To the end of his life (obiit Feb. 7ᵒ, sepult. Feb. 11ᵒ, 1755, as recorded in the Register at Spalding Parish Church) Maurice Johnson continued to be the mainstay of this Society. As long as he lived the Society flourished. The greater part of the communications were made by him, or obtained through his activity. The minute books were chiefly his penmanship, and the beautiful illustrations therein mainly his handiwork. To the library he gave many of its most valuable books, and the museum owed much to his liberality. Even to the very last he showed his love for the Society, by providing in his will an endowment for the chaplain of Wykeham, who was, previous to his appointment, to undertake the duties of librarian and take charge of its supellex literaria.
Before his death Johnson, with reference to the state of this Society, observed in a letter to his friend Gale, “realms and all communities have their periods.” Nevertheless, as Gale in return assured him, “the supellex literaria of the Society still remains a glorious monument of the public spirit and learning of its founder, and the record of a noble attempt, which otherwise would scarcely be credited by posterity.”
After Johnson’s decease a change comes over the scene; the Society continued to meet every week, and the accounts were duly kept, but the minute book ceased to be used, little was added to the library or museum, and the Physic Garden was given up. It is not, however, to be supposed that the objects for which the Society was established were entirely neglected. The “Books of Accompts” contain several instances of money having been spent for the purchase of books, &c., but its activity decidedly slackened.
A further evidence that the Society was not defunct is shown by the following extract from the will of Mr. Michael Cox, an apothecary and the “Operator” to the Society:—
“I do hereby order that neither my said wife nor the said John Motson, or his heirs, nor the person or persons to whom they shall sell the same estates, shall have power to discharge or eject the Gentlemen of the Literary Society in Spalding from the occupation of the room they now hold of me, with whatever Liberty’s they now enjoy ... they continuing well, duly and faithfully to pay the Annual Rent of Five pounds and to occupy the same as and for a Literary Society room only.”
This room remained in the occupation of the Society until, in the year 1878, the Improvement Commissioners, being anxious to widen the street near the High Bridge, made an offer of £100 for its interest therein. This sum was accepted, and the contents of the library and museum were removed to a room in Double Street until the trustees of the Johnson Hospital, which had recently been erected, offered the use of the Board-room and other accommodation at a small rental.
The “Books of Accompts” above referred to are three in number. Each volume is bound in parchment and is 16 inches high by 6½ inches wide. They are ruled by hand, and have on each page a debit and credit account side by side. The entries therein are very conclusive as to the continuity of the Society, as they contain the weekly expenditures and annual contributions of the members. The election of new members and of the officers of the Society are recorded, although omissions are evidently numerous. In order to show that the original objects of the Society were not overlooked, the following items, taken at different periods, will suffice:—
On August 21, 1760, a payment is made to Mr. E. Kingston for experiments in electricity. On June 11, 1761, a reflecting telescope is paid for. On December 24, 1767, seven guineas are given for an electrical machine. On December 27, 1789, there is an entry of payment for repairs to the telescope. On January 1, 1805, an order is made to have the books, manuscripts, prints, &c., catalogued. This order was carried out, and several copies of “A Catalogue of the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, by T. Albin, 1808,” still exist. On January 1, 1811, is the last entry in the account books. This is a revised set of “Rules and Regulations,” wherein the following items are noticeable:—
“All books, maps, prints, papers, medals, curiosities, furniture, &c., already in the possession of the Society, or which may hereafter be purchased by or be bequeathed to them, shall be considered the joint property of all the existing members, and no person shall claim a separate right to them.”
(Needless to say, this rule remains unrepealed.) At the same meeting a sub-librarian was appointed and his duties defined; regulations were made as to the issue of books to the members; ladies were to be admitted to the Society, but were not to have votes; and minutes were to be entered in a book to be provided for that purpose. These minutes were signed by the Rev. Maurice Johnson as president, and by fifteen other members. Possibly this new book was never procured, as from this time neither minutes nor accounts are anywhere to be found, until 1828, when the entry of minutes was resumed in the old book (vol. vi.), and this book continued in use up to the 15th July 1889, when another volume was commenced.