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Council Attendance Book of Royal Society.

Declarations in lieu of charter oath by Royal Society Fellows.

Miscellaneous letters and papers concerning the landed property of the Royal Society covering the nineteenth century.

Letters sent to the Royal Society, its President or Officers. Subject matter is both domestic and scientific. Domestic concerns include such matters as instructions from authors on the publication of papers. The letters on scientific topics appear to be those which were considered of small significance, e.g. giving notice of minor inventions, or appealing to the Society for recognition.

Inspectors' Visitation of the Royal Society Library, 1768-1769 and 1777.

Acquisitions book for the Royal Society Library, appears to be nineteenth century.

Royal Society Library and Museum Account Book; the catalogue in account with the Royal Society.

The Royal Society Library and Museum; 'Libri desiderate' library request book with minutes of the Library Committee from undated to 1932.

Catalogue of the Royal Society Museum, possibly seventeenth or early eighteenth century.

Copies of outgoing letters from the President, Officers and Assistant Secretaries. Each page may contain up to four copied documents. Volumes are numbered 1-73 with an additional volume for the period January 1901-November 1904.

Minutes of the meetings of the Officers of the Society to discuss matters of policy, the administration and staffing of the Society, and to consider reports from staff.

Copies of the outgoing letters written by the Foreign Secretaries of the Royal Society.

Correspondence relating to the Royal Grant of Apartments in Somerset House to the Royal Society by King George III including a copy of a memorandum by Albert, the Prince Consort, in 1851.

A small collection of photostats or photocopies of manuscripts held in other institutions, but of some relevance to the Royal Society and its own Archives. The series largely consists of groups of correspondence, notable letters to Julius Plucker (PH.1) letters of Hevelius, Newton and Flamsteed (PH.2) and of Edmond Halley (PH.3) There are some records of other institutions, including a minute book of the Physiological Society 1876-1892 (PH.9), and copies of Rutherford's correspondence at the Cavendish Laboratory.

A list of presents to the Royal Society, 1831-1849.

A series of (generally) printed material relating to, and commenting on, the Society's activities. The press cuttings and scrap books contain cuttings from newspapers interspersed with other printed matter, and occasionally items of manuscripts. The remaining volumes are concerned with particular events or subjects, such as 'HMS Challenger 1872-1895' or 'National Antarctic Expedition 1899-1904'. There are three types of volumes; the first volume is for the years 1846-1876, but therafter two types of book were kept;

a) biographical - 12 volumes, 1872-1910

b) general, 10 volumes 1885-1910.

These were discontinued for a short period, then merged: 36 volumes, 1918-1976. Thereafter newscuttings were photocopied and kept in monthly bundles.

The Register Books exist in Original and Copy form. The Register Book contains copies of scientific papers submitted to the Society - the original documents may be found in the Classified Papers series. The papers were transcribed to establish their precedence for a particular discovery or idea. It follows that not all communications to the Society were registered in this manner, but only those judged to contain some significant material.

The Register Books contain copies of scientific papers submitted to the Society - the original documents may be found in the Classified Papers. The papers were transcribed in order to establish their precedence for a particular discovery or idea. Therefore not all communications to the Society were registered in this manner, but only those judged to contain some significant material. Dates as listed are those in which the paper was communicated to the Royal Society; dates of writing, where given, are included in the description of each paper. Many of the these papers were published in 'Philosophical Transactions'.

Secretaries Draft Minutes of Meetings of the Royal Society: these are the notes, more or less rough, which were written up to make the Journal Books. They fall into two sections;

1. 'Original Minutes' A series of guardbooks and packets of papers, 12 in number, containing original minutes of the Society's meetings. These minutes gradually approach nearer and nearer to the form and appearance of the Journal Book, and the last few volumes (from 15 onwards) are little different from the corresponding volumes of the Journal Book in their style.

2. 'Rough Minutes' A series of 5 notebooks containing rough minutes of meetings. It seems likely that these are the notes taken down by the Secretary at the meetings, which were later written out much more carefully to make the original minutes (which are usually more legible and more clearly intended to be preserved). These 5 notebooks cover fairly well the gaps in the series of Original minutes caused by the absence of Volume VI (almost certainly this is Sloane MS 3342 in the British Library) and the exceedingly fragmentary state of Volume V.

Disregarding the gaps, the period covered by the combined original and rough minutes is from August 1662 to November 1761. The period covered by the individual volumes are also shown on the backs of the volumes

The Royal Society's Tercentenary celebrations in 1960 prompted learned societies and centres of academic excellence worldwide to send gifts and messages of congratulations. Presentation books, medals and other memorabilia were presented also. Many of the messages were highly ornate, and this series illustrates a wide range of calligraphic techniques and styles of binding.

