The Sorby Natural History Society, Sheffield
Covering a full range of natural history interests in Sheffield and the surrounding area, providing for both interested beginners and specialists.About Us
The Sorby Natural History Society covers a full range of natural history interests in Sheffield and the surrounding area.
The Sorby Natural History Society’s Study and Recording Area.
Providing for both interested beginners and specialists, the Society…
- is the natural history society for Sheffield and the surrounding region, including South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire, the Peak District, the Dukeries and Sherwood.
- was formed in 1918 as the Sorby Scientific Society in honour of Henry Clifton Sorby (1826-1908) and is now a registered charity, without professional staff, run by members for members. The History of the Sorby Natural History Society…
- is a forum for naturalists of all ages and abilities to meet, enjoy natural history, collect, store and disseminate information, explore the Sorby Study Area and promote conservation of wildlife and geology.
- has groups that organise activities, such as lectures, field meetings and surveys, in which all members may participate. Sorby members are automatically members of all groups (except for Sorby Breck Ringing Group). Current groups are:
- publishes a journal, the Sorby Record, founded in 1958, and a series of monographs in the Sorby Record Special Series, to disseminate information about the natural history of Sorby study area.
- publishes a monthly Newsletter carrying details of meetings, reports, news, survey requests and selected advertisements.
- appoints Recorders to maintain the Society’s records of flora and fauna, stimulate surveys and validate records to high standards. Members have access to the Society’s records by appointment with the Recorder (the society does not provide a service to non-members).
- currently holds around 2,200,000 species records, most of which are computerised.
- organises over 100 events and meetings each year – lectures, workshops, group nights, socials, field excursions, minibus trips and field recording meetings.
Our History
The Society was formed in 1918 as an amalgamation of the Sheffield Naturalists’ Club, the Sheffield Microscopical Society and the Junior Naturalists’ Club. It was originally named The Sorby Scientific Society in honour of Sheffield’s greatest scientist Henry Clifton Sorby (1826 – 1908), but this name was changed in 1932 to The Sorby Natural History Society. It is hardly surprising that the founders of the Society felt that Sorby’s name would be an appropriate title for the new body, particularly in view of the fact that microscopical studies formed part of its activities. Over eighty years later the Society is still very active studying all branches of natural history (including microscopy and geology) within the City of Sheffield and around it, organising lectures, field trips and scientific surveys and producing a wide variety of publications. The Society is proud to bear Sorby’s name and honours his memory as a great scientist.
For more information, see The History of the Sorby Natural History Society (1918 to 1954) and A History of the Sorby Newsletter (1964 to 2020).