Received the Albert Medal 'for his work in the invention and technical development of the Hovercraft'

In 1758 the Society made the first of its many awards intended to promote reafforestation in Great Britain. A gold medal was awarded to Henry, fifth Duke of Beaufort, to mark the planting of acorns 'for the raising of Oak Timber' upon 23 acres of his estate at Hawkesbury, Gloucestershire. The artist, Anna Zinkeisen has depicted the Duke (in a red coat) listening as his steward, Robert Croucher, reads an advertisement of the conditions upon which the Society's offer of the medal was made. The mounted figure on the left is the Duke's sister, Lady Anne Somerset. Badminton House, the Duke's seat, can be seen in the distance. 24,000 copies sold.

Painted by Anna Zinkeisen. In 1758 the Society of Arts offered prizes for what were known as 'ship's blocks', i.e. scale models of ships, in order to 'ascertain by experiments the principles on which a good vessel is founded'. Water resistance and resistance to rolling were two of the main qualities it was desired to test. It was not until 1761 that sufficient models had been submitted for the prizes but that year six entries, 4 32-gun frigates and 2 74-gun ships, were tried at Peerless Pool, near Old Street, in the City of London. 26,500 copies sold.

The volume of prints from which this image is taken has been in the possession of the Society since it was first published. The Society is listed among the subscribers to the work, which would have been of particular relevance given its longstanding interest in printing (it regularly gave prizes for good examples of this craft). In a letter dated 13 March 1833, Lear wrote :'I have received from the Society a sheet of transferring lithographic paper, desiring my opinion of its suitableness for that purpose, and had I been at all accustomed to practice transferring, I should have felt very glad to have given it. As however I understand nothing of that part of the art of Lithography I have taken it to Mr Hullmandel.' Charles Hullmandel, the printer of 'Illustrations', received a silver medal from the Society in 1819 'for a lithographic drawing'. Lear was given permission to draw from life the parrots belonging to the Zoological Society of London. 18,000 copies sold.

Won prize of 5 guineas under section 6, Advertising, prize offered by Messrs E W Savory Limited

Barry

Page 431 from Volume 2 of 'Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, 1851. Reports by the Juries' (Great Exhibition 1851)

Background to the RSA's history