Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1823 - 1846 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2 bound volumes handwritten
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.
Repository
Archival history
These were created during the undertaking of the Society's business.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
As part of the institutional records, they have always been part of the Society's possessions.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The first minutes for the Committee of Correspondence are for 19 May 1831. However before this time items communicated to the Society were being recorded. Thus these two volumes are both connected with the administration of correspondence. These are:
Register of Communications, April 1823 To February 1846
This volume lists papers and correspondence sent to the Society, including their date and correspondent. Many of the entries also detail the outcome of the correspondence at the Society - whether read at a General Meeting or published within the Society's Transactions or Journal.
Minutes of the Committee of Correspondence May 1831 To July 1842
The Minutes for the Committee of Correspondence cover the time period 19 May 1831 - 9 July 1942 when the 'Committee resolved themselves into a Meeting of the Council'. In the meetings correspondence to the Society was read and decisions made how best to respond. This volume also contains a copy of the 'Memorandum on the Babylonian Inscriptions forwarded by Mr. Norris to Professor Wilson for transmission to Major Rawlinson. Dated, 15th May 1846'. The copy fills 5.5 pages of the book.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
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Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.
Conditions governing reproduction
Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
These form part of the Governance material. As several of the items of correspondence were also read at the General Meetings these records also overlap with the institutional records concerned with Lectures and Events. The Correspondence volumes ( RAS GOV4 and RAS GOV7 ) also contain items of correspondence.
Notes area
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Description control area
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Dates of creation revision deletion
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Archivist's note
The material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2023.