BANKS, Sir Joseph (1743-1820)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0402 SSC/1
Held at	: Royal Geographical Society   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Collections/Collections.htm ›
Full title	: BANKS, Sir Joseph (1743-1820)
Date(s)	: 1788-1811
Level of description	: Collection level
Extent	: 1 box
Name of creator(s)	: Banks | Sir | Joseph | 1743-1820 | 1st Baronet | President of the Royal Society

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Sir Joseph Banks was born in London in 1743; educated at Harrow School, 1752-1756 and Eton College, 1756-1760, where he showed an interest in botany. Banks matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford and following his father's death in 1761 chose to devote himself to natural history. He was elected a Fellow of Royal Society and Society of Antiquaries, 1766 and in the same year undertook his apprenticeship as a scientifically trained Linnaean naturalist on an expedition to Labrador and Newfoundland. He later undertook the Endeavour voyage of 1768-1771 with James Cook. On his return in 1771, Banks was introduced to King George III, later becoming his friend and advisor on matters concerning science and agriculture.

Banks was president of the Royal Society from 1778 to 1820 and Virtual Director of Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, 1773. Banks was one of the founders of the Africa Society and promoted greater British involvement in the exploration of Africa. He was made a knight in Order of the Bath, 1795 and died in 1820.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Sir Joseph Banks, 1788-1811, comprise microfilm, and enlarged prints from the microfilm, of papers held in the Sutro Collection, State Library of California concerning subjects including the Africa Association.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Arranged in original order.

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:

Accessible online at Access to Archives, a hard copy catalogue and card list can also be found in the Foyle Reading Room at the Royal Geographical Society.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Unknown.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Dillon collection, RGS museum and RGS library collections.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Prepared by Archives volunteer using existing finding aids and edited by Samantha Velumyl, AIM25 cataloguer.

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:
November, 2001 and modified in April 2008..