Royal Institution for its founding were given by the Society for Bettering the Conditions and Improving the Comforts of the Poor, under the guidance of philanthropist Sir Thomas Bernard and American-born British scientist Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford. Since its founding it has been based at 21 Albemarle Street in Mayfair. Its Royal Charter was granted in 1800. Throughout its history, the Institution has supported public engagement with science through a programme of lectures, many of which continue today. The most famous of these are the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, founded by Michael Faraday. The Royal Institution was founded as the
Andrew Humphrey Air Staff on 1 April 1974. As Chief of the Air Staff he advised the new Labour Government on the implementation of their latest Defence Review. Following promotion to Marshal of the Royal Air Force on 6 August 1976, Humphrey was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 24 October 1976. However he only served in that role for only three months before catching pneumonia following a visit to British forces in Norway during a particularly cold Winter. He died in the RAF Hospital at Halton on 24 January 1977. In March 1952 Humphrey married Agnes Stevenson Wright; there were