Nominations for visiting professors to the Royal Society.

Typescript of article 'The Administration of the Royal Society' by Edwin Herbert Samuel, 2nd Viscount Samuel, presented by Dr Anthony R Michaelis, Editor of 'Interdisciplinary Science Review'.

Papers of Lord Edward Shackleton, including papers and correspondence relating to the following: 'In the Footsteps of Scott Expedition', 1985-1986; Monica Christenson and 90 degrees South, 1979-1986; Geographical Club minutes and other papers, 1980s; the British Geological Survey Open Day, 1988; Irish expedition to North East Greenland, 1987; Scott-Amundsen Anniversary South Pole Flight, 1987 (Paul Lynch); correspondence with Keith Black, 1979-1984; Royal Geographical Society Council and Committee Minutes and accompanying papers, 1980's and papers relating to the Kimberley Australia Project, 1988.

Records of the Shakespeare Association, 1914-1955, consisting of minute books, annual reports, membership lists, cash book, correspondence regarding publications and subscriptions, other correspondence and press cuttings.

Sharpey-Schafer's correspondence is extensive. In addition to his own correspondence it includes papers of William Sharpey, saved by Sharpey-Schafer after his death, 1836-70 and n.d. There are significant numbers of letters from William Sharpey himself, Sir Michael Foster, Sir John Burdon-Sanderson, Sir William Osler, George John Romanes, Sir Victor Horsley, Sir James Paget, Lord Lister, Sir Charles Sherrington, Sir William Gowers, Thomas Henry Huxley, John Newport Langley, Sir Edwin Ray Lankester, Ernest Henry Starling, Allen Thomson, Sanger Monroe Brown, Sutherland Simpson, Francis Gano Benedict, Harvey Cushing, Albrecht Kossel, Karl Hugo Kronecker, Carl Ludwig, Charles Robert Richet, and Masaharu Kohima.

Material relating to Sharpey-Schafer's career at UCL includes correspondence on his controversy in the Neurological Society with Sir David Ferrier, 1887-88, and papers relating to the rebuilding of University College Hospital in 1895.

Material relating to Sharpey-Schafer's career at Edinburgh University includes correspondence on the forced resignation of William Cramer from the department of Physiology on grounds of German nationality, 1914, and papers on the opening of the department of Animal Genetics in 1930.

Other papers reflect various aspects of Sharpey-Schafer's scientific interests, including the history of the Physiological Society (with several letters from Archibald Vivian Hill), artificial respiration and bird migration. There are also numerous letters in response to his controversial address to the British Association in Dundee in 1912, and correspondence on the position of scientists in post-Revolutionary Russia, 1918-21.

There is a substantial correspondence on the various textbooks Sharpey-Schafer wrote or to which he contributed, 1910-34.

Sharpey-Schafer's personal papers include correspondence with his wives and children, 1876-1935, scrapbooks of press cuttings, c. 1899-1930, and a large collection of photographs, mainly portraits.

Papers of Rear-Admiral William Henry Smyth, including article 'The Royal Geographical Society and its labours' with title page, preface page and page headed appendix; photocopy of letter from Smyth to Captain Francis Beaufort 11 May 1830 about the founding of the RGS and extracts copied from the journals of his wife, Apr 1849-Jan 1851, referring to Smyth's work as President of the RGS.

The papers of the Society for Advanced Legal Studies consists of the monthly journal of SALS Amicus Curiae ("Friend of the Court"), Oct 1997-April 1999. At present no information is available on the extent, content and accessibility of the administrative records of SALS or its predecessor.

Circular relating to the election of a new President of the Royal Society, 1820; letters and notices of the Society of Antiquaries, 1837-1862.

Minute book of the Society of Collegiate Physicians, 1767-1798.

Papers in the Socio-Legal Studies Association archive comprise the correspondence and papers, 1989-1996, of founder member and Chairman, Professor Martin Partington; the papers consist of his copies of agenda, minutes and papers of Executive Committee meetings, plus his own files of correspondence as founder member, fund raiser, organiser of the 1990 conference and Chairman; minutes, agenda and papers of Annual General Meetings, 1990-1994; papers and proceedings of annual conferences, 1993-1997; papers relating to the response of SLSA to the Economic and Social Research Council review of socio-legal studies, 1993; complete set of the Newsletter, 1989-1997, and Directory of Members, 1995-1997.

Correspondence relating to the Royal College of Physicians Fellows' and members' business and partnership interests, 1911-1949.

Personnel file for one College Secretary only.

