Hodgson used much of his time in both Nepal and Darjeeling in research, wanting to discover and understand about the architecture, languages, ethnography, religion, zoology and botany. He collected specimens and manuscripts, and had many drawings made, which he donated to many collections throughout Europe. He was also politically involved during his Residency in Nepal, and also later in England, when he continued to show an active interest in the Indian subcontinent, particularly regarding trade and vernacular education. These Personal Papers reflect these interests and are a record of much of his activity - Hodgson and his wives seemed to have a need to record all his successes. He was also a keen annotator of material, so that most of the printed material also bears his handwritten comments.

Five handwritten leather bound volumes - four contain Reports on the Finances of Bengal and the fifth contains English notes/translation of the Shahnamah of Firdausi. Each bears the names A. Hamilton and G. Haughton; the four Finance books also bear the inscription "Presented to the Royal Asiatic Society by Sir Graves Haughton, 1 April 1837."

Letter from Thoby Prinsep to Brian Houghton Hodgson in which thanks Hodgson for procuring and sending the complete body of Tibetan Buddhist scriptures (classics) of Kahgyur and Tangyur and also for the gifts to the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The Hungarian scholar Csoma de Koros has been asked to translate and thereby make known the Buddhist texts. Princep asks how many copies of the Mahabdarata would the Raja of Nepal take for his temples and colleges. He discusses publication of this and other Manuscripts. Thoby Prinsep was the President of the Asiatic Society of Bengal at that time. Handwritten, 3 sides, dated 6 August 1835.

Four volumes by Hamilton and Haughton which are concerned with the Finances of Bengal and were compiled for the East India Company. Each consists of handwritten manuscripts bound into leather volumes which seem to have been produced consecutively. All were presented to the Royal Asiatic Society by Sir Graves Haughton on 1 April 1837.They are: "Historical and Comparative Analysis of the Finances of Bengal chronologically arranged in different periods, from the Moghul Conquest to the Present time, extracted from a political survey of the British Dominions and tributary dependencies in India". This volume cover the first two periods. Historical and Comparative Analysis of the Finances of Bengal covering the third period. Bound with it is an accompanying letter to the Right Honorable Charles Earl Cornwallis. "Historical & Comparative view of the Revenues of Bengal... A.D.1765-1784" This also includes a letter to the Right Honorable Charles Earl Cornwallis to accompany the report. "Supplement to the Historical and Comparative Analysis of the finances of Bengal...containing a similar disquisition on the revenue of the dependent Dominions of Soubah Behar, Chuckleh Midnapore in Orissa and the Zamindary of Benares in the Soubah of Allahabad, Calcutta, June 30th 1787".

"Autograph Book belonging to Susan Hodgson, Alderley Grange, Wotton under Edge" A leather bound autograph book belonging to Hodgson's wife, Susan, in which are placed certificates, diplomas, academic and personal correspondence, newspaper cuttings and extracts related to Brian Houghton Hodgson's life. Leather binding with metal clasp. The book's binding is broken and some pages are loose. Care must be taken when using this item.