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.
Sans titreThis archive consists of registers, lists and correspondence concerned with the acquisitions and accessions of the Collections of the Society. The Society has not kept comprehensive records throughout its history. Further information pertaining to the Acquisitions of the Society can be found in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and in the Minute books for the Council and General Meetings. Accessions continue in the life of the Society. More recent ones are held in the Society's records management system and will be transferred to the archive in due course.
Sans titreThe Royal Asiatic Society is governed by a Council who attend regular meetings to discuss the Governance of the Society. These Papers are the signed minutes for these meetings.
Sans titreAt irregular intervals a Special General Meeting is called by the Council. These are to discuss and vote upon major changes within the Society such as a change in the Charter or Byelaws, the sale of some part of the collections, or the necessity of moving premises. Much of the discussion concerning these Meetings will be minuted in the Council Minutes and the meetings minuted in the General Meeting Minutes. This archive contains the supplementary material that has been collected concerned with Special General Meetings.
Sans titreThe material in this catalogue was formed in the administration of the Governance of the Royal Asiatic Society. They include Reports and Statements, Correspondence concerned with both internal and external business, Attendance Books, Records of use of the Society's Seal, examples of emblems and seals, and some other ephemera.
Sans titreSince its initiation in 1823, the Royal Asiatic Society has held an annual Anniversary General Meeting. This is partly a business meeting where the accounts are presented, and a report given of the Society's affairs for the preceding year. It is also a celebration of the Society's achievements and activities. A lecture is usually given as part of the proceedings and the meeting has, in its history, been followed by a reception or meal. Due to the business side of the activities, relevant material will also be found within the Governance records and within the General Meeting Minutes.
The material identified in this catalogue include agendas, reports, invitations, press cuttings and photographs.
Sans titreA handwritten manuscript of the Grammaire Tagalog by Aristide Marre with a Vocabulaire tagalog-francais-anglais by Aristide Marre and Isabelle Pinches. With these are the original housing envelope, two explanatory labels and a letter to request the publication of these works.
Sans titre"Notes on Cudapah" (Kadapa), "Read July 17/30" "Ordered not to be printed Nov 13/30" with label "Catalogue of English MSS. II No 5, Cuddapah, Presented by Mrs Skinner and read before the Society on 17 July 1830. Three anecdotes concerning traditions:
- The self-devotion of a headman of the village of Chitwail
- An account of the "Assaree Shereef" - a building erected to contain a hair from the beard of Muhammad
- The behaviour of a fakir Handwritten, 3 pages + label.
This manuscript and details concerning it are found in the Society's "Catalogue of English Manuscripts in the R.A.S.", p.20.
Sans titreThis catalogue contains the policy documents of the Society regarding Collections management. Because of the relatively small nature of the Society, historically many such policy decisions have been made by its Council or Library Committee, recorded in the Minutes of the Meetings, and these Minutes used as the "policy documents". Further some Collections management policy is covered by the Charters and Byelaws of the Society. Therefore researchers of policy decisions should also consult these materials.
The creation of policies and their updating is an ongoing process. Historic ones have been added to this catalogue; and others will be added as they become available.
This archive consists of lists and correspondence concerned with the disposal of items in the Collections of the Society. The Society has not kept comprehensive records throughout its history. Further information pertaining to Disposals of the Society may be found in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and in the Minute books for the Council and General Meetings. Disposals may continue in the life of the Society. More recent ones are held in the Society's records management system and will be transferred to the archive in due course.
Sans titre