The Sir Richard Burton Medal – On 12 April 1921 the Council of the RAS agreed to found a Richard Burton memorial lecture in commemoration, that year, of the 100th anniversary of Burton's birth. A fund was established to finance the lecture and by 1923, £60 had been subscribed. It was decided in March 1923 that part of this would be used to fund the Burton Medal. This would be awarded to the person chosen to deliver the lecture, which was to deal with Burton, his travels or some suitable subject of exploration. The presentation and the lecture would take place triennially. The medal was designed in 1924 by Pinches, to be cast in silver and gilded. In practice those chosen to give the Burton lecture were expected to have undertaken exploration and research in the East, and more particularly in close association with local people, or in difficult circumstances.

This archive contains papers pertaining to the inauguration and awarding of the Sir Richard Burton Medal. The Papers includes:

• Correspondence
• Administrative documents
• Printed materials including newspaper articles
• Examples of the Medal
• Photographs

Correspondence concerned with the conferment of the Burton Memorial Medal on William George Archer and Hugh Trevor Lambrick.

The material contains correspondence and bulletins the All-India Oriental Conferences from 1933-1939 (7th, 8th and 10th conferences), sent to and by the Royal Asiatic Society.

This series contains only correspondence regarding the conferment of the Burton Memorial Medal on Simon Digby.

The papers of Lieutenant Chalmers consist of two hardbound volumes of handwritten text, being the 'Akbar Nameh of Abul Fazl Allami' translated by him. The Akbar Nameh ('History of Akbar' or 'Book of Akbar') was the official history of Akbar's reign, commissioned by Akbar and written by his court historian and biographer Abul Fazl in Persian. Chalmers's translation is an abridged version of the original text.

Volume I has the following additional items pasted into it:

• a letter from Henry Beveridge to Miss Latimer, Assistant Librarian at the Royal Asiatic Society, returning Chalmers's translations which the Library has lent to him and saying it is a pity that his translation is little known, dated 21 February 1923
• two sheets of notes signed G. O. [Gore Ouseley], commenting on the translation
• two slips recording borrowing of the volumes by two readers in 1877, 1880 and 1885

Volume II has the following additional items pasted or inserted into it:

• a note stating that this book has been entered in the Society’s catalogue in September 1877
• a small slip of paper containing an extract from the volume and further notes by an unidentified author. This was found in the Society's Institutional records in 2024 and was therefore inserted into the volume
• a letter from J. C. Morris, Secretary to the Madras Literary Society, to the Secretary of the Oriental Translation Committee, requesting to submit Chalmers’s two volumes of translation. The letter goes on to state although the translation is not accompanied by the original as required by the rules of the committee, Mr Lushington (English Tory Politician and Governor of Madras from 1827-1832) will on application provide the loan of the original work in his possession from which Chalmers's translation was prepared. Dated 30 May 1833.
• a pressed fern on page 157

This is a set of Indian Religious Songs collected, transcribed and translated into English by Ram Gharib Chaube, probably for the use of William Crooke.

Rubbings of 8 inscriptions made by Archibald Campbell Carlleyle from an ancient temple which he calls Uncha Pahar. He visited this in January 1872 as part of the Archaeological Survey of India. Each of these are labelled, signed by Carlleyle, and dated January 1872:

• Ornament, and inscription at the bottom of the octagonal lower portion of the shaft of the unique round pillar in the pillared vestibule in front of the "Sanctum" of the ancient ruined temple, "Uncha Pahar".
• Inscription in entrance of vestibule, of ancient ruined temple "Uncha Pahar".
• Inscription on a pillar at left side of doorway of "Sanctum" of ancient ruined temple "Uncha Pahar".
• Inscription in two lines on a stone leaning against a wall below the old temple "Uncha Pahar".
• No. 10 Inscription Above first statue on the left hand "Santum" of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".
• No. 13 Above central statue of "Agni" in "Sanctum" of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".
• No. 15 Inscription Above central statue on Right hand wall In "Sanctum" of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".
• On stone bench at the right side in entrance to Vestibule of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".

"List of Inscriptions from Northern India sent to Dr. Jas. Burgess, C.I.G., Edinburgh Scotland". An alphabetical list of inscriptions dated to November 1886. A different hand notes that these were sent through "Messrs. Grindlay [Gr ] & Co" and shipped aboard the SS Thames on 13th Feb 1892. Several of the pages bear the stamp of James Burgess. L.L.D., Archaeological Survey.

A journal containing detailed lists of compass bearings from various locations in India. The journal is untitled and bears no name of its author. It measures 35cm by 24cm with a brown cardboard cover which has become detached from the pages.

The travel itineraries of Quaritch Wales and his wife, Dorothy. The series contains thirty-six itineraries, including visits to: Greece, Venice, Italy, Germany, India, Russia and Central Asia, Siam and Burma, Malaya and Southern Thailand.