The society was formed  by fourteen gentlemen and one lady on the 21st of March 1895. The first meeting was held in the newly completed Mechanics Institute (this building was not far from the present day House of Fraser building)

All of the members where professional people with the exception of the first president who was Mr Josiah Drinkwater who was a proprietor of a decorating business which was where Station House is now, there were doctors, chemist, parsons and an army surgeon and of course the lady. The membership grew steadily over the years.