'. ▁In ▁fact ▁this ▁November ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁meeting ▁was ▁meant ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁proper ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁but ▁De ▁Morgan ▁was ▁ill ▁and ▁could ▁not ▁attend . ▁The ▁chair ▁at ▁this ▁pre lim inary ▁meeting ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁T ▁A ▁H irst , ▁the ▁name ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁was ▁agreed , ▁and ▁the ▁date ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁meeting ▁proper ▁was ▁set ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 6 ▁January ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁meeting , ▁held ▁in ▁University ▁College , ▁Blo oms bury , ▁north ▁of ▁central ▁London , ▁the ▁chair ▁was ▁taken ▁by ▁August us ▁De ▁Morgan ▁who ▁gave ▁the ▁first ▁address ▁setting ▁out ▁what ▁the ▁a ims ▁and ▁practices ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁should ▁be . ▁▁ ▁This ▁meeting ▁was ▁attended ▁by ▁ 2 7 ▁mathemat icians ▁who ▁were ▁joined ▁as ▁members ▁by ▁a ▁further ▁ 4 3 ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁of ▁the ▁Society . ▁C ay ley , ▁Cl iff ord , ▁De ▁Morgan , ▁H irst , ▁Max well , ▁Sal mon , ▁Smith , ▁Sp ott is wo ode ▁and ▁Syl v ester ▁had ▁all ▁joined ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁The ▁first ▁six ▁Pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁Society ▁are ▁among ▁the ▁nine ▁mathemat icians ▁we ▁have ▁just ▁listed . ▁It ▁is ▁worth ▁not ing ▁that , ▁except ▁for ▁De ▁Morgan , ▁who ▁refused ▁a ▁Fellow ship ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Society , ▁all ▁pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁London