The first issue was introduced by J. J. Thomson, then president of the Institute of Physics, who stated that no publication existed at that time in the English language specially devoted to scientific instruments. The idea for the journal was promoted by Richard Glazebrook, the first president, then director, of the National Physical Laboratory, where the journal was initially edited.
The Institute of Physics merged with the Physical Society of London in 1960. By this time the Proceedings of the Physical Society had grown in size and the quality of the applied journals, British Journal of Applied Physics and Journal of Scientific Instruments, had been improved.