Catalogue description Records of the Portfolio Society

Poems, essays, minutes of meetings and speeches

Deposited by Mrs. Jupe, Hon. Secretary, Princes Cottage, 16 The Paragon, Clifton, Bristol 8 on the 19th July 1978.

The Portfolio Society was formed in 1866 in direct succession to the Bristol Endeavour Society, founded by Joseph Player Sturge in 1812, and the Bristol Budget Society which Sturge's son William formed in 1838. Members contributed essays and poems, often illustrated, which were circulated anonymously at meetings for comment and criticism. The portfolio in which contributions were passed round gave its name to the Society. In the early days of the Society a year's contributions were bound togeter and balloted among members. This system probably accounts for the loss of several volumes of early contributions. In 1880 the Society was in serious danger of being wound up. Instead the format of meetings was altered, so that contributions were no longer anonymous and topics and speakers were generally known in advance. The record kept from that date no longer comprises the original contributions but is the Secretary's minutes of the talks given. With this changed format the Society has continued and still continues with its original objects of "the recreation of thought and its more fervent expression in the English tongue, by consideration of the Arts and Sciences."

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