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Royal Geographical Society

RGS CORRESPONDENCE BLOCK 1834-1840


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0402 CB2

Held at: Royal Geographical Society

Title: RGS CORRESPONDENCE BLOCK 1834-1840

Date(s): 1834-1840

Level of description: Collection level (sub-fonds)

Extent: 8 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, 1834-1840, 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 William Ainsworth, Sir George Back, Sir John Barrow, Captain F Beaufort, F W Beechey, William Bollaert, James Brooke, Sir Alexander Burnes, F R Chesney, Colonial Office, Charles Darwin, Capt Robert Fitzroy, W R Hamilton, William Hilhouse, Alexander Maconochie, Woodbine Parish, Henry Creswicke Rawlingson, Dr John Richardson, Robert H Schomburgk and Sir J Gardner Wilkinson.

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.

Physical characteristics:

Almost all items are handwritten but some files may contain printed items.

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 and 3-11, RGS Administrative Papers, Out-Letter Books.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Compiled by Sarah Drewery using hard copy listings held in-house.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: Nov 2008.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Geographical exploration | Geography
Learned societies | Associations | Organizations

Personal names
Ainsworth | William Francis | 1807-1896 | geographer and geologist
Back | Sir | George | 1796-1878 | Knight | Admiral and Arctic navigator
Barrow | Sir | John | 1764-1848 | Knight | Secretary to the Admiralty and founder of the Royal Geographical Society
Beaufort | Sir | Francis | 1774-1857 | Knight | Rear Admiral | hydrographer
Beechey | Frederick William | 1796-1856 | Rear Admiral | geographer
Bollaert | William | 1807-1876 | author and explorer
Brooke | Sir James | 1803-1868 | Knight | Rajah of Sarawak
Burnes | Sir | Alexander | 1805-1841 | Knight | explorer | Captain
Chesney | Francis Rawdon | 1789-1872 | General | explorer and surveyor
Darwin | Charles Robert | 1809-1882 | scientist and naturalist
FitzRoy | Robert | 1805-1865 | Vice-Admiral
Hamilton | William Richard | 1777-1859 | antiquary and diplomatist
Hilhouse | William | fl 1830-1835 | explorer
Maconochie | Alexander | 1787-1860 | naval officer, geographer and penal reformer | Captain
Parish | Sir | Woodbine | 1796-1882 | Knight | diplomat
Rawlinson | Sir | Henry Creswicke | 1810-1895 | Knight | 1st Baronet | archaeologist, diplomat and MP | Major General
Richardson | Sir | John | 1787-1865 | Knight | physician, naturalist, and Arctic explorer
Schomburgk | Sir | Robert Hermann | 1804-1865 | Knight | botanist
Wilkinson | Sir | John Gardner | 1797-1875 | Knight | explorer and egyptologist

Corporate names
Colonial Office
Royal Geographical Society

Places