Aberdeen Workingmen’s Natural History and Scientific Society

In 1886, J.W.H. Trail helped found the Aberdeen Workingmen’s Natural History and Scientific Society and, for many years, served as the group’s president. Later, John Davidson served as vice-president. The Davidson photo collection contains several images of the society’s members undertaking field trips around Aberdeen in search of natural history specimens.

The title of the organization provides some insight into the class background of its membership. One of the reasons John Davidson moved to British Columbia was to escape the class system. When Davidson applied for work with the University of British Columbia, he removed the word “Workingmen” from the organization’s title, referring to the organization as the “Aberdeen Natural History and Scientific Society.”