The Society was formed based on the efforts of two local societies, the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club of Hereford and the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union. The curator of the Hereford club, Dr. H.G. Bull, convinced the members in 1867 to undertake the particular study of mushrooms. While the mycological efforts of the club diminished somewhat upon the death of Dr. Bull, the Union of Yorkshire took the lead and founded its mycological committee in 1892. This committee attracted many eminent mycologists including Mordecai Cubitt Cooke, Carleton Rea, George Edward Massee, Charles Bagge Plowright and others. The need for a national organization and the need for a journal to publish their observations led M.C. Cooke, C. Rea, G.E. Massee, Charles Crossland and other mycologists to found the Society in 1896. Elected as the first officers were G.E. Massee as president, C. Crossland as treasurer, and C. Rea as secretary. The choice of G.E. Massee for president was based on his international reputation and his role as the mycologist at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew. In 1897, C. Rea assumed the function of treasurer, remained secretary until 1918 and was editor until 1930.
Membership
By 1903 the Society had over a hundred members, by shortly after World War II it had over four hundred members, and by 2006 membership reached over two thousand.
Honorary members
Before World War II the award of honorary membership was seldom given:
Starting in 1896 the Society began publishing the Transactions of the British Mycological Society. In 1989 the Transactions were renamed Mycological Research which in turn was renamed Fungal Biology in 2010. In 1967 the Society began publishing the Bulletin of the British Mycological Society. In 1987 the Bulletin was renamed The Mycologist which in turn was renamed Fungal Biology Reviews in 2007 and launches a new journal Fungal Ecology. In 2000, the Society began publishing the quarterly journal Field Mycology for the study and identification of wild fungi. Periodically, the Society publishes symposia in the British Mycological Society symposium series on a particular theme. The first one, Genetics and physiology of Aspergillus edited by John E. Smith and John A. Pateman, was published in 1977. There have been twenty-four symposia published as of 2006. The Society also publishes many other items, from fine art prints to illustrated pocket identification guides, as well as a range of curriculum resources for teachers.
Activities
The BMS Mission Statement - To Promote Fungal Science Internationally. The Society's Objectives Are To: Encourage those interested in fungi and related organisms to join the Society and to take part in our events, whether in a professional or amateur capacity. Promote the recognition of fungal science in the UK and internationally Support and grow the key areas of Society activities to promote further understanding of fungal science and to inspire future generations of mycologists Support the Society's academic publications and other resources on fungal biology for the international community Organise conferences, workshops and other activities supporting mycology Promote networking across the fungal science community and maintain strong links with other relevant national and international learned societies and organisations Ensure the Society's resources are utilised effectively to further fungal science
