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This series contains administrative correspondence and notices, prize essays and competitors identification notices.

This series consists of correspondence and verification notes of entrants.

This sub-series contains correspondence and notices concerned with the administration of the competition.

Correspondence concerning American Contributions. These fall into three areas:

• Correspondence concerning funding from the Rockefeller Foundation including correspondence between B.W. Robinson, President of Royal Asiatic Society, and C.H. Philips, Director of SOAS; correspondence by John Hansman; and correspondence from the Rockefeller Foundation; 8 items.
• Correspondence mainly with Professor R. Bayly Winder concerning American contributions to the Sesquicentenary Appeal, 38 items.
• Correspondence concerning gaining tax exemption for the donations, 20 items.

Records concerning donations to the Sesquicentenary Appeal.

Letter from C.H. Philips to Sir Richard Winstedt to give his and Wittek's opinions of the submitted essays and to suggest that the prize might be given to the essay with the motto, "Abeunt Studia". Typed with printed letterhead, 1 side, dated 24 April 1950.

Letter from C.H. Phillips and A. Master to the Secretary, RAS, to notify of their conclusions concerning the essays submitted for the Competition and the recommendations for winners. Typed with printed letterhead, 1 side, dated 4 February 1948.

In 1973 the Royal Asiatic Society celebrated its Sesquicentenary (150 years). The archival material includes Planning committee administration; material connected with the various events held, exhibitions put on and publications produced in celebration of the occasion; and material concerned with fundraising for the Society.

From 1904-1929 the Royal Asiatic Society awarded a Gold Medal to a schoolboy writing on a chosen essay title. However, as entrants dwindled and few schools seemed interested in teaching Indian history, it was decided that the competition should be changed to one for undergraduate students. The change was finalised on 15th December 1931. Regulations for the University Prize Essay Fund were drawn up in 1932 and the first prize was awarded in 1933. In 1939, Professor Perceval Yetts designed a certificate to be presented with the prize (an example of this can be found in these papers). The prize was initially awarded annually but then became biennial. The prize money also increased at various intervals.
The records of the Universities Prize Essay cover the conversion from the Public School Medal to the Universities Prize Essay Fund, governance of the award and the conferment of the Honour in subsequent years. They include Rules, correspondence, and winning essays. However there are not records for all instances of the presentation of the award. Researchers are advised to also examine the Council Minutes and the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (both held in the RAS Collections) when researching concerning the Universities Prize Essay and its recipients.