EMS Centenary Dinner

The following is an extract from the minutes of the Fourth Ordinary Meeting of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society held in the New Senate Hall, Old College, University of Edinburgh, at 5.00 p.m. on Friday 4th February 1983:

Centenary Dinner

The dinner was held in the Upper Library Hall, Old College, University of Edinburgh at 7.30 p.m., preceded by a reception from 7.00 p.m.The Chair was occupied by the President, Professor A B Mackie (Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh). The following were present as guest of the Society. Professor M F Atiyah, F.R.S., (Royal Society Research Professor at the University of Oxford, Professor P M Cohn, F.R.S. (President of the London Mathematical Society), Dr J H Burnett (Principal of the University of Edinburgh), Sir John Atwell, (President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh), and Professor W L Edge, (Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh).

At the Reception preceding the Centenary Dinner, all present were invited to place their signatures in the Minute Book:

A G Mackie (President)
E M Mackie
I Roach
G F Roach
B D Sleeman
Irene Williamson
Catherine M Gray
J A Hulse (Librarian)
T A Gillespie (Secretary)
John Martin (Secretary)
J F Cornwell
Frank F Bonsall
Arthur D Sands
Richard J Jarvis
?? Gene Parry
Andrew Page
Roderick Macleod
Iain T Adamson (Vice-President)
John Hubbuck
A R Prince
A Nisbet
J A C Nisbet
James R Gray
Alex D D Craik and E M Craik
David Monk
Daniel Martin
Isobel Monk
Elizabeth A McHarg
John M Jackson
R M Dicker (Editor)
David B Fairlie
Robert A Rankin
Mary Rankin
Ann I Campbell
Helena F Robertson
Edmund F Robertson
Charles Dixon
Colin M Campbell
Beatrice Copson
Neil K Dikson
David Wallace
John C Amson
Gavin Brown
H R Dowson
W Craig
H S A Potter
Anne Potter
John M Howie
D J Howie
T S Blyth
Jane E C Blyth
Douglas Munn
Adam C McBride (Treasurer)
John Hunter
Mary Bradburn
J H Williamson
Elmer Rees
Mary Rees
Charles Batty
J W Searl
James Fulton
Elizabeth Fulton
James Cossar
Allan Sinclair
Nicholas Young
K Young
Edward Spence
Janet Spence
Ian M Snedden
Mary Snedden
Paul Cohn
John S Lowndes
Sally Lowndes
Christian Constanda
D F McShea?
S E Mackie
A A Lacey
Kenneth A Brown
W L Edge
Mike Smith
Robert W Owen
D C Pack
Constance M Pack
Charles Stuart
Robert Schlapp
M H Eggar
John Atwell
John Burnett
Michael Atiyah
Lily Atiyah
An exhibition, prepared by the Secretaries was displayed during the reception and after the dinner. This comprised historical material including a display of the Founders of the Society, a hundred years of meetings, the St Andrews Colloquium, miscellany from the minute books, and a map showing the distribution of the Society's Proceedings.

After the dinner the toast of "The Queen" was proposed by the President who later introduced Professor I N Sneddon, Simson Professor of Mathematics in the University of Glasgow. In proposing the toast to "The Society", Professor Sneddon told of members of the Society, past and present, who stand out in his memory. He spoke of Professors Whittaker, Aitken, Turnbull, Copson and Erdélyi, and noted with pleasure the presence of Professor Whittaker's daughter Mrs B Copson at the dinner. He also expressed everyone's pleasure that, although unable to attend the dinner, Dr Robert Schlapp had been present at the meeting and reception. The Secretary was requested to write to Dr Schlapp conveying to him the best wishes of the Society. Professor Sneddon also spoke of the Honorary members present: Professor Atiyah and the most recent: Professor Edge, and asked that the Secretary send greetings to Professor Coxeter on the occasion of the Centenary.

Responding to the toast, the President thanked Professor Sneddon for his kind remarks and proceeded to thank the University of Edinburgh through the Principal for provision of rooms and services, the speaker, guests and organisers of the dinner.