44 
HISTORY OF THE 
[1820-30 
182 
The Secretaries dut 
If the Council worked hard at the outset the Secretaries must 
have been taxed severely, and generally found their labours too j ar 
serious after a few years. Even the energetic F. Baily, who (with 
Babbage) initiated the office, only held out a couple of years. He 
usually signed the Minutes as Secretary (in addition to the signa 
ture of the Chairman); but there are several omissions, and the 
Minutes of 1820 December 8 were signed on 1821 January 12 by me] 
C. Babbage as Secretary (though Baily was present on both occa 
sions). He gave notice in 1822 March of his desire to resign at 
the end of the session (June), and at a special meeting held on 
November 1, Millington was elected Secretary, and Baily invited 
to continue attending the meetings of Council “ that they may upc 
avail themselves of the benefit of his advice ” : he accordingly wer 
did attend, the fact being specially mentioned on each occasion. gra< 
The handwriting (uniform up to that point) then changes, and the not 
minutes are not afterwards signed by either Secretary. the 
Babbage also wished to resign in 1822 February, but agreed The 
under pressure to accept office with Millington. The early holders Gee 
of the office were :— Bea 
his ' 
F. Baily, 1820-23. O. Gregory, 1824-28. ] 
Babbage, 1820-24. Stratford, 1826-31. 
Millington, 1823-25. Sheepshanks, 1828-31. 
In 1824 March (at one of the resumed Council meetings after 
the evening meeting) it was resolved “ that in consequence of the 
increased business of the Society in correcting press and various in r 
other ways, it has become necessary that an Assistant Secretary a L 
or clerk should be employed, and Mr. W. S. Stratford, R.N., being adjc 
recommended by Mr. Gompertz and Mr. Frend as a person highly Jun 
qualified to fill this office, was appointed Assistant Secretary to men 
the Society from this day until the commencement of the vacation (J. i 
in June next, and that he be remunerated for his services in such beer 
manner as the Council shall determine.” and 
Knowing the present importance of the office thus initiated, led 
we learn with surprise that the start was in this instance not eigh 
followed up. In 1825 May, Millington resigned one of the Secre- P r es 
taryships and Stratford (who was paid in all £40 for his services) the J 
offered to fill the gap in an honorary capacity. The offer was an d 
accepted, but Stratford’s name does not appear in the lists of those nbje 
present at the meetings until 1826 March, when he had been wa d 
regularly elected Secretary. In 1825 November, however, he was a Fe 
elected a Fellow of the Society, and in consideration of the “ close l 3a U ( 
and unremitting attention which he had constantly paid to the an d