Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1691-1994] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
541 sub-fonds
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) was founded in 1830 as the Royal Geographical Society of London. Its aim was the advancement of Geographical Science. The Society was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1859. In 1995 the RGS merged with the Institute of British Geographers (IBG) to create the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).
Repository
Archival history
GB 0402 LMS [1691-1994] Collection level 541 sub-fonds Various
The Royal Geographical Society (RGS) was founded in 1830 as the Royal Geographical Society of London. Its aim was the advancement of Geographical Science. The Society was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1859. In 1995 the RGS merged with the Institute of British Geographers (IBG) to create the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers).
Directly from donors. In most cases materials were donated by individuals connected to the papers or their heirs.
Library Manuscripts comprise manuscript items donated to the Royal Geographical Society. They are chiefly single files or a small number of items which are not large enough to warrant forming a special collection. The papers include, astronomical and meteorological observations, diaries, correspondence, notes, conference papers, reports, articles, photographs, sketches and maps covering all aspects of geography and exploration across the globe and date from 1691 to 1994. Highlights include:
Memorandum on a map of South America, by John Arrowsmith.
Papers of Maj R A Bagnold, 1929-1933, comprising positions, routes and heights in Egypt and letters from Bagnold.
Letters from Sir John Barrow to Lord Melville, 1935-1945 and letters to Barrow from Murzuq, 1822 and J D Dundas, 1818.
Papers of Dr Heinrich Barth, 1846-1952, letters and copy of a sketch map of Timbuktu.
Notes on heights of mountains in America by Capt F W Beechey, 1826.
Letters from the King of Siam to Sir John Bowring, 1855.
Letters relating to the British Arctic Air Route Expedition, 1928-1932.
Correspondence and reports of the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition to New Guinea, 1908-1911.
Papers of G Wyman Bury, 1913-1918.
Papers of Capt R F M Crozier, 1836-1906.
Account of a journey to Lhasa and central Tibet by Sarat Chandra Das, 1902.
Papers of Lt James Barker Emery, chiefly relating to Mombassa, 1822-1835.
Plan and elevation of the Screw Yacht FRAM as reconstructed in 1898.
'Narrative of a small party of HMS LEVEN under command of Lt C W Browns sent to explore the Zambesi by one of the survivors, a native of Angola', by Antonio Jozi, 1823.
Journal of Joseph Kaye's voyage from London to Genoa.
Papers and maps relating to William Kennish's exploration in South America for a canal route.
Papers relating to the Kufara expedition led by H W C J Penderel and P A Clayton to Gilf Kebir, 1933.
Papers relating to the Livingstone Award, 1875-1970.
H B Molesworth's diary of a journey to Mokalla (Mukalla), 1893.
Letters from Sir John Morrison to Henry Dundas and others concerning Persia and trade with Persia, 1783-1792.
Narrative of a shipwreck on the southern shores of Arabia by B A R Nicholson, 1836.
Correspondence of Walter Oudney, 1821-1823.
Papers of Adm Sir W E Parry, relating to the Arctic, 1819-1823.
Papers relating to the Pitcairn Islands, 1831-1885.
Annotated 'Code of Naval Signals' belonging to Adm Sir Home Popham, 1799.
Letter from Sultan Husain Sufrari, 1708.
Account of explorations on the coast of Patagonia by B Villarino, 1782.
Travel journals of J Washington, chiefly in South America, 1822-1829.
Letters to A F R Wollaston, 1896-1926.
Occasional
Alphabetically by corporate or personal name.
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.
Mostly English; includes other languages and scripts.
A full list of the collection is available online on A2A as the 'RGS Library Manuscript Collection' (ref: LMS).
Prepared by Andrew Tatham, Keeper; revised by Sarah Drewery.
ISAD(G) ed.2
9 May 2001; Nov 2008. Royal Geographical Society British Ornithologists' Union Arrowsmith , John , 1780-1873 , geographer and mapmaker Bagnold , Ralph Alger , 1896-1990 , Brigadier , geophysicist Barrow , Sir , John , 1764-1848 , Knight , Secretary to the Admiralty and founder of the Royal Geographical Society Dundas , Robert Saunders , 1771-1851 , 2nd Viscount Melville , Scots statesman Beechey , Frederick William , 1796-1856 , Rear Admiral , geographer Bowring , Sir , John , 1792-1872 , Knight , linguist, writer and traveller Bury , George Wyman , 1874-1920 , explorer and naturalist Das , Sarat Chandra , 1849-1917 , Indian scholar Emery , James Barker , d 1889 , naval officer and surveyor Kennish , William , [1799]-1862 , naval officer and poet Oudney , Walter , 1790-1824 , Scots physician and explorer Dundas , Henry , 1742-1811 , 1st Viscount Melville , Scots statesman x Melville , 1st Viscount Parry , Sir , William Edward , 1790-1855 , Knight , Rear Admiral and Arctic explorer Popham , Sir , Home Riggs , 1762-1820 , Knight , Rear Admiral Washington , John , 1800-1863 , hydrographer , Rear Admiral Wollaston , Alexander Fredrick Richmond , 1875-1930 , naval surgeon and explorer Astronomy Meteorology Transport Vehicles Vessels Boats Waterways Geographical exploration Transport infrastructure Canals Geography Geographical data Visual materials Maps Social behaviour Social norms Awards Manmade disasters Zoology Ornithology Transport engineