical exchange of books with an external library (1899) and a bookseller (1915).
West Wycombe Literary and Mechanics’ Institute [WWLMI] (c.1883-99), had a reading room and library, which was open from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm daily (Kelly 1883, 424; Kelly 1899). In 1899, the library comprised 300 volumes (Kelly 1899).
Wolverton Science and Art Institute [WSAI] (c.1864-1915), Church Street, opened in 1864, in connection with the Department of Science and Art at South Kensington, the City and Guilds of London Institute and the Society of Arts, it contained several classrooms, a reading room, library and large lecture hall seating 500 persons. In 1891, it was enlarged to include a chemical laboratory and gymnasium, then in 1910 a mechanical laboratory was added (Kelly 1915, 221). Dunleavy states that it was originally founded in 1840 as the Wolverton Mechanics’ Institute, but did not have permanent buildings until 1864, when it became the Science and Art Institute (Kelly 1899, 180-1). The building was destroyed in a fire in 1970 (Dunleavy 2008).
Wycombe Literary and Scientific Society [WLSS] (1844-1907), Church Square, High Wycombe, established in 1844, in 1883 it occupied a ‘handsome building’ in Church Square (Kelly, 1883). It occupied the upper portion of the Shambles, an octagonal building built in 1761 from designs by architects James and Robert Adams (Kelly 1899, 198; Kelly 1915, 229-230). The library comprised 1 300 volumes (Kelly 1883; Kelly 1899, 206). From the late C19th to the early C20th, membership declined, from over 300 members in 1883 (Kelly 1883), to 135 members in 1899 (Kelly 1899, 208), then to 110 members in 1906 (Kelly 1907) and about 90 members in 1915, the final year for which membership data has so far been found (Kelly 1915, 12).
Survey of Astronomical History 