In 1987 the Society looked to release itself from the lease for 56 Queen Anne Street. The lease was bought back from the Society by Howard de Walden Estates for £430,000. This series contains correspondence regarding the sale of the lease for 56 Queen Anne Street. This correspondence includes that with the Howard de Walden Estates, solicitors, the building surveyors, Morton-Smith & Co., and Charity Commissioners.

Notes and correspondence regarding the history of 56 Queen Anne Street. These are:

• "The Royal Asiatic Society's House in Queen Anne Street" - a typed history of the building plus two further pages of typed and handwritten notes.
• Letter from Elliott, Son & Boyton, Surveyors, concerning former lease holders of the property, dated 23 May 1947.
• Correspondence with Howard de Walden Estates about former lease holders, 4 letters, 20 July 1967-29 August 1967.
• Letter from Brian Rawford concerning his memories of the house, dated 26 September 1968.
• Correspondence with the Embroiderers' Guild concerning their memories of the property, 2 letters, dated 25 January 1968 - 26 January 1968.
• Correspondence with the Librarian, University of Nottingham, and the County Archivist, Nottingham, concerning the Portland Papers, 12 items, dated 26 November 1969 - 25 February 1970.

Plans for the property 56 Queen Anne Street. These are:

• Plans drawn up by G.K. Payne for location of rooms in Queen Anne Street, Scale 1/8" =1'0" 56 Queen Anne Street, September 1974, prepared by Morton-Smith and Company with room plans for basement, ground and first floors and a small location plan. Three sheets of plans numbering and labelling the rooms on basement, ground and first floors.
• Copies of Payne's plans with annotations. Undated.
• Five photocopied sheets of floor plans for basement, ground, 1st and 2nd floors, and mews. Undated.

Five sheets of headed notepaper bearing the Queen Anne Street address and one headed postcard.

Black and white photographs of 56 Queen Anne Street. These are:

• 3 identical prints of the frontage of the building, one mounted on board
• 3 prints of different views of the Library, plus further print of the fireplace
• 2 large identical prints of the Lecture Room and two smaller identical prints of the room
• 3 large and two smaller views of a reading/council room featuring the portrait of Lt. Col. William Lambton (Head cat. 01.011), one mounted on board
• 2 large and 4 smaller views of a reading/council room featuring the Thomas Daniell print of the Mosque at Juanpore (Head cat.090.005)
• 1 print of a carved fireplace with 3 prints showing the ornamental detail of lady with two cherubs
• View of a fireplace with further close up view of detail of a lady with a dog
• View of fireplace with swag carving
• View of Staircase, taken in 1972
• View of carved alcove
• Three views of front room ground floor and lecture room, possibly circa 1963, with accompanying note
• Letter from A.D.H. Bivar to Diana Crawford, Secretary of Royal Asiatic Society, to send duplicate copies of prints of the Society's premises taken at the time of the Queen's visit. Typed letter, dated 14 September 1977
• 29 negatives for pictures of the premises

Official documents concerning the purchase of 60 Queen's Gardens. These are:

• "Register of local land changes: Requisition for search and official certificate of search", dated 16 April - 20 May 1987, with supplemental evidence.
• "Enquiries Before Contract", dated 8 May 1987.
• Contract of Sale, dated 22 May 1987.
• "Requisitions on Title", dated 5 June 1987.
• "Statutory Declaration of Zdzislaw Ludgard Jerzy Woloszczuk", dated 12 June 1987.
• "Enquiries of Local Authority", 3 versions, one of which contains supplemental Register of Local Land Changes and other information; undated.

Correspondence formed in the negotiations for the purchase of 60 Queen's Gardens. These include correspondence with Becker, Grossman & Co., Surveyors; Westminster City Council; Messrs. Morton-Smith and Co.; Braham Good & Partners, Surveyors; and Philip Conway Thomas & Co., Solicitors.

Correspondence from the London Auction Room Carriers Ltd regrading moving into 60 Queen's Gardens. These are:

• Quotation and covering letter for costs of removal, dated 24 September 1987.
• Letter to thank for cheque and acknowledge required changes, dated 14 October 1987.

Also two breakdowns of costs for removal.

Internal correspondence concerning the use of the premises at Queen's Gardens. These are:

• Correspondence from Godfrey Goodwin to Dennis Duncanson concerning the changes that may be needed to Queen's Gardens, handwritten and typed, dated 18 September [1987].
• Report from Godfrey Goodwin, Librarian, to the Director concerning the Library and its collections, handwritten, dated 26 September 1987.
• Quotations for Library Shelving, typed with annotations, undated.

Report from Morton-Smith & Co., Chartered Surveyors, concerning water penetration through roof leakages into the property. Four page report with accompanying 10 colour photographs.