▁of ▁the ▁London ▁and ▁B irmingham ▁Railway . ▁ ▁Vol unt ary ▁work ▁He ▁shared ▁in ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁London ▁University ▁in ▁G ower ▁Street . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁first ▁council ▁members ▁( 1 9 ▁December ▁ 1 8 2 3 ), ▁and ▁continued ▁as ▁tre as urer ▁until ▁March ▁ 1 8 4 1 . ▁He ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁char ter ▁for ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society ▁of ▁Liter ature ▁on ▁a ▁pro ▁b ono . ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁active ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁council ▁of ▁the ▁society , ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁prom ot ers ▁of ▁Thomas ▁Wright ' s ▁Bi ograph ia ▁Britannica ▁Liter aria . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 6 , ▁with ▁Lord ▁Br ough am , ▁George ▁B irk beck , ▁George ▁G rote , ▁and ▁others , ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁for ▁the ▁D iff usion ▁of ▁Use ful ▁Know ledge ; ▁but ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁he ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁those ▁who ▁disapp ro ved ▁of ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁Society ' s ▁Bi ographical ▁Dictionary . ▁ ▁To oke ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁ 1 8 1 8 . ▁He ▁was ▁present ▁at ▁the ▁first ▁annual ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁Law ▁Institution ▁on ▁ 5 ▁June ▁ 1 8 2 7 , ▁and ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁obtain ing ▁a ▁royal ▁char ter ▁of ▁incorpor ation ▁for ▁it ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 8 3 2 . ▁From ▁an ▁earlier