Imperial Geographical Society
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 Logo of the Imperial Geographical Society | |
| Abbreviation | IGS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 28 February 2009 |
| Headquarters | Wrythe |
| Location | |
Membership (2023) | 13 |
Director | HIM Emperor Jonathan I |
Parent organization | Austenasian Environmental Agency |
The Imperial Geographical Society (IGS) is an Austenasian organisation which is administered by the Environmental Agency. Its founding mission statement is "to explore and research the natural world to further understand it and to share its wonders with Austenasia and the rest of the world."
History
The Imperial Geographical Society was founded on 28 February 2009 by Act 63 of the Parliament of Austenasia, immediately after Act 62 founded the Environmental Office (then known as the Ministry of the Environment). Just over two months later, the IGS launched an expedition to explore some British countryside south of the British town of Bletchingley, the coincidement of which with a church-organised ramble greatly boosted the number of participants. The IGS has conducted twenty seven more expeditions since its first.
On 23 April 2010, the IGS founded a collection of specimens such as seashells and interesting stones, which is based in Wrythe, and in late 2012 organised and undertook an archaeological dig in Wrythe Public Park.
Current members
- HIM Emperor Jonathan I, since 28 February 2009 (Director)
- HIH Emperor Mother Margaret, since 4 May 2009
- HIH Crown Princess Caroline, since 4 May 2009
- Lord Marshal William K., Baron of Zephyria, since 4 May 2009
- Sir Joseph Francis, KCP, since 4 May 2009
- Dame A. Francis, DOR, since 4 May 2009
- John K., OAO, since 3 May 2010
- HIH Emperor Father Terry, since 12 February 2012
- HI&SH Empress Hannah, since 15 June 2016
- Ava Neasa, since 4 March 2017
- Alexander IV of Pavlov, since 29 December 2019
- Lord William Wilson, Duke of Taysha, since 9 February 2020
- H.E. Arthur C. de Tourneau, since 9 April 2021
Expeditions
| No. | Date | Location | Leader(s) | Participants | Notes | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 4 May 2009 | South of Bletchingley | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan Mr D. Moore |
27 | A footpath was named Nettle Path by Sir Joseph and a junction was named Mud Junction by HIH Crown Prince Jonathan. A stream near to the M23 was noted to be running nearly dry. A large mound of ash by a mobile telephone mast near Henhaw Farm was named Hill of Ash by Lord William and claimed by him for the Empire while the Expedition ate lunch in a nearby clearing. Crown Prince Jonathan and Lord William climbed to the top of a hill near a duck pond, which Lord William named Lavender Hill. In some nearby woods, two separate ruined cars, both upside down, rusting and overgrown with plants were noticed, as well as signs of badgers. | Official report Video |
| #2 | 31 August 2009 | Silent Pool | HIM Emperor Terry I | 4 | The Expedition viewed the Silent Pool and the adjacent Sherbourne Pond. A large amount of algae was noticed growing on the surface of the water of Sherbourne Pond due to the recent hot weather. It had been intended to take a sample of the spring water, but no members of the Expedition had a suitable container with them. | Official report Video |
| #3 | 3 May 2010 | Sheepleas | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan Mr D. Moore |
26 | The Expedition explored woods and countryside in the Sheepleas area, and visited the nearby Anglo-Saxon St. Mary's Church. | Video |
| #4 | 2 May 2011 | Banstead Heath and Colley Hill | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan Mr D. Moore |
23 | The Expedition explored the woods and fields of Banstead Heath, coming across numerous white pillars which nobody could identify (later discovered to have been coal tax posts). The Expedition then crossed the M25 and climbed Colley Hill. | Video |
| #5 | 15 February 2012 | British Museum | Tribune Sir Terry Austen, KCJ | 2 | The Expedition took the Northern line on the London Underground to journey to the British Museum. Once there, the Expedition explored the museum, viewing and photographing various artifacts and exhibits. | Slideshow |
| #6 | 7 May 2012 | Ranmore Common | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan John K., OAO |
12 | As has become traditional, this Expedition coincided with a May Day Bank Holiday church ramble. Fields and farmland around Ranmore Common in Surrey were explored. | Video |
| #7 | 1 January 2013 | Wimbledon Common | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | 12 | The Expedition explored Wimbledon Common, giving names to various landmarks found on the way. | Report and photographs |
| #8 | 1 April 2013 | Wimbledon Common | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 4 | The Expedition explored Wimbledon Common, following part of the route of the previous expedition and noting what had changed in three months. | Video |
| #9 | 6 May 2013 | Headley Heath | John K., OAO | 11 | The Expedition traversed heathland, fields, farms and woods near the British village of Headley, climbing some very steep hills along the way. | Video |
| #10 | 29 August 2013 | Beddington Tunnels | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 2 | The Expedition searched for entrances in the surrounding areas to a network of tunnels known to be under the British town of Beddington in an attempt to confirm legends that the tunnels stretch much further than officially documented. No evidence of the tunnels reaching beyond Beddington was found, but the Expedition did find two of the entrances (now bricked up) in Beddington, and two more possible entrances. | Video |
