Papers of Clarence Dalrymple Bruce, 1901-1907, comprise a diary of a journey across Asia in 1907; copies of an article for the London Evening Standard, 1902-1903; account of a ride from Peking to Lake Baikal; and two volumes of a route report from Tibet to Peking.

Papers of Charles Moore Watson, 1871-1920, comprising a field notebook, lists of instruments and observations, upper Nile, 1874.

Collection of private journals, notebooks, letters articles and addresses of Sir Clement Markham relating to his life in the Royal Navy and to the period when he was closely involved with the work of the Royal Geographical Society as Honorary Secretary and later as President. The private journals cover various dates from 1844-1880 and from then form a continuous series to 1908. There are also private diaries of his father and of his wife. The notebooks include 8 volumes referring to the history of his, and his wife's, family; notes on biblical studies, South America, Portugal, Madeira, Spain, India and Ceylon. The manuscripts of articles and addresses given by Markham cover a wide range of subjects. The collection totals approximately 100 items.

Papers of David Livingstone including autograph letters and articles; one small watercolour; copies of letters to various correspondents; a notebook of astronomical observations and many letters and copies of letters from relations; friends and the Foreign Office referring to Livingstone.

Papers relating to the period 1850-1852, including a letter from Livingstone to William Cotton Oswell dated from Kuruman Sept 20 1852 which contains an account of the activities of the Boers around Kuruman and towards Sechele and copies of letters, 1850-1851, to the London Missionary Society. (9 items)

Papers, 1853-1857, principally concerning the expedition to Loanda, Linyanti and the Victoria Falls. These include 10 letters from Livingstone in Africa, 1853-1856, reporting to the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) on the progress of the expedition, the discovery of the Victoria Falls etc (long extracts from these letters were published by the RGS); a letter dated [25 Aug 1856] to the Editor of the 'Athenaeum' discussing 'easy chair versus field geography'; 18 letters from English addresses, Jan 1857-Feb 1858 to Dr Norton Shaw (the Society's Secretary) in which Livingstone asks for information on the mouth of the Zambesi, requires a copper boat, comments on his book, maps, family matters and the London Missionary Society; copies of letters from Livingstone to E Gabriel from Cassange, 14 Feb 1855, to Mr Sturge from Tette, 11 Dec 1858 and to Mr Layard from Bombay, 28 Sep 1865. (76 items)

Papers, 1858-1865, concerning the expedition to the Shiré, Zambesi and Lake Nyasa. These include 8 letters from Livingstone in Africa 1860-1864, to Sir Roderick Murchison and Dr Norton Shaw at the RGS reporting on the progress of the expedition; a small watercolour of the Victoria Falls; a report on the navigation of the Zambesi; an article in which Livingstone summarises proceedings of the expedition and activities of Universities Mission [probable date Jan 1862]; letters from Mary Livingstone to Dr. Norton Shaw, 1858 and 1860; copies of 19 letters from Livingstone to Macgregor Laird, the Foreign Office, Sir Thomas Maclear, E. Gabriel, the Rev A Monk, 1858-1862. (54 items).

Papers, 1865-1873, concerning Livingstone's last expedition. These include 3 letters from Livingstone to Sir Roderick Murchison, 2 Feb 1867; to Sir Thomas Maclear 8 Jul 1868, to Sir Henry Rawlinson dated from South Central Africa 1873 [probably written in early April, and the last known communication addressed by Livingstone to any official of the RGS]; a notebook of astronomical observations 1872-1873; a collection of news cuttings of 1872 about Livingstone and H M Stanley; copies of 17 letters from Livingstone to the Foreign Office, Sir Bartle Frere, Dr. John Kirk, Sir Roderick Murchison and Mr Seward; letters of Dr. John Kirk, H A Churchill and others communicating news and rumours about Livingstone. (60 items).

Papers relating to the death and funeral of Livingstone. (11 items).

Papers of Ernest Ayscoghe Floyer comprising computations of positions, Egypt, 1892 and other papers relating to Egypt, the Nile valley and Sinai.

