The Royal Anthropological Institute began making inquiries regarding the lease of rooms at 56 Queen Anne Street in January 1976 and they began to occupy the premises in 1977. In 1979 they extended the numbers of rooms to include two small back rooms to house their photographic collections. They finally agreed to leave the premises on 5 January 1988.
The material concerns the Underlease agreements between the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Anthropological Institute. These are:

• Underlease between the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland for the Ground Floor Front Rooms at 56 Queen Anne Street, dated 7 February 1977.
• Licence between the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland for the use of the various rooms for storage, administration and lectures. Dated 7 February 1977.
• Licence between the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland relating to the use of ground floor rooms and other facilities. Dated 1 March 1983.
• Photocopy of Licence between the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland relating to the use of ground floor rooms and other facilities. Dated 27 July 1984.
• Correspondence concerning the agreements between the two Societies, the rental arrangements, and the timing of the move of the Institute on the Royal Asiatic Society relinquishing the lease for the premises. These are mainly between the Royal Asiatic Society, the Royal Anthropological Institute, the Howard de Walden Estate and the institutions' solicitors.

Correspondence from organisations wishing to hire room from the Royal Asiatic Society for their meetings. These are:

• The Shakespearean Authorship Society, 1975.
• The Association of South-East Asian Studies, 1976.
• The China Society, 1976.
• The Asian House Trust Committee, 1976.
• The Centre for South-East Asian Studies, 1978.
• The Muhammadi Trust, 1979.
• The Society for the Preservation of the Architectural Resources of Egypt, 1980.

Correspondence with Richard Maurice Fund Raising Limited concerning appointing them, in first instance, as consultants to the Society for the Sesquicentenary Appeal. There are 6 items of correspondence and one copy of a Banker's Order for a payment of £50 to Richard Maurice Fund Raising Ltd.

Two items:

• "The Library [and Museum] of the Royal Asiatic Society" - research notes concerning acquisition of items and care of the collections in the time period 1824-1831. 14 typed sheets, 2 handwritten sheets, undated.
• "The Penny Magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Vol. 10, 1841: The Royal Asiatic Society's Museum. Computer printed document of an article available on the internet, 6 pages.

Letter from Michael Pollock, Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society, to Mrs Tania Foster-Brown, Archivist, Aspreys, to state that in preparation for the Society's 175 year anniversary, he is researching the Society's premises at Albemarle Street and wondered if Aspreys held any records of the building whilst the Society was a tenant. With this letter is a compliment slip from Tania Foster-Brown and a black and white photograph of 22 Albemarle Street, mounted on board, dating to the 1970s.

Notice sent from Ella C. Sykes, Royal Asiatic Society Secretary, to invited Societies to request notification about their representatives attending the Centenary Government Luncheon on July 17th and the Dinner on July 20th.

At various points in its history, the Royal Asiatic Society has entered into agreements for both reproduction of its Journal and sales of excess copies and offprints. This series contains the administrative documents available from those agreements.

During the Administration of the Society reports are often created either to prepare for a forthcoming meeting of the Council or sub-committee or to report back after such a meeting. Occasionally reports are created for external purposes. These reports, or summaries thereof, are often incorporated into the Minutes of the Meetings. The ones in this series are those that supplement the Minutes. These are:

1980

• 'The Future of the Royal Asiatic Society' by A.S. Bennell, Director, 2 pages, dated 17 July 1980.

  1988

  • Report from the President, Frank F. Steele, to Members of the Council outlining the finances and future plans for the Society's building, 5 pages, dated 28 September 1988.
  • Report from the President, Frank F. Steele, to Members of the Council outlining estimates for finances and information regarding membership, 2 pages, dated 2 November 1988.

  1989

  • 'Keeping the R.A.S. Alive' - critique of the outreach of the Society, 1 page, dated 29 January 1989.
  • Paper for the Council Meeting of 14 December 1989:
  • Journal Publication by Frank F. Steele, 1 page, dated 4 December 1989.

