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Royal Geographical Society

TRISTAN DA CUNHA FUND


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0402 TDC

Held at: Royal Geographical Society

Title: TRISTAN DA CUNHA FUND

Date(s): 1921-1980

Level of description: Collection level

Extent: 1 box and 1 file

Name of creator(s): Tristan da Cunha Fund

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Tristan da Cunha Fund was set up c 1886, by Douglas M Gane, a London solicitor. The purpose of the fund was to send aid to Tristan da Cunha following the failure of the potato crop and the loss of 15 of the islands best boat men at sea. The fund provided provisions for the islanders including wood, food and candles. Gane, Honorary Secretary of the Fund, who had visited the island aboard the clipper Ellora, repeatedly wrote to The Times in London to ensure the islanders were not forgotten. The Fund survived Gane's death in 1935, and his son, Irving B Gane, took over as Honorary Secretary. The Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Empire Society were the Fund's trustees. The fund was wound up sometime after 1951, as changes on the island meant that it was no longer dependant upon the Fund for survival.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers relating to the Tristan da Cunha fund, comprising 1) St Mary Bourne with Woodcott Parish Magazine with article about the Island, Jan, 1980. 2) News cuttings about Tristan da Cunha. 3) Tristan da Cunha Fund reports, 1934-1937 and 1937-1951. 4) Tristan da Cunha Fund: Mr. Douglas M Gans's Accounts, 1921-1934. 5) Tristan da Cunha Fund: Accounts of the Trustees (RGS and Royal Colonial Institute), 1922-1934. 6) Tristan da Cunha Fund: Mr. Douglas M Gane, two bank books for Fund accounts. 7) Tristan da Cunha Fund: Trustees (RGS and Royal Colonial Institute), two bank books for Fund accounts. 8) mortgages for properties in Middlesex and Essex (Connection to Fund unclear). File also contains letter relating to donation and plastic bag containing several lead soldiers.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

As outlined in the Scope and Content

Conditions governing access:

Accessible 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 the discretion of the Archivist and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.

Finding aids:

Box list available in the Foyle Reading Room

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were given to the RGS in 1995 by the family of Graham Martin, a solicitor who contributed to the setting up of the Fund.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material:

The Handbook of Tristan Da Cunha by Douglas M Gane and Tristan Da Cunha, 1506-1902, by J Brander are part of the RGS's Library Collection.

Newspaper cuttings and pamphlets of Douglas M Gane, 1886-1946, relating to the island of Tristan da Cunha (South Atlantic Ocean) are held at the British Library (Location: 10493.h.27.).

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

LBR MSS

Archivist's note: Prepared by Archives volunteer using existing records. Revised by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions: ISAD(G) ed. 2.

Date(s) of descriptions: 24th January, 2001. May 2008.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Charity | Social welfare
Charity accounts | Charity records | Documents | Information sources
Relief supplies | Disaster relief

Personal names

Corporate names
Tristan da Cunha Fund

Places
Tristan da Cunha | Saint Helena | Southern Africa