In the first year they were joined by John Golborne, William Black, Robert Whitworth and Hugh Henshall, and these eleven were known as the Original Members.
The unveiling of a memorial stone to Smeaton in Westminster Abbey on 7 November 1994, by Noel Ordman, President,[5] was described in The Times as 'a triumph for the Smeatonian Society'.
[6] Smeaton is also one of six civil engineers depicted in the Stephenson stained glass window, designed by William Wailes and unveiled in 1862.
[7] The Society continues to this day, mainly as a dining and discussion club of around sixty senior professional engineers, 'distinguished for their work in the theory or practice of design, manufacture, construction or management in the various fields of engineering', up to eighteen retired Members Emeritus and up to fifteen Honorary Members.
The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (elected 1953) served as president in 1971 and was an active participant until 2017.
[2] The Latin motto "Omnia in Numero, Pondere et Mensura" was added to the summons card in 1793; it is adapted from Wisdom of Solomon 11:20 "(Thou hast ordered) all things by number, weight and measure".