Our History | Royal Institution

Discover some of the people behind our rich heritage.

• George Finch (1752–1826) George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea, was elected as our first president in June. It was through his influence with the King, George III, that our Royal handle was acquired that same month
• Humphry Davy (1778–1829) In 1801, Humphry Davy was appointed Director of the Laboratory at the Ri. Davy had made his name by discovering the physiological action of nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. He soon became our Professor of Chemistry, firmly establishing the Ri as a popular venue for first rate lectures. Davy also established scientific research as a crucial feature of the Ri
• William Thomas Brande (1788–1866) William Thomas Brande succeeded Davy at the Ri as both Professor of Chemistry and Superintendent of the House in 1813
• Michael Faraday (1791–1867) After Humphry Davy seriously injured himself in a laboratory accident with nitrogen trichloride in 1812, he hired Michael Faraday as an assistant. Michael Faraday started as Laboratory Assistant and was appointed to Superintendent of the House in 1821, and Director of the Laboratory in 1821
• John Tyndall (1820–1893) John Tyndall was appointed Professor of Natural Philosophy in 1853 on Farday's suggestion, and then Superintendent of the House in September 1867, after Faraday's death in August
• James Dewar (1842–1923) James Dewar was appointed Fullerian Professor of Chemistry in 1877. After Tyndall retired in 1887, following a row about who will give the CHRISTMAS LECTURES, Dewar was appointed Superintendent of the House and Director of the Laboratory
• William Henry Bragg (1862–1942) William Henry Bragg was appointed as the Director of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory (DFRL) and Superintendent of the House in 1923
• Henry Hallett Dale (1875–1968) Hallett Dale was a medical doctor and researcher. In 1942 he succeeded William Henry Bragg at the Ri as Fullerian Professor of Chemistry, Superintendent of the House and Director of the DFRL and held all these posts until 1946.
• Eric Rideal (1890–1974 Rideal studied electrochemistry, other research topics included nitrogen and catalysis. During the 1939-45 war he worked on worked on explosives, fuels and other war related work. He was Director of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory from 1946-1949.
• Edward Neville da Costa Andrade (1887–1971) After the death of WH Bragg in 1942, three Directors of the Davy Faraday Research Laboratory, Henry Hallett Dale, Eric Rideal and Edward Neville da Costa Andrade, arrived and left in quick succession, with the last one leaving in 1954
• William Lawrence Bragg (1890–1971) William Lawrence Bragg was the son of William Henry Bragg. He was Superintendent of the House and Director of the DFRL from 1954 to 1966
• George Porter (1920–2002) George Porter was appointed first Director of the Ri in 1966, a merging of the positions of Director of the DFRL and Superintendent of the House
• Sir Richard Sykes Sir Richard Sykes was appointed Chairman of Council to the Royal Institution in 2010.
• Peter Day (Director 1991-98) Peter Day appointed Director of the RI and DFRL and to the Fullerian Professorship in 1991 and served the Institution for seven years. Within the DFRL, he continued his work on molecular electronic and magnetic properties of materials, with extensive use of neutron scattering methods
• John Meurig Thomas (1932 – 2020) A prolific author and inspiring lecturer, John Meurig Thomas was Director of the Ri from 1986-1991. He also co-presented the Christmas Lectures on Crystals and Lasers in 1987, and delivered several Friday Evening Discourses.

See the full list of Directors and Presidents of the Ri here.