Letter from Henry Yule to Brian Houghton Hodgson in which he apologises for causing Hodgson so much writing and that he has been waiting for Montgomerie to be at home. He states that the papers Hodgson suggests will be very suitable and asks, if not too heavy, to send them via book post. Handwritten, 2 sides, dated 23 July 1873. Also accompanying envelope with Hodgson's annotations.

Letter from Joseph Hooker to Brian Houghton Hodgson in which he writes that being "horridly hard up for somebody to talk to I take up my pen…" The weather has been indifferent with mist and snow and though he has ventured into Tibet twice has little further to add to his previous descriptions. Hooker continues to describe both the climate and the geography in which he finds himself and writes about possible future plans. Handwritten, 9 sides, with accompanying envelope, dated 23 September, 1849.

Letter from Joseph Hooker to Brian Houghton Hodgson in which he writes of his pleasure in receiving Hodgson's letters and how he is now hastening to reply to Hodgson's of the 22nd. He writes concerning his and others' impressions of Tibet and its accessibility; of the geography that he has encountered. He includes a sketch to show the true bearing of two ridges he has explored. Handwritten, 12 sides, with accompanying envelope, dated 4 October 1849.

Letter from Sir Henry Yule to Brian Houghton Hodgson in which he writes that Lieutenant Garnier of the French Navy is in China preparing to penetrate Tibet and has written to Yule to ask for questions of interest about the area. Yule is therefore asking Hodgson's advice. He writes how little is known from the Europeans who have been to Lhasa and mentions Thomas Manning and Vanderput, a Dutchman. The Asiatic Society have sent Yule some copies of Hodgson's letter on Buddhism and Yule sends some to Hodgson. Handwritten, 3 sides, dated 1 July 1873. Also accompanying envelope with Hodgson's annotations.

"Memorandum of Literary Topics in hand". Handbound notebook in which Hodgson has noted all the different areas of research in which he is interested. These include History of Nepal proper, History of the kingdom of Nepal, Religion - Buddhism - its origin - diffusion & decay, Extent & boundaries of Nepal, the Government, the Army of Nepal, the Law & Police, Church or Religious Body, Topography, Finances, Land tenures, Commerce, Letters, Literature and Languages, Population, Thibet, Economic substances, Agriculture, Manufactures, Rent - profit- wages, Zoology especially ornithology, Mines of Nepal, Tibet - extent and boundaries, Narrative of the relations of the British Govt with that of Nepal from the earliest times to the present. On the front cover of the notebook in addition to the title is a crossed out list of boxes continued to be stored at 157 [Teachurch] St. Handwritten, undated.

Hodgson used much of his time in both Nepal and Darjeeling in research, wanting to discover and understand about the architecture, languages, ethnography, religion, zoology and botany. He collected specimens and manuscripts, and had many drawings made, which he donated to many collections throughout Europe. He was also politically involved during his Residency in Nepal, and also later in England, when he continued to show an active interest in the Indian subcontinent, particularly regarding trade and vernacular education. These Personal Papers reflect these interests and are a record of much of his activity - Hodgson and his wives seemed to have a need to record all his successes. He was also a keen annotator of material, so that most of the printed material also bears his handwritten comments.

"On the Discovery of the Buddha's Birthplace by L.A. Waddell". A notebook with black cover into which Waddell has pasted several articles concerning his attempts to find the birthplace of Buddha. These are entitled and annotated by him by hand. The articles included are:

• "The Discovery of the Birthplace of the Buddha" from the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1897, pp.644-651
• "Where is the Birthplace of Buddha?" from the Englishman, 1 June 1896
• "A Tibetan Guide-book to the lost Sites of the Buddha's Birth and Death" from the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1896, pp. 275-279
• Editorial Note from the Englishman, 1 June 1896
• "Who found Buddha's Birthplace?" from The Pioneer Mail, 29 October 1897
• "Who Found Buddha's Birthplace?" - a reply to Dr Führer's letter, from the Englishman, 30 November 1897
• "Christian Tombs in the North-Western Provinces and Oudh" from The Pioneer, 22 September 1897
• "The Birthplace of the Buddha" by Sir George Birdwood, from The Times, 9 September 1897
  It appears from the title page of the book that Waddell prepared this volume especially for the Royal Asiatic Society in February 1898.