The British Institute at Ankara (BIAA), formerly British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara, is a research institute that supports, promotes, and publishes research into the humanities and social sciences of Turkey and the Black Sea region. The Institute was founded in 1947 and became legally incorporated in 1956 as part of a cultural agreement between the Republic of Turkey and the United Kingdom. The institute is a UK registered charity and part of the British Academy's Overseas Institutes. The Institute has an office in London and has its base in Ankara, where it maintains a library, research facilities, and accommodation for visiting scholars.
The British Association of Malaya was founded in 1920, replacing the Straits Settlements Association which had existed since 1868. It subsequently became the British Association of Malaysia and the British Association of Malaysia and Singapore.
From 1952 to 1967 the Secretary of the Association was Hugh Bryson. He organised the accumulation of two important collections of historical material. In 1960, in cooperation with the Royal Commonwealth Society, Bryson initiated the gathering of original documents - memoranda, diaries, correspondence - and the writing of special reminiscences by those with first hand experience of the geographic area covered by the Association. Subjects of particular significance include politics and government, trade and commerce, social and cultural history, the First and Second World Wars, and the Malayan Emergency. As the material was received it was deposited in the Royal Commonwealth Society Library. Bryson also collected photographs, particularly those reflecting the history of South-East Asia.
Sir John Bowring was born in Exeter. His father was a wool merchant to China. As a young man he travelled extensively, becoming a partner in his father's company in 1818, selling herrings to Spain and France. He became editor of the Westminster Review in 1825 advocating free trade, parliamentary reform and popular schooling. In 1832 he was appointed to carry our investigations on accounting systems in the Netherlands and France to make recommendations to the British Government. In 1835 he became a MP and in 1845 became Chairman of the London and Blackwall Railway.
In 1849 Bowring was appointed British Consul at Canton (Guangzhou) and superintendent of trade in China. From 1852 to 1853, he acted as Britain's Plenipotentiary and Superintendent of Trade and Governor of Hong Kong in the absence on leave of Sir George Bonham. Bowring was instrumental in the formation in 1855 of the Board of Inspectors established under the Qing Customs House.
The newly knighted Bowring received his appointment as Governor of Hong Kong and her Majesty's Plenipotentiary and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China on 10 January 1854. He arrived in Hong Kong and was sworn in on 13 April 1854, in the midst of the Taiping Rebellion, remaining in Hong Kong until 1858.
Wilfred Blythe Lawson completed his education in Birkenhead Institute and Liverpool University. In 1921 he joined the Malayan Civil Service and went to Canton in 1922 to study Cantonese. Blythe served as Assistant Protector or Protector of Chinese in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johore, Negri Sembilan and Singapore. He contined to serve in a variety of roles and in 1950, Blythe was appointed the Colonial Secretary. He retired in 1953 but returned to Singapore in 1955 to work on his book.