| #11 | 5 May 2014 | Woldingham | John K., OAO | 10 | The Expedition explored woods and farmland to the south-west of the village of Woldingham, walking through bluebell woods and visiting St. Agatha's Church. | Video |
| #12 | 4 May 2015 | South of Friday Street | John K., OAO | 7 | The Expedition explored woods to the south of Friday Street, stopping for lunch in the small village of Holmbury Saint Mary. | Video |
| #13 | 2 May 2016 | South of Bletchingley | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 8 | The Expedition followed the same route as that taken by the first IGS expedition in 2009, noting the changes which had taken place in the seven years which had passed. A plan to stop for lunch again at Hill of Ash had to be abandoned due to the landowners having fenced off the clearing, and so a short detour was made to have lunch in the nearby Bransland Woods instead. | Video |
| #14 | 15 June 2016 | Chester to Sealand | HIM Emperor Jonathan I HH Princess Consort Hannah |
2 | The Expedition walked the two and a half miles from Chester across the Welsh border to the town of Sealand, built on reclaimed marshland and sharing its name with a famous micronation. | Article |
| #15 | 2 January 2017 | Wimbledon Common | HIM Emperor Jonathan I Lord Michael, KPP |
8 | The Expedition explored Wimbledon Common, visiting the Queensmere and Kingsmere ponds. | Article |
| #16 | 1 May 2017 | Warlingham | John K., OAO | 15 | The Expedition explored woods, farmland and suburbs in and to the north of the town of Warlingham. | Video Article |
| #17 | 9 September 2017 | Cheam and Nonsuch Parks | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 3 | The Expedition explored two parks straddling the border between the London Borough of Sutton and the county of Surrey, discovering dried watercourses, some basic wooden shelters constructed in woodland, and some wild parakeets, as well as observing views of various London landmarks from high ground. | Article |
| #18 | 12 April 2018 | Soria and the Duero | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 2 | The Expedition explored sites of interest in the Spanish city of Soria, and followed part of the course of the Duero River. The first IGS Expedition to have taken place outside of the United Kingdom. | Article |
| #19 | 3 January 2019 | Dorking | HIH Emperor Father Terry | 3 | The Expedition drove to Dorking where they had lunch at a pub, seeing a large statue of a cockerel (a local landmark) on the way. A relatively uneventful trip out which was nonetheless enjoyed by all. | Article |
| #20 | 6 May 2019 | Box Hill | HIM Emperor Jonathan I John K., OAO |
14 | The Expedition traversed woodland and clearings on a climb up Box Hill. | Video Article |
| #21 | 1 January 2020 | Tarsus | HSH Prince Dionisiy I | 2 | The Expedition explored the ancient town of Tarsus and visited the Mausoleum of Danyal and Saint Paul's Well. The first IGS Expedition to have taken place outside of Europe, and the first to have not involved Jonathan I as a participant. | Article |
| #22 | 9 February 2020 | San Antonio | Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos | 2 | The Expedition explored the city of San Antonio and visited the Mission San Antonio De Valero, a section of the San Antonio River Walk, and Brackenridge Park. This was the first expedition in North America and to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. | |
| #23 | 1 May 2020 | Navasota River | Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos | 2 | The Expedition journeyed to the Navasota River. While there, fishing the river resulted in the catch of a 6.1 pound bass, and an examination of the local geology revealed some citrine quartz. | Article |
| #24 | 28-30 May 2020 | Centennial Park | Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos | 2 | The Expedition - the first to span more than one day - set off from Nahona on 28 May and visited Whites Creek, Tennessee. On 30 May, the arrived at Centennial Park in Nashville, and explored its Parthenon replica, monuments and artistic exhibits. | Video Article |
| #25 | 4 September 2021 | Millennium Greenway to Plemstall | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 1 | The Expedition - the only one to date to have only one person taking part - set off from Chester, heading east along the Millennium Greenway rail trail to the hamlet of Plemstall, where religious sites connected to St. Plegmund were visited. | Video Article |
| #26 | 2 May 2022 | Woldingham | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 13 | The Expedition followed the same route as that taken by the 2014 IGS Expedition, noting the changes which had taken place in the eight years which had passed. | Video Article |
| #27 | 1 May 2023 | Banstead Heath and Colley Hill | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | 9 | The Expedition revisited the area explored by the 2011 IGS Expedition, with some slight variations from the original route. | Video Article |
| #28 | 23-25 August 2023 | Isle of Wight | HIM Emperor Jonathan I HI&SH Empress Hannah |
2 | The Expedition explored West Wight over 23 August, visiting All Saints' Freshwater, Farringford House, and Alum Bay and the Needles. A decision was then made to continue the expedition over succeeding days to other sites of interest on the island, exploring Osborne House and its grounds and gardens on the 24th, and Carisbrooke Castle and Newport on the 25th. | Video Article |
Discoveries
The IGS has enountered several features which it has named. While it does not claim to have actually "discovered" them, the following is a list of said features which have been named by Austenasians or Austenasian knights upon being encountered by the IGS:
