Members at our 2007 BBQ

Cardiff
Naturalists' Society


Cymdeithas Naturiaethwyr
Caerdydd

 

 

Principal John Viriamu Jones, M.A. (1856-1901) 15th President


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For someone who is so widely respected there is little about him in our records and I have not yet located any society obituary to report from

he was noted as the first President of the Physical and Chemical Section and also a president of the main society

he applied for the Principalship of the Cardiff College and was appointed thereto in June 1883 He became, in 1894, the first Chancellor of the University and the Vice-Chairman of the Central Board on its formation in 1896

His election as society president seems to have been an enjoyable affair

Field Trip description from The Cardiff Times 26th June 1886

Field Trip description from The Cardiff Times 26th June 1886

He died at the early age of forty-five after a number of visits to Geneva in relation to his heath. These were extensively reported in the local newspapers, and an item of note is that his attending physician in Cardiff was Dr P Rhys Griffiths who would go on to become the 32nd President. The Cardiff Naturalists Society are reported in the Evening Express of 8th June 1901 as being amongst the formal funeral procession

Principal Viriamu Jones Health Breaks Down, Evening Express 15th May 1901

Principal Viriamu Jones Health Breaks Down, Evening Express 15th May 1901

He presented a number of papers to the society

  1. Vol. XVI. 1884 - Magnetism and magnetic fields, by Principal J. Viriamu Jones.
  2. Vol. XX. Part I. 1888 - New method of measuring rate of rotation, by Principal J. Viriamu Jones
  3. Vol. XVIIL, 1886. - Inaugural address, by Principal J. Viriamu Jones
  4. Vol. XXVI., PART I. 1893-4. - The meeting of delegates of corresponding societies of the British Association at Nottingham in September, 1893 by J. Viriamu Jones

Given his role at the university it is no surprise that there is a statue of him in the main foyer of the Cardiff University main building

Principal Viriamu Jones Statue

Principal Viriamu Jones Statue

Principal Viriamu Jones Statue

Principal Viriamu Jones Statue

As a side note regarding families and friend relationships within the society, Lillie Stacpoole Haycraft (1852-1916), the wife of John Berry Haycraft 34th President was recognised as an accomplished artist and often was involved in fund raising for such things as the university and the infirmary. She painted Mrs Viriamu Jones as mentioned in the article below, The picture is in the collection of Cardiff University and reproduced with their permission

Portrait to be Presented to Aberdare Hall,Evening Express 10th December 1894

Portrait to be Presented to Aberdare Hall, Evening Express 10th December 1894

Mrs Viriamu Jones by Lillie Stacpoole Haycraft (1852-1916) with kind permission of Cardiff University

Mrs Viriamu Jones by Lillie Stacpoole Haycraft (1852-1916) with kind permission of Cardiff University



Back to the 150th Anniversary index

Before this... Henry Heywood (1842-1909) 14th President

Next up... Thomas Henry Thomas (1839-1915) 16th President

See our Full list of Presidents

These pages are part of the Cardiff Naturalists' Society 150th Anniversary celebrations and are about our history and are celebrating the people who developed our Society and helped build the city and the cultural heritage of Cardiff. You can read more about that using the links above

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