logologo-optometry

The Dioptric Review. Transactions of the British Optical Association

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Catalogue Number: 2262
The Dioptric Review. Transactions of the British Optical Association
Category: Periodical, magazine
Association: British Optical Association
Year Of Publication/Manufacture: 1935 to 1938
Time Period: 1900 to 1939
Place Of Publication/Manufacture: London
Publisher/Manufacturer: British Optical Association
Description Of Item: Five volumes 37 1935 to 41 1939 of the journal 'Dioptric Review', bound black cloth hardback covers with gilt lettering on spine, 181 x 240 mm.
Historical Significance: These are volumes of the official journal of the British Optical Association. The Association was founded in 1895. The first issue of this journal was in 1896 so publication of the journal was an early priority for the Association. It was succeeded in 1940 by the Brit J Physiol Optics. The Editor for these volumes was J K Sutcliffe OBE F Inst P. He was also the founder of the BOA Museum in 1901 and now held by the College of Optometrists. These volumes feature articles on items in the BOA and high quality illustrations of these featured items mounted on heavy paper are bound into the journal. John Hamer Sutcliffe (1867-1941) an ophthalmic optician originally from Rochdale, who set up an optical practice in Blackpool, was the distinguished founder of the British Optical Association Museum in 1901. He studied optics at Owens College (subsequently to become part of the University of Manchester) from 1893, later moving to the Manchester Royal Eye Infirmary. When in 1895, his father Robert Sutcliffe founded the British Optical Association John quickly became involved, becoming at once its Acting Secretary and its first proper secretary in 1896, remaining in post, almost incredibly, until 1940. In 1901 the chance gift of some antique spectacles prompted Sutcliffe to establish a museum to sit alongside the new BOA Library. He built this up almost single-handedly by a combination of solicited donations and canny purchases. He was able to promote the collection via the BOA's journal, the Dioptric Review which he edited and which contains an unusually high number of historical articles for a publication of this sort. In the late 1920s and 1930s the Dioptric Review included souvenir prints, produced on the BOA's in-house press and featuring items from the museum or library collection. These are now collectors' items.
How Acquired: Donated by Ross Harris, Honorary Life Member of the College
Date Acquired: Aug 2013
Location: Archive room. East wall. Books of historical note

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