Papers of the Mount Everest Committee and the Joint Himalayan Committee, 1918-1953, including correspondence, minute books, reports, lectures, publications, films, photographs, papers relating to stores and equipment, press cuttings, papers relating to personnel, financial papers relating to the 1921, 1922, 1924, 1933, 1935, 1938 and 1953 expeditions to Mount Everest.

Papers of the Mount Everest Foundation including correspondence and printed material relating to expeditions, minutes, annual reports, audit papers and applications for expeditions, 1953 onwards.

Papers of Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton comprising correspondence, mementoes and ephemera relating mainly to Shackleton's Antarctic expeditions including the Nimrod Expedition 1908-1909, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (Endurance Expedition) 1914-1916 and the Quest Expedition 1921-1923; two photograph albums of Aurora; minute book of the Shackleton Memorial Committee and a photocopy of a diary of Thomas Orde Lees on Elephant Island, 1916.

Papers of Eric Shipton, 1921-1972, including correspondence, 1952-1967; exercise book containing notes on the Vulim Wolf party describing a visit to a volcanic crater, Galapagos Islands; drafts of publications by Shipton including That Untravelled World, Mountain Conquest and Land of Tempest; drafts of articles by Shipton and typescripts of talks for the BBC; photographic prints, negatives, postcards and press cuttings of Shipton and Shipton in group photographs and VHS cassette of an interview with Shipton, broadcast on Australian television, 1972.

Papers of Edward Stirling, 1828-1829, comprising journal of a voyage in the Persian Gulf, departed from Bombay, 1828; description of Khorassan [Khorasan], 1830; journal of a journey from Tehran to Meshed, 1828 and a journey from Meshed to Balkh-Kabul, 1828; volume containing botanical observations begun in Sept, 1828, in Meshed, and copies of letters from William Moorcroft, 1821 and 1823 and 'an account of the accidents which befell Mr Moorcroft and the party with him in Turkestan as given by Luskeree Khan one of his servants.'

Copies of diaries of Frederick James Stevenson, of his travels in North and South America, 1863-1869, comprising Vol. 1 USA and Havana, 1863-1867; Vols 2 and 3, eastern States of South America, 1867-1868; Vol. 4, Patagonia, 1868 and Vol. 5, Bolivia and Peru, 1868-1869.

Two notebooks of Frank Kingdon Ward, 1911-1958, including bearings, positions and topographical notes made in Tibet, 1933-1934, and statement of the results of his observations.

Papers of George Wharton Marriott including diaries of a world tour, volume 1, 30 July 1885-1887; May 1886, London to Tenerife to Cape Town to New Zealand (also some notes on Fiji) and Volume 2, 8 May-18 Sept 1886 Australia-South China-Peking-Japan.

Papers of Sir George Nares including notes concerning the voyage of HMS ALERT and HMS DISCOVERY, 1875-1876; copy of instructions for survey in the ALERT, 1878 and list of dangers requiring examination; autographed menu for a dinner given to welcome home members of the ALERT and DISCOVERY expedition, 6 Dec 1876; note made in preparation for an obituary of Nares; song sheet of 'Away to the North: a song for the Arctic expedition of 1875' by M Mackay.

Fifteen watercolours of Turkistan (Ladakh, Kashgar and Yarkand) by George Hayward some with descriptive text on backs; two sketch plans of Kashgar and Yarkand forts and photograph of the grave of Hayward.

Papers relating to Herbert Ward, 1881-1996, including a bound book of newscuttings relating to Emin Pasha (and some Arctic items) and a video of Sir Colville Barclay speaking about his grandfather, Herbert Ward, filmed 1996.

Papers of Sir James Clark Ross, 1819-1875, including log as sub-lieutenant on HMS HECLA, on W E Parry's first expedition on search of the North-West Passage, 1819-1920; letter, letter-draft and memorandum, 1838, containing proposals for an expedition in search of the North-West Passage; letter from Ross on the HMS EREBUS to the Royal Geographical Society reporting on his Antarctic voyage, 1842; and copy, made by Allen Young in 1875, of a message left by Ross at Cape Coulman, 7 Jun 1849.

Copy, by a later hand, of journal of Capt Sir John Hawley Glover in letter form from SS DAYSPRING (second Niger expedition of W B Baikie), 8 May 1857-27 Jan 1858.

