IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0402 CB7
Held at: Royal Geographical Society
Title: RGS CORRESPONDENCE BLOCK 1881-1910
Date(s): 1881-1910
Level of description: Collection level (sub-fonds)
Extent: 60 boxes
Name of creator(s): Royal Geographical Society
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) was founded in 1830 as the Royal Geographical Society of London. Its aim was the advancement of Geographical Science. The Society was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1859. In 1995 the RGS merged with the Institute of British Geographers (IBG) to create the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Royal Geographical Society Correspondence Block, 1851-1860, consists of correspondence with the Society covering administrative matters as well as all aspects of geography and exploration throughout the world. These files contain incoming letters only, replies are held separately in the out-letter books. Authors include Roald Amundson, Herbert Henry Austin, Louis Bernacchi, James Theodore Bent, Carsten E Borchgrevinck, William Spiers Bruce, Sir William Martin Conway, Charles Montagu Doughty, Douglas William Freshfield, Francis Galton, Sir David Gill, James Augustus Grant, Rev George Grenfell, Sven Hedin, Dr Joseph Dalton Hooker, Col Thomas Hungerford Holdich, Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston, Sir John Scott Keltie, Mary Kingsley, Sir John Kirk, Prince Peter Kropotkin, Henry Savage Landor, F.D. Lugard, Sir Halford John Mackinder, Sir Clements Markham, Fridtjof Nansen, Adolf Erik Nordenskiold, Adm Sir Eramus Ommanney, Robert Edwin Peary, Dr John Rae, Capt Cecil Godfrey Rawling, Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, Dr. A Donaldson Smith, Sir Marc Aurel Stein, Otto Sverdrup, Everard im Thurn, Joseph Thomson, Gen James T Walker, Rev Horace Waller, Edward Whymper, Lt. Gen Francis Reginald Wingate, Sir Francis Edward Younghusband and Col Henry Yule.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: Mainly English but with some letters in other European languages.
System of arrangement:
Alphabetically by author or institution.
Conditions governing access:
Accessed via the Foyle Reading Room. Free of charge for Fellows, Members and those with valid academic identification. All other users pay a charge and must bring identification in order to register on arrival.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Photocopying at Archivist's discretion, and subject to completion of Request for Copies form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist. Please note that in some cases copyright of the author or owner may need to be sought.
Finding aids:
The RGS archives: a handlist / compiled by Christine Kelly. London: RGS, 1977. Also Access to Archives database at www.a2a.org.uk
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Accruals:
Archival history:
In most cases the items were sent to the RGS directly by their authors and have remained with the Society ever since.
Immediate source of acquisition:
Transferred directly from the RGS Secretary to the Archives.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
Correspondence Blocks 1-6 and 8-11, RGS Administrative Papers, Out-Letter Books.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Archivist's note: Compiled by Sarah Drewery using hard copy listings held in-house.
Date(s) of descriptions: Nov 2008.