  1990

  • Papers for the Council Meeting of 8 February 1990: Development Committee; National Association for Asian Studies; Procedure for the Election of Fellows; Nominations for the Council; Finance; all written by Frank F, Steele, 7 pages, dated 31 January 1990.
  • Papers for the Council Meeting of 12 April 1990: Working Group on Development; Questionnaire; Distribution of Fellows; Appointment of a Full-time paid Director; Entry Procedure; Grant to Professor C.N. Kejariwal; all written by Frank F. Steele; 11 pages, dated 22 March - 3 April 1990.
  • Minutes of the Meeting of the Working Group on Development held on 24th May 1990, 2 pages.
  • Papers for the Council Meeting of 14 June 1990: RAS Nominee to the SOAS Governing Body; Proposal for an In-house Conservation Unit; both by Frank F. Steele, 6 pages, dated 6 June - 9 June 1990.
  • Reports and correspondence on the possibility of the Society sponsoring the serious study of Asia in the UK: report from Cyril Philips, Richard Gombrich and Michael McWilliam, dated July 1990; Note on discussion between Professor Wansbrough, Dr. Raeside and Mr McWilliam, dated 12 October 1990; letter from Dr Peter Robb, Chairman, Centre of South Asian Studies, to Professor Cyril Philips, dated 30 October 1990; 3 pages in total.
  • Proposal and documentation concerning working with Dr Samuel N.C. Lieu, on Manichaean Studies, 4 pages, dated 21 October to 5 November, 1990.
  • Minutes for the 'Ad hoc Meeting to consider further the proposal to Publish "Asian Studies Today" (renamed "Asian Heritage") held on Thursday 29th November at 10.30am', 1 page.

  1991

  • Reports from the Honorary Treasurer, J.A. Payne, to the Council regarding various aspects of the finances of the Society, 10 pieces, dated 30 January - 29 November 1991.

  1992

  • Report from the Honorary Treasurer, J.A. Payne, to the Council regarding Registration for VAT, 1 piece, dated 8 January 1992.

  1995

  • 'Royal Asiatic Society: The 1990 Working group on Development' summarising the 1990 recommendations, 2 pieces, dated March 1995.

  1996

  • Minutes for the 'Meeting of a Sub-Committee for Computers' on 3 October 1996, 1 piece.

  1999

  • Report on the Standing Orders for Sub-Committees of Council by Francis Robinson, 6 pages, dated 29 March 1999.

  2000

  • "Gold Medals: Memorandum to Council for 8 June 2000 by Giles Tillotson, 1 page. 'For the Information of the Council - Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society: going online' by Sarah Ansari, 1 page, dated October 2000.

  2001

  • 'Paper for Council: Proposed Council day for Strategic Review' by Anthony Stockwell, 1 piece, dated 1 October 2001.

  2002

  • Papers concerned with a Strategic Review meeting held on 2 February 2002, 24 pieces. dated 24 January - 6 March 2002.
  • Minutes for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 14 March 2002, 2 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 23 May 2002, 5 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 18 July 2002, 19 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 22 August 2002, 9 pieces.
  • Minutes for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 26 September 2002, 2 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 14 November 2002, 3 pieces.
  • Minutes and allied papers for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 6 December 2002, 2 pieces.

  2003

  • Report of the Council's Strategic Review Working Group, February 2003, 13 pieces.
  • Minutes for the Strategic Review Working Group Meeting on 8 May 2003, 2 pieces.
  • 'Strategic thoughts en route to a plan' by Helen Cordell, 6 pages, dated, 10 June 2003.
  • 'Strategic Review: Summary of RAS space requirements' by Helen Cordell, 4 pieces, dated 12 November 2003.
  • 'Strategic Review Working Group: Final Report to Council December 2003, 5 pieces.

  2012

  • 'Achievements and Performance' - a report of the Society's activities for 2011-2012, 5 pages.

"Report on Visit to the Asiatic Society, Calcutta, M D McWilliam, Director, SOAS" - report covering an overview, background, current activity, and collaboration programme of the Asiatic Society, made after McWilliam's visit to the Society, 6 pages.

Report on Bill for Centenary Supplement which details the estimates and agreements between Austins Printers and the Royal Asiatic Society, concluding that Austins had not overcharged for the work done. Signed W. Percival Yetts.