The papers are extensive but by no means comprehensive. There is no personal or biographical material and very little record of Thompson's research. On the other hand his contributions to international science and football are extensively documented. There is a very full record of Thompson's Foreign Secretaryship of the Royal Society and his organisation of the European chemical conferences (EUCHEM) and substantial documentation of his work for ICSU and IUPAC, including the Commission on Molecular Spectroscopy and the Triple Commission on Spectroscopy. Thompson's contributions to international relations were not limited to science (or football) and he kept detailed records of his Chairmanship from 1972 of the Great Britain - China Committee (later Great Britain - China Centre). The football papers are substantial, particularly for the last decade of Thompson's life, and thus there is full documentation of his Chairmanship of the Football Association and of the many problems facing football at that time, including hooliganism amongst its supporters.

Records of the Union Society of London, debating society. They comprise: regulations, 1877-1938 (Ms 22403-4); minutes, 1844-1947 (Ms 22405-6); report re treasurer's account, 1904 (Ms 22407); records concerning members, 1876-ca. 1959 (Ms 22408-10); accounts, 1862-1962 (Ms 22411-16); instructions regarding procedures, undated (Ms 22417); papers regarding the history of the Society, 1885-ca. 1924 (Ms 22418-19); and papers regarding debates, speeches and annual dinners, 1921-58 (Ms 22420-3). Although the Society appears to have ceased meeting formally in 1957 or 1958 (notices of debates last appear in the Law Journal for 1957), two of its members continued to pay subscriptions until 1961/2 (Ms 22413). Records catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff in 1987.

The Archive of the United Kingdom National Committee of Comparative Law contains the Constitution of the UKNCCL, 1960, 1971; minutes and papers of Council, 1969-1989; correspondence and papers of joint honorary secretaries, 1965-1973; papers of UKNCCL colloquia, 1970-1971.

Papers of John Vaughan-Morgan, Baron Reigate, including correspondence, personal papers, family papers, including relating to his family history, photographs (some from the 1890s), press cuttings, and financial papers (including valuations of antiques, paintings, etc).

Papers of Mortimer Wheeler, [1944-1974], including:

Lecture notes of Wheeler's first wife Tessa while a UCL History student during the 1910s (Section A).

Correspondence with Glyn Daniel; Sir Cyril Fox; Christina Foyle; Jacquetta Hawkes; David Kendall; Kathleen Mary Kenyon; Sir Douglas William Logan; Stuart Piggott; Sir Ian Richmond and John Bryan Ward-Perkins (Section B).

Notes, reports, correspondence and administrative papers relating to Wheeler's excavations of Iron Age hill forts in north-western France in the 1930s (Section D).

Correspondence and other papers relating to archaeology in India and Pakistan, 1930s-1970s, in particular the UNESCO Mohenjo-Daro mission, late 1960 (Sections E and F).

Correspondence and other papers relating to archaeology in East Africa (Section H).

Itineraries, correspondence and other papers relating to Swan Hellenic cruises during the late 1950s to 1970s in the following places: Mediterranean; Iran; Nile; East Africa; India; Pakistan; Russia; Far East; Iraq, etc. (Section J).

Correspondence and other papers relating to institutions including the British Academy; British Museum; University of London (Sections K, L and N).

Correspondence and other papers relating to Wheeler's advisory role in connection with archaeological excavations beneath York Minster were carried out between 1966 and 1973 (Section M).

Scripts and other papers relating to broadcasting including BBC 'Roman Britain' and ''The Grandeur that was Rome' programmes (Section P).

Typescript and MS. articles, addresses, lectures and reviews by Wheeler including thesis on Rhenish pottery and a biography of Sir Cyril Fox (Section Q).

Papers and correspondence relating Wheeler's military postings in the First and Second World Wars (Sections R and S).

Wheeler's engagement diaries, 1952-1976 (Section T).

Letters from various scientists to Walter White, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society. With occasional material addressed to Charles Richard Weld and others. Usually on Royal Society business.

The archive correspondence can be characterized as the routine treatment of important events. In 1863, for example, Richard Owen wrote to White with brief instructions for his paper describing the feathered dinosaur archaeopteryx. Occasionally the letters are more significant for the Society's history. In an extended note of 1865, ex Royal Society President the Earl of Rosse 'a plain well-grown man, farmer like in appearance' discussed the merits of signing an election certificate for Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892). 'My opinion...was that it would be better to take the broad view and to elect men of great abillity...so as to strengthen the Society in carrying out, in the largest sense, its great object, that of improving natural science'. Tennyson was duly elected, an event which must have pleased White. The assistant secretary had become friendly with the Poet Laureate in the 1850s and White's published diary left a vivid picture of Tennyson reading aloud his Arthurian romances in the offices of the Royal Society.