‘Society of Snobs’

Abstract

This chapter refers to William Shipley, who had benefited from the aid of the Royal Society of Arts' first two presidents, Viscount Folkestone and Lord Romney, for his visions to be taken seriously and initiate the Great Exhibition. It points out how the Society capitalised on the credit it got for initiating the Great Exhibition in the 1950s and used that reputation to push for reforms. The chapter talks about the “Albert Medal” that commemorates the death of Prince Albert and was awarded to people who had done much to aid arts, manufactures, and commerce. It mentions Rowland Hill as the first recipient of the Albert Medal for his campaign to create the Penny Postage system. It also explains how the awarding of the Albert Medal each year allowed the Society to associate itself with household names or recognise its own activists, such as Henry Cole or John Alexander Milne.