Charter

The Institute was founded in 1882 and was granted its Royal Charter in 1891. The Charter, which has been slightly amended on four occasions since then, is the framework document which governs how the Institute operates. It sets out the framework for the provisions relating to the classes of membership, the size, election and operation of the council, and to the disciplinary arrangements.

The detailed provisions are under the Charter and contained in the By-laws. Changes to the Charter and By-laws must be approved by the Privy Council before they can be brought into operation. The Charter and By-laws can be downloaded from here as a pdf file.

Coat of Arms

The Institute’s Coat of Arms was created in the year 2000 to mark the millenium. The motto on the scroll ‘Respice Finem’ is from the Gest Romanorum*, Chapter 103: ‘Quidquid agas, prudenter agas, et respice finem’ which means ‘Whatever you do, do cautiously, and look to the end’. To view a pdf of the Coat of Arms click here.

* The Gesta Romanorum or Deeds of the Romans was compiled in Latin in the early fouteenth century by an English cleric. It was first published about 1473.