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The O.W. Samson Award was set up in memory of Dr Otto William Samson, ethnographer and curator of the Horniman Museum. His wife, Elizabeth Samson, donated £10,000 to the Royal Asiatic Society with the wish that the annual income from the invested money be used to either enable a scholar to pursue their research in the fields of anthropology or archaeology relating to Asia; or to enable the Society to mount a study group or seminar on some aspect of these fields. In its initial years the award helped to fund a publication following the Islamic Fundamentalist Conference and 'The legacy of the House of Timur' Seminar. In 1992 it was awarded to Richard Rudgley, St Cross College, Oxford, to visit the rural areas of Xinjiang to document surviving traditional technology, and in 1993 to Lilla Russell-Smith to research Chinese Buddhist painting at Dunhuang.

The material related to this award includes initial correspondence, administrative documents, advertising leaflet, and later correspondence including the news of Elizabeth Samson's death.

Correspondence concerning the setting up of the O.W. Sansom Award. These are:

• Letter from Elizabeth Samson (Mrs M.E. Samson) to Sir Cyril Philips, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to ask to arrange a meeting to discuss the possibility of setting up a Fellowship in memory of her husband. Typed, 1 piece, dated 1 September 1986.
• 'To Consider: Proposal for an annual award in honour of Dr O.W. Samson', a statement setting out the details of the award. Typed, 1 piece, undated.
• Note from Elizabeth Samson to Sir Cyril Philips to thank for his letter and enclosure but to ask for a correction to be made on the spelling of the name. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 20 December 1986.
• Letter from Cyril Philips to Anne Southwark, to enclose Elizabeth's Samson's note. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 9 January 1987.
• Note from Elizabeth Samson to Anne Southwark to enclose the cheque for the donation. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 17 February 1987. The note is annotated to state the cheque was received on 23 February and acknowledged on 24 February 1987.

Correspondence regarding the death of Elizabeth Samson:

• Letter from Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to Dr D.W. MacDowall, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to inform of a phone call she had received relating the circumstances of Elizabeth Samson's death. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 12 September 1994.
• Letter from Dr D.W. MacDowall, to Mr and Mrs Richard Lake, sister and brother-in-law of Elizabeth Samson, to send the condolences of the Society on the death of Elizabeth Samson. Typed, 1 piece, dated 15 September 1994.

Documents and correspondence concerned with the administration of the Award:

• Letter from Elizabeth Samson to Professor A.D.H. Bivar, President, Royal Asiatic Society, expressing her concerns that the Award should primarily be for student travel. She has only been informed of one use of the Award for a publication, Islamic Fundamentalism, following a seminar. She asks for a meeting to be arranged to discuss the matter. Handwritten, one piece, dated 22 July 1991.
• List of correspondence concerning the award, mentions of its use, and current details of the account. Handwritten, 1 piece, undated [1991].
• Letter from A.D.H. Bivar to John Payne, Hon. Treasurer, Royal Asiatic Society, to inform concerning the letter sent from Elizabeth Samson, and proposing visiting her in September to discuss her concerns. Typed, 1 piece, dated 30 July 1991.
• Copy of a letter from John Payne to Ralph Pinder-Wilson to inform of Elizabeth Samson's letter and the impending visit on which he will accompany Professor Bivar. Typed, 1 piece, dated 1 August 1991.
• 'File Note: Dr. O.W. Samson Fund' - Note on the forthcoming visit to Mrs Samson and the references to the fund in the Council Minutes. Typed, 1 piece, dated 1 August 1991.
• 'Dr. O.W. Samson Fund' - report, written by John Payne, on the visit of the President and the Honorary Treasurer to Elizabeth Samson and the proposals for the administration of a Travelling Award, Typed, 3 pieces, dated 16 September 1991.
• Letter from Elizabeth Samson to Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to thank for her letter and to ask her to thank Professor Bivar and John Payne for their understanding. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 15 December 1991.
• Note from Sharon Eicher to the Royal Asiatic Society to ask if she is eligible to apply for the award. Handwritten, 1 piece, dated 1 April 1992.
• Letter from Clio Whittaker, SOAS Journals, to Lydia Collins, Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to enclose a copy of the Bulletin in which the Society had placed an advertisement for the O.W. Samson Travelling Award and to send the invoice. Two pieces, typed and handwritten, dated 3 November 1992.
• 'The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, O.W. Samson Travelling Award (1993)' - notice of the award and to invite applications. Printed, 2 copies.
• List of institutions to which adverts had been sent. Typed, 1 piece, dated August 1993.