History of the British Optical Association

Historical Significance: The British Optical Association (BOA) was founded in 1895 as the first professional body for ophthalmic opticians (optometrists) in the world. It ran the first professional examinations and provided the Secretariat for a number of other optical bodies including what would eventually become the Association of Optometrists and the World Council of Optometry. In 1980, the BOA joined forces with the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers and the Scottish Association of Opticians (now disbanded) to found the (British) College of Ophthalmic Opticians (known since 1996 as The College of Optometrists). Wikpedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Optical_Association. It was preceded by the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers which is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, UK. The Company was founded by a Royal Charter of Charles I in 1629 AD; The Company was empowered to set regulations and standards for optical devices; this was eroded by the Industrial Revolution, after which mechanical advancements made trade restrictions difficult to enforce. The Company set examinations that opticians (optometrists) but only from the late 1890s. The author was the BOA Librarian for many years, serving under George Giles OBE FBOA FSMC DOrth (1904-1965), the long serving Secretary of the BOA