Directors and Presidents of the Royal Institution

Since 1799, the Royal Institution has been led and governed by some of the brightest and most influential minds of its day.

Directors

Directors of the Laboratory:

  • 1806   William Harris
  • 1813   William Thomas Brande
  • 1821   Michael Faraday(acting)
  • 1826   Michael Faraday(assistant)
  • 1852   Michael Faraday
  • 1867   John Tyndall
  • 1887   James Dewar

Directors of the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory

  • 1896 James Dewar
  • 1896 Lord Rayleigh
  • 1923 William Bragg
  • 1942 Henry Hallett Dale
  • 1946 Eric Rideal
  • 1950 Edward Andrade
  • 1954 Lawrence Bragg
  • 1998 Richard Catlow
  • 2008 Quentin Pankhurst

Directors

  • 1965 William Lawrence Bragg
  • 1966 George, Baron Porter of Luddenham
  • 1986 David Philips (acting)
  • 1986 John Meurig Thomas
  • 1991 Peter Day
  • 1998 Susan Greenfield, Baroness Greenfield
  • 2017 Sarah Harper
  • 2018 Shaun Fitzgerald
  • 2022 Katherine Mathieson

Presidents

1799   George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea

1813   George John, 2nd Earl Spencer

1825   Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester

1827   Edward Adolphus Seymour, 11th Duke of Somerset

1842   Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland

1865   Henry Holland

1873   Algernon George Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland

1899   Henry George Percy, 7th Duke of Northumberland

1918   Alan Ian Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland

1930   Eustace Sutherland Campbell Percy, Baron Percy of Newcastle

1945   Robert John Strutt, 4th Baron Rayleigh

1948   John Theodore Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon, 1st Baron Brabazon of Tara

1963   Alexander Fleck, 1st Baron Fleck of Saltcoats

1968   William Wellclose Davis (acting)

1969   Harold Roxbee Cox, Baron Kings Norton of Wotton Underwood

1976   His Royal Highness Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick, the Duke of Kent

Building closures from 9 December onwards

We are closed on the 10 and 12 December, along with other closures during the week starting 9 December, full details here.