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

"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.

Twenty-six items of correspondence plus a further label. The majority of the correspondence is from Thomas Newbold to Richard Clarke. There is a single letter from Newbold to George Thomas Staunton; and a single letter from Richard Wood to Newbold.

"The Bhuga of Mahanundi" A Paper sent by Newbold to the Royal Asiatic Society on thermal springs in South India. He gives their location and a detailed description. A note at the head of the paper in pencil reads "Read Jan 14th 1843". With the Paper is also a label, "Thermal Springs of Mahamandi by Capt Newbold, Read 14 January 1843".

"The Indo-Mahomedan Ephemeris of Alpoor, S. India, Lat. 15° 54'N. Long. 78° 12'E by Capt. Newbold". A paper presented at the Royal Asiatic Society on 7 March 1846 concerning a Persian taqwim for the town of Alpoor, written by Sayyid Ibrahīm 'urf Bare Miyān. With the paper is the taqwim and a letter from Sayyid Ibrahīm 'urf Bare Miyān to Newbold. The taqwim is dated A.H. 1200 (AD 1785/6).

Collection of manuscripts on the language Manipuri by William Pettigrew, Yumjao Singh and Mrs Ethel A Pettigrew. A letter from Roland B Dixon (1875-1934) an American cultural anthropologist, the letter mentions work of William Pettigrew and a copy of Rules and Regulations of The Asiatic Society of Bengal.

Handwritten manuscript titled 'The Original Notes' on the Archaic Manipuri language, there is an Index for the ease of reference. Annotations are made on some pages in modern and archaic Manipuri, accompanied with a letter from Roland B Dixon (1875-1934) and a catalogue 'Rules and Regulations of The Asiatic Society of Bengal' printed by The Baptist Mission Press at Calcutta 1929.

Typed manuscript presenting original notes on Archaic Manipuri, with an introduction to the history of the Archaic Manipuri literature, translations in Old Meithei and Meithei dialect.

Typed manuscript of exam papers titled 'General Questions' with handwritten annotations, total of 4 pages.

A green pattern cover notebook handwritten possibly in Sanskrit, the title on the first page reads 'Langlol and Notes on same'. It has annotations in English and the content is possibly related to a dialect from Manipur, India.