| Name | Original name | Discoverer | Notes | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nettle Path | Unknown, part of Greensand Way | Sir Joseph Francis, KOR, MAO | A path traversed during the South of Bletchingley 4/5/09 IGS Expedition. Very narrow due to large amounts of nettles on either side, it was named after this attribute by Sir Joseph. | 
|
| Mud Junction | Unknown, part of Greensand Way | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A junction formed to the south of Nettle Path by a smaller path joining the footpath to the west. Traversed during the South of Bletchingley 4/5/09 IGS Expedition and named after the muddy conditions. | 
|
| Hill of Ash | Unknown, near Bransland Wood | Lord William K., Duke of Royton, KOR, KCA, DSC | A large pile of ash and debris found by a mobile telephone mast near Henhaw Farm during the South of Bletchingley 4/5/09 IGS Expedition. Lord William claimed the area for Austenasia, and the expedition stopped by the Hill of Ash to eat their packed lunches. As they left the area, Crown Prince Jonathan relinquished the Austenasian claim. | 
|
| Lavender Hill | Unknown, possibly Poundhill (to the west of South Park Lane) | Lord William K., Duke of Royton, KOR, KCA, DSC | A hill roughly a mile to the north-east of the Hill of Ash, climbed by HIH Crown Prince Jonathan, HIH Princess Caroline, Lord William, Sir Joseph and Dame Abbie during the South of Bletchingley 4/5/09 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Evergreen Avenue | Unknown | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A pathway in a wooded area between Weston and Mountain Woods lined with evergreen trees, walked down during the Sheepleas 3/5/10 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Mount Nectombetec | Foel y Mwnt | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A prominent steep conical headland rising above the beach of Mwnt, Ceredigion. Successfully scaled by HIH Crown Prince Jonathan on 9 August 2011 during an informal survey of the beach by the IGS, and named after the pre-dynastic regnal name of Declan I, II & V. | 
|
| Pertinax Path | Part of Bluegate Ride | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A footpath named after the Roman Emperor Pertinax on the 1820th anniversary of his accession during the Wimbledon Common 1/1/13 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Bette Bridge | Unknown | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A bridge named in memory of the former Emperor Mother Bette (1926 - 2012) during the Wimbledon Common 1/1/13 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Daniel Ditch | Unknown | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A ditch named after the former First Midget Master on the occasion of his eighteenth birthday during the Wimbledon Common 1/1/13 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Memphis Junction | Intersection between Inner Windmill Road and Somerset Ride | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A junction of two footpaths initially named "Eritoshi Junction" after the Countess of Memphis during the Wimbledon Common 1/1/13 IGS Expedition. Renamed on 1 January 2019 to Memphis Junction, in honour of the office itself and all of its holders. | 
|
| Romanos IV Diogenes Stream | Unknown | HIH Crown Prince Jonathan | A small stream named after the Eastern Roman Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes on the 945th anniversary of his accession during the Wimbledon Common 1/1/13 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Job Pond | Hopeful Pond | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | A pond on the east of Headley Heath named during the Headley Heath 6/5/13 IGS Expedition after the biblical figure Job, 6 May being one of his feast days. | 
|
| Seraphim Pond | Brimmer Pond | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | Another pond - just south of Job Pond, and slightly larger - likewise named during the Headley Heath 6/5/13 IGS Expedition, this one in honour of St Seraphim of Livadeia. | 
|
| George V Path | Unknown | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | A steep footpath between Headley Lane and the eastern-most point of Mickleham Downs, named after George V on the 103rd anniversary of his accession during the Headley Heath 6/5/13 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Paloma Path | Unknown | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | The footpath between Beechwood Riding School and Woldingham School, named in memory of "Rose" Bramarley Paloma of Carothan during the Woldingham 5/5/14 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Hyerdunscar Hill | Unknown | HIM Emperor Jonathan I | The hill overlooking Whyteleafe Recreation Ground, named after the recently-deceased "Edd" Hyerdunscar's Notorious Edd of Carothan during the Warlingham 1/5/17 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Theodosius Bend | Unknown | Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos and Lady Nicole Wilson, Baroness of Nahona | An unlabeled bend in the San Antonio River east of the Arneson River theatre, named in honour of Theodosius the Great during the San Antinio 9/2/20 IGS Expedition. | 
|
| Peter's Promontory | Unknown | Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos | A spot on the bank of the Navasota River from which a bass was caught during the Navasota River 1/5/20 IGS Expedition, named in honour of the miracle related in Matthew 17:24-27. | 
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| Insula Viatorem | Unknown | Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos | The northern-most island in Lake Watauga, Nashville, named during the Centennial Park 28-30/5/20 IGS Expedition. | 
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