Papers of John Matthews, 1847-1855, including journal as gunner's mate on board HMS PLOVER, 13 Sep 1850 to 18 Apr 1855, chiefly off northern Alaska coast, in support of Franklin search expeditions; photograph, presumably of Matthews, and copy of letter from Matthews to his sister, 10 Nov 1847.

A collection of articles and letters sent to the Royal Geographical Society for publication in its Journals. This material covers all aspects of geography and exploration across the globe. This includes material from some of the most celebrated 19th and early 20th Century explorations, throughout the World. The articles were often sent to referees and their reports are often to be found with the article, in some cases the referee report has been retained even though the article has been returned to the author.

Articles and letters by various authors relating to Southern Asia, including India, Afghanistan and Tibet, sent to the Royal Geographical Society for publication in its Journals, 1830-1952. The articles were often sent to referees and their reports are often to be found with the article, in some cases the referee report has been retained even though the article has been returned to the author.

Articles and letters by various authors relating to Japan, including small off-shore islands, sent to the Royal Geographical Society for publication in its Journals, 1839-1951. The articles were often sent to referees and their reports are often to be found with the article, in some cases the referee report has been retained even though the article has been returned to the author.

Articles and letters by various authors relating to New Zealand, sent to the Royal Geographical Society for publication in its Journals, 1838-1946. The articles were often sent to referees and their reports are often to be found with the article, in some cases the referee report has been retained even though the article has been returned to the author.

Articles and letters by various authors relating to the islands of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, including West New Guinea, sent to the Royal Geographical Society for publication in its Journals, 1830-1952. The articles were often sent to referees and their reports are often to be found with the article, in some cases the referee report has been retained even though the article has been returned to the author.

Articles and letters by various authors relating to Central Asia, including Asiatic Russia, Mongolia and Sinkiang, sent to the Royal Geographical Society for publication in its Journals, 1836-1947. The articles were often sent to referees and their reports are often to be found with the article, in some cases the referee report has been retained even though the article has been returned to the author.

Papers of John Thomas Baines including manuscript descriptions of four lithographs of South Africa; photocopies of two letters to Thornton, one dated 1859; typed list of 288 paintings owned by the RGS; catalogue and booklet of exhibitions of 1975; topographical notes of journey west from Zambesi and diary, May 1869-April 1870, missing since 1968.

Papers of Lord Henry Cecil John Hunt, [1925-1998], including Hunt's diary of the Mount Everest expedition, 10 Mar-12 Jun 1953; photographs, transcripts of letters and diaries from the 1953 Mount Everest expedition; papers relating to the administration of the Pamirs Expedition, 1962; climbing journals, 1925-1958; extracts from diaries, 1969-1986; papers relating to the celebratory events following the ascent of Everest and the Pamirs Expedition, 1962; papers relating to expeditions including peak 36, Salturo, 1935, Kangri, Zemu glacier, 1937, Kongor expedition, Caucasus, 1958, North East Greenland, 1960, Pamirs, 1962, Greece, Pindus, 1963, Yukon Alpine centennial expedition, 1967, Nepal, 1970s-1990s, the International Karakoram Project, 1980, China, 1980s, Peru, Andes, 1983 and Kulu-Lahul-Ladakh-Kashmir, 1990; maps of Kashmir, Nepal and Mount Everest; lectures, articles and essays on mountaineering; correspondence on mountaineering; papers on mountaineering training; papers relating to mountaineering organisations including In Search of Adventure, Adventure UK, National Association for Outdoor Education, the Foundation for Outdoor Adventure, Alpine Club, Mount Everest Foundation and the British Mountaineering Council; papers relating to the Royal Geographical Society and papers relating to the Empire and Commonwealth Museum.

Correspondence and other papers of 1853-1854 on the planning and preparation of the expedition including letters of Charles Sturt, 1853-1854; notes and correspondence on negotiations with the Government and the City Merchants Committee; correspondence on the reimbursment of Ernest Haug of money spent in preparation of the expedition, Feb-Aug 1854; correspondence on personnel, plans and purpose of the expedition, 1853-1854 and press cuttings, 1854.

