Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1904-1957 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3 boxes, 8 box files and 1 tube
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Alexander Douglas Mitchell Carruthers was born in London on 4 October 1882; educated at Haileybury College and Trinity College, Cambridge; worked as secretary to a number of people active at the Royal Geographical Society, and underwent training in land survey work, also becoming an expert taxidermist. He took part in the British Museum expedition to Ruwenzori and the Congo, 1905-1906 and sent home specimens of birds and mammals. He later joined John H Miller and Morgan Philips Price in an expedition through the desert of Outer Mongolia, publishing two volumes on Unknown Mongolia in 1913.
During the First World War he was employed mainly at the War Office compiling maps of the Middle East; his later career consisted largely of map making and working with explorers and travellers. Carruthers was awarded the Gill memorial, 1910 and the patron's gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society, 1912, which he was to serve as honorary secretary in 1916-1921 and Fellow in 1909-1962 and was awarded the Sykes medal of the Royal Central Asian Society in 1956. Carruthers died in the Royal Free Hospital, Islington, on 23 May 1962.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0402 ADC 1904-1957 Collection level 3 boxes, 8 box files and 1 tube Carruthers , Alexander Douglas Mitchell , 1882-1962 , explorer and naturalist
Alexander Douglas Mitchell Carruthers was born in London on 4 October 1882; educated at Haileybury College and Trinity College, Cambridge; worked as secretary to a number of people active at the Royal Geographical Society, and underwent training in land survey work, also becoming an expert taxidermist. He took part in the British Museum expedition to Ruwenzori and the Congo, 1905-1906 and sent home specimens of birds and mammals. He later joined John H Miller and Morgan Philips Price in an expedition through the desert of Outer Mongolia, publishing two volumes on Unknown Mongolia in 1913.
During the First World War he was employed mainly at the War Office compiling maps of the Middle East; his later career consisted largely of map making and working with explorers and travellers. Carruthers was awarded the Gill memorial, 1910 and the patron's gold medal of the Royal Geographical Society, 1912, which he was to serve as honorary secretary in 1916-1921 and Fellow in 1909-1962 and was awarded the Sykes medal of the Royal Central Asian Society in 1956. Carruthers died in the Royal Free Hospital, Islington, on 23 May 1962.
Most of the material was donated by the creator's widow in 1988. Other material presented by Prof. Robert F Lewis and V Winstone.
Papers of Alexander Douglas Mitchell Carruthers, 1904-1957, comprise travel diaries and notebooks from Syria and Lebanon, Central Africa, Turkestan and Arabia; correspondence, notes, published articles and cuttings about birds, mammals and other natural history topics.
None expected
Lists of the boxed material are held by the RGS
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.
Photocopying at Archivist's discretion, and subject to completion of 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.
English
Catalogue entry available online at Access to Archives.
RGS Archives - Correspondence blocks 1881-1910, 1911-1920, 1921-1930 and 1931-1940 Carruthers, Douglas. Geog. Jnl. Mss: Middle East 1910, Central Asia 1912, Miscellaneous 1917.
Sources: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online and an obituary in The Geographical Journal volume 128 pp. 368-9.
Prepared by an archives volunteer using existing finding aids and edited by Samantha Velumyl, AIM25 cataloguer.
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.
27 November 2000 and modified May 2008. Carruthers , Alexander Douglas Mitchell , 1882-1962 , explorer and naturalist Geographical exploration Geography Mammals Literature Literary forms and genres Prose Nonfiction Travel writing Zoology Animals Birds Lebanon Middle East Syrian AR Gulf States Central Africa Vertebrates Organisms
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Most of the material was donated by the creator's widow in 1988. Other material presented by Prof. Robert F Lewis and V Winstone.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Alexander Douglas Mitchell Carruthers, 1904-1957, comprise travel diaries and notebooks from Syria and Lebanon, Central Africa, Turkestan and Arabia; correspondence, notes, published articles and cuttings about birds, mammals and other natural history topics.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
None expected
System of arrangement
Lists of the boxed material are held by the RGS
Conditions of access and use area
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 'application for copies' form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
RGS Archives - Correspondence blocks 1881-1910, 1911-1920, 1921-1930 and 1931-1940 Carruthers, Douglas. Geog. Jnl. Mss: Middle East 1910, Central Asia 1912, Miscellaneous 1917.
Finding aids
Catalogue entry available online at Access to Archives.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
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.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English