The collection consists of two series:
Henry Thomas ColebrookeThe Papers include publications written orcollected by the academic Gerald Tibbetts connected to his research interests in early Arab navigation in the Indian Ocean. Related to this are draft copies of a lecture given by Tibbetts at the Royal Asiatic Society concerning the origins of navigation in the Indian Ocean.
There is also material collected by Tibbetts relating to his work on the Sindbad Voyage project (1980-1981) and his invitation to participate in the Heritage of Oman Festival.
Tibbetts Gerald 1926-1999 AcademicGeorge Grenville Malet undertook the translation of Mahomed Masoom's A History of Sind. The History, which covers the period from A.D. 710 to A.D. 1590, was written in Persian at the end of the sixteenth century. Malet undertook the translation when he was Resident at Khairpur (Khyrpoor) with the assistance of Peer Mahomed, Residency Munshi. The translation was published in Mumbai in 1855, but these papers contain a handwritten manuscript of both the translation and the documentation and correspondence connected to the translation. The translation has been copied by a number of different hands. The signatures of these copyists appear at the end of their section.
With the manuscript is a letter from East India House to the Secretary, Royal Asiatic Society, to inform that the Court of Directors of the East India Company were sending to the Society a copy of the Translation and an 'Abstract Translation of a Copper Plate...for a grant of land in Bundlecund. This translation is not with the papers. The letter is dated 6 December 1849.
Malet George Grenville CaptainThese are handwritten manuscripts of the statistical surveys undertaken by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton within the districts of Dinajpur (Bangladesh and India), and Puraniya (Purnia), Shahabad, Bhagalpur , Runggopur, Patna and Gorakhpur in India. Each survey consists of 2 or 3 foolscap volumes. These were rebound in the 1990s.
Hamilton Francis Buchanan 1762-1829 Scottish physician and botanist in the Bengal medical service 17951815 superintendent Botanical Garden Calcutta 18141815Lieutenant-Colonel Fleming Mackenzie of the 1st Battalion of the Fifteenth Punjab Regiment commanded the Escort to the Trade Agent in Tibet in 1938-1939. This material contains original diaries written whilst in Tibet, later typed drafts of these diaries, essays written about his experiences, hand-drawn maps and other material associated with his visit.
Richardson Hugh 1905-2000A collection of papers written by, or relating to, Emil Forchhamer which have been bound into a single volume entitled Papers on subjects relating to the Archaeology of Burma: Forchhammer. These papers are:
- Letter from H.R.H. Coxe, Under Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, Burma, to The Secretary to the Government of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department, concerning the work undertaken by Forchhammer as Government Archaeologist from 1883 to 1889. it plots out Forchhammer's work in collecting Talaing and Pali manuscripts for the Bernard Free Library, and his investigations in the Arakan region. The letter requests that Forchhammer is relieved from his professorial duties in order that he may survey the Pagan region. Dated 15 July 1889. Printed material with handwritten annotations concerning its arrival at the India Office, 11 March 1891 and also bearing an India Office stamp for 31 March 1891.
- Notes on the Early History and Geography of British Burma. I: The Shwe Dagon Pagoda by Em. Forchhammer. Printed pamphlet from Rangoon Government Press, 1883 concerning the pagoda.
- Sections from the 1889 Revenue and Agricultural Department Report from the Chief Commissioner of Burma. The sections are on Pali literature and Archaeology and are written by Forchhammer. This is also in support of Forchhammer's release from professorial duties in favour of archaeological investigation. Dated 18 June 1889.
- Resolution on the Transfer of the Management of the Rangoon College and High School to the Education Syndicate. This is an extract from the Proceedings of the Chief Commissioner of Burma, dated 10 August 1886, in which it sets out the requirements for the transfer to take place. This includes Dr Forchhammer's transfer as one of the members of teaching staff. Printed material with printed signature of E.S. Symes, Secretary.
- Report from the Officiating Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Burma to the Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department, to supply a report on the work done by Dr Forchhammer in connection with ancient manuscripts since 1892. Dated 2 September 1889.
- Extract from letter No. 209-89A, dated 10th August 1889, from the Government Archaeologist in which Forchhammer reports on the 670 palm-leaf manuscripts he has collected and copied which are deposited in the Manuscript Department of the Bernard Free Library.
- Letter No. 598-1A, dated Rangoon, 22nd April 1890, from H.R.H. Coxe, Under-Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, Burma, to the Secretary to the Government of India, Revenue and Agricultural Department in which he reports on the written work completed by Forchhammer on the regions of Arakan and Pagan, and of the work still required. The letter requests that Forchhammer be allowed to return to Europe to complete his work due to the poor state of his health.
- Arakan I. - Mahamuni Pagoda. Printed version of Forchhammer's work on the Pagoda, including photographic plates. It is annotated to state his authorship and that it was received as an enclosure of a letter from the Chief Governor of Burma No. 596/1a, dated 22 April 1890.
- Arakan II. - Mrohaung - the second chapter of Forchhammer's work on Arakan again with photographic plates, a map, and with annotation that it was received as an enclosure in the same letter from the Chief Governor.
- Arakan III. - Launggyet, Minbya, Urittaung, Akyab, and Sandoway - the third chapter of Forchhammer's work on Arakan with plates and annotation concerning its enclosure within the letter from the Chief Governor.
- Pagan I. - The Kyaukku Temple - the first chapter of Forchhammer's uncompleted work on Pagan with photographic plates and annotations concerning its enclosure within the same letter and ascribing authorship to Forchhammer.
The Papers of Edward William West reflect his interest in Pahlavi language and Zoroastrianism. The majority are handwritten notebooks and other manuscripts in which he did his work. These often have many inserts. There are also loose handwritten notes, some correspondence and some printed material.
West Edward William 1824-1905 Translator of Pahlavi Texts, EngineerThere is one item in these Papers. This is a "List of books printed in Egypt, to the commencement of the year of the Flight 1251 - with their prices. Copied (without correction of any trifling errors) from a register lent to me by the principal agent for the sale of these books. E.W.L". Handwritten, 4 sides. The introductory note bearing the title and an ending note about monetary equivalent in Sterling are in English. The list in Arabic.
Lane Edward William 1801-1876Papers belonging to Edward Walter Hutchinson include: Manuscripts, Notebooks, Correspondence, Photographs, and Printed material
Edward Walter HutchinsonThe Papers consist of manuscripts of translations made by Rehatsek often with notes, prefaces etc by Forster Fitzgerald Arbuthnot, to whom Rehatsek had sent the translations.
Rehatsek Edward 1819-1891 Linguist