Letter from Stuart Simmonds, President, Royal Asaitic Society, to Phil, School of Oriental and African Studies, to thank him for SOAS agreeing to host the Symposium and to ask whether they might also host a Sherry reception for the participants, dated 19 July 1973. Further correspondence accepting the invitation to the Sherry reception held at the Committee Room, School of Oriental and African Studies, on 24 July 1973. These are from Dr. R.D. Barnett, Mr G.A. Calver, Mr & Mrs J.T. Hooker, Professor and Mrs C.F. Beckingham, Sir Mortimer Wheeler, and Mrs J.M. Witt.

The Royal Asiatic Society from 23-27 July 1973 entitled "The Undeciphered Languages". The material in this series covers the administration, correspondence and advertising of this Symposium.

As part of the Sesquicentenary Celebrations the Royal Asiatic Society decided to host a series of National Days at approximately monthly intervals to highlight the countries in which the Society was particularly interested and with the hope of strengthening ties between various bodies interested in Asia. This material covers the organisation of these events.

As part of the Sesquicentenary several Fellows went to give lectures at schools. This series contains administrative material and correspondence concerned with these lectures.

In celebration of the Royal Asiatic Society's sesquicentenary various exhibitions of its collections were arranged. This series contains material concerned with organising and documenting those exhibitions.

Records concerning donations to the Sesquicentenary Appeal.

To coincide with the Queen's visit to the Royal Asiatic Society an exhibition was prepared at the premises of the Society. The material connected with this Exhibition is:

• "Royal Asiatic Society 150th Anniversary Exhibition 19 February 1973 - exhibition catalogue, typed material, 3 copies.
• Letter from W. Williams Wynn to Mr Beckingham to inform that though they have a portrait of Charles W. Williams Wynn but they will not part with it. He enquires whether a photograph of the portrait would be sufficient, dated 28 August 1968.
• Appeal notice for invitation cards, etc, designed by Professor Yetts for the Royal Asiatic Society, present in his Papers held by his estate, to be donated to the Society for their anniversary celebrations. With this is an example of one letterhead.
• Letter from Ray Strong, Director, National Portrait Gallery, to C.R. Beckingham, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to state that his request for the loan of the portrait of Sir Bartle Frere or Professor Horace Hayman Wilson will be put before the Trustees at their next meeting, dated 3 September 1968.
• Letter from B.W. Robinson, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to W.G. Easeman, Museum Superintendent, Victoria and Albert Museum, to ask if the Society may borrow display cases and boards for their exhibition, dated 2 January, 1973.
• Letter from B.W. Robinson, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to Miss Mercer, Head Archivist, County Hall, London, to ask if the Society may borrow an interior view of the Thatched House Tavern, where the Society's first meeting was held, dated 5 February 1973.
• Letter from Miss Mercer, Head Archivist, County Hall, London, to B.W. Robinson, President, Royal Asiatic Society, to confirm that the Greater London Council would be willing to lend a copy of the engraving of the Thatched House Tavern, dated 8 February 1973.
• Letter from B. W. Robinson, RAS President, to Diana Crawford, RAS Secretary, enclosing the labels he wrote for the two manuscripts to be exhibited (not with the letter). He further writes that some money may be available from the Persian Congress at Oxford and about the dedication message for a festschrift presented to the Queen, dated 14 February 1973.

Notifications, Agendas and Minutes of Meetings of the Sesquicentenary Planning Committee. Includes some signed minutes. The Sesquicentenary Committee was established to oversee the organisation of the celebrations. The first meeting was held on 27 November 1968. They continued to meet even after the Sesquicentenary to administer the funds and give a progress report. In the Minutes for 9 January 1975, it was noted that arrangements were approved for the dissolution of the Committee on 19 February 1975.

Administrative lists concerned with the organisation of the Sesquicentenary celebrations. These are:

• "Sesquicentenary Committee", 1972-1973
• "Sesquicentenary Celebrations 1973" - Committee, 1971, 1974/5
• "Synopsis" - sheet of plans and events
• "Social Occasions" - listing Dinner, Reception and Concert
• "Summary of Minutes Concerning Exhibitions"
• "Appeals" listing fund-raising ideas
• "1973 Tentative Calendar of Events"
• "Royal Asiatic Society" - listing items within the Collections
• "Sesquicentenary" - summarising the different components of the celebrations
• "Sesquicentenary Reception" - Proposed list of guests - 2 versions

The Royal Asiatic Society leased the premises at 5 New Burlington Street from 1848 to 1869. There is no original archival material for this period. These papers consist of copies of a perspective drawing showing the exterior of the building, executed from Regent Street. There are 2 copies of this view with an explanatory note. And a further copy of numbers 78-86.