Papers of Robert Shedden made during his voyage on the NANCY DAWSON from London to the Bering Strait via Goa and Singapore, 1848-1849, including observations, chronometer ratings and calculations for positions.

Papers of Sir George Back, 1814-1878, including c. 250 letters addressed to Sir George Back by various correspondents (listed by name), 1848-1878; personal letters from Back to his family, 1813-1878; photocopies of extracts from Back's sketchbook and slides of his sketches from 1819-1822 expedition to Arctic; passports and framed letter with sketches of polar bear, 1874.

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.

Papers of James Bruce, 1750-1779, comprise seven letters, various dates, 1758-1789, which refer to personal affairs, except for the letter to Mr. Mackenzie from Tunis, 9 May 1766, which describes a journey in the hinterland of Tunis.

Papers of Arthur Douglas Carey, 1884-1935, comprise a diary of a journey in Ladak, Tibet, and Sinkiang, 25 May 1885 to 19 May 1886; two letters from John Biddulph to (H E M) James (who travelled part way with Carey), 2 June and 24 June 1884, giving advice on travel in Central Asia; four letters from Ney Elias to Carey 27 Sept 1885, 13 Nov 1885, 3 Sept 1886, 20 March 1886 and official correspondence to and from Carey concerning his journey.

Papers of James Cook, 1774-1971, comprise a photograph of a letter to Captain John Walter of Whitby, 13 Sept 1774, describing his discoveries in the South Seas; photocopy of accounts for food purchased, headed 'Captain Cook on board the Resolution at Long Reach', June 8 1776 and correspondence, 1899-1937, relating to the Tahiti Memorial to Captain Cook.

Papers of William Barents and Jacob van Heemskerk, 1871-1877, comprise a photocopy of record left by them on the island of Novaya Zemlya, in the Artic Circle, in 1597.

Papers of James Berry, 1879-1926 comprise a journal of a world tour via the Suez Canal, Colombo, Austrailia, New Zealand, Canada and include photographs of illustrations and text from the original manuscript. The collection also includes diaries, including one entitled 'My Journal 1892' and others dated 1879 and 1918-1926 and two annotated copies of the journal of a world tour.

Papers of G C Binsteed, 1913, comprise five journals of travel in Inner Mongolia with Captain Holme and in the Mongolian Republic, 1913. Translation by G C Binsteed of extracts from 'Report on a summer excursion into Mongolia in 1911'.

Reports, observations, notes and photos of Canada by Thomas Henry Manning, 1936-1946, including descriptive report, Northern Manitoba and South-east Keewatin, 1945; descriptive report and technical report, east coast of Hudson's Bay, Ottawa Islands, etc., 1946 (duplicates of reports submitted to the Geodetic Service of Canada); astronomical observations, topological notes and rough sketch maps of Whale Point and surrounding area, 1936-1938.

Note or manuscript 'Record' left in an Arctic cairn by Surgeon R W Coppinger, 12 May 1876, while with the sledge party from HMS ALERT during that vessel's Arctic expedition. On the reverse of the note is a copy of an earlier 'Record' made by crew member of USS POLARIS, Capt S G Budington, 7 May 1872, reporting the progress of the POLARIS, including the death of Capt Charles Francis Hall, 8 Nov 1871. Presumably Coppinger retrieved the original record from the cairn, returned it to the US government and made a copy on the reverse of his own note to leave in the cairn.

Photocopies of refusal by Canadian Court to take action relating to Charles Francis Hall's alleged shooting of Patrick Coleman during a 1860s expedition to search for the explorer John Franklin, Oct-Dec, 1869, with covering letter from A G E Jones.

Papers of Capt William Shakespear, 1908-1915, including field notebooks on 'Kuwait tours' giving route and bearings, 1909-1913; observations in Kuwait, 1911; tour to Nejd and a single page with depths of desert wells, Kuwait hinterland, Mar-Apr, 1913; notes on route and bearings, Feb-May 1914; computations of aneroid observations, 1914; observations of the sun's meridian, 1911, 1913 and 1914; copies of letters and papers including the last letter from Shakespear to his brother, 14 Jan 1915.

Papers of Whitney Willard Straight, 1962-1968, comprising correspondence, press cuttings and papers concerning his visits to the Sahara and to Socotra.

Papers, 1953-1986, dating predominantly from the 1960s and 1970s, on Melanesian culture, government and geography and the work of the church in the New Hebrides, collected by the Rt Rev Derek Rawcliffe.

These include photographs of letters of Lord Nelson, 1794 to 1797; of his journal of the AGAMEMNON, 1794; two letters written by Captain Cook, 1772; and some papers of Nevil Maskelyne (1732-1813), Astronomer Royal, 1761 to 1793.

These include transcripts of documents dating from the sixteenth century: the earliest is a description of Drake's preparations for his expedition in 1585. There are also transcripts of official letters, 1718 to 1720 to Admiral Sir George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington (1663-1733), when he was in command of the British fleet in the Mediterranean; a copy of a letter describing the sinking of the GREAT BRITAIN in the St Lawrence River, 1842; and transcripts of letters from the Duke of Windsor and Prince Albert (later King George VI) to Admiral Sir Campbell Tait (1886-1946), 1913 to 1919.

Notes by John Dixon on medical matters and on things of personal interest to him such as astrology and photography spanning his entire career, 1848-1903. MS.5191 comprises more formal material, namely certificates and indentures.

MSS.3356-3382 comprise journals and memorandum books documenting the various phases of McCormick's career, as follows: MS.3356, sketchbook relating to West Indies and South America voyages, 1824-1825; MS.3357, journal of voyage north of Spitsbergen in the Hecla, 1827; MS.3358, notes of lectures on natural philosophy by Robert Jameson (1774-1854) at Edinburgh University, 1830-1831; MS.3359, diary of voyages to West Indies and South America, 1830-1832; MS.3360, half-pay diaries (7 volumes), 1830-1838; MS.3361, diaries covering 1823-1830, fair copy; MS.3362, sketch book covering voyages in North Sea and West Indies, 1832-1833; MS.3363, diary covering blockade of Dutch coast and voyage to West Indies, 1832-1834; MS.3364, diary of a walking tour in Devon (apparently part of a longer journey of which the other journal volumes are not extant), 1834-1835; MS.3365, diary while fitting out the Antarctic expedition of the Erebus, 1839; MSS.3366-3368, diaries written during the Erebus Antarctic expedition (15 volumes), 1839-1843; MSS.3369-3370, meteorological and ornithological logs respectively of the Erebus Antarctic expedition, 1839-1843; MS.3371, half-pay diaries (4 volumes), 1843-1845; MS.3372, memorandum book on Arctic discovery, chiefly compiled during the voyage of the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1848-1852; MS.3373, diary while fitting out the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1852; MSS.3374-3380, diaries written during the voyage of the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1852-1853; MSS.3381-3382, meteorological tables and sketches respectively, made during the voyage of the North Star as part of the search for Sir John Franklin, 1852-1853. MS.8682 comprises loose miscellaneous material, chiefly printed, relating to various phases of McCormick's career: evolving versions of his Narrative of a Boat-Expedition up the Wellington Channel in the Year 1852 (London: Eyre and Spotteswoode, 1854), plus testimonials, printed items by other authors including the Arctic traveller Dr. Richard King, publisher's advertisements and newspapers.

Holograph manuscripts of publications by Joseph von Schneller, notes, and some material by other persons collected by von Schneller, 1837-1885.

Papers collected by Townsend W Thorndike relating to exploration, chiefly in the Arctic including manuscript material, cuttings from periodicals and printed ephemera, 1746-1920.

London County Council circulars 'Notes on Allowances to Soldiers' Wives' and 'Notes on Allowances to Sailors' Wives', 1914.

Photocopy of journal kept by Aubyn Bernard Trevor-Battie describing his stay on the Island of Kolguev in the Barents Sea, 1904.

Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences et Belles Lettres de Berlin, avec des Mémoires: Classe de Philosophie Expérimentale. Illustrated with folding and other pen and wash drawings. Produced in Berlin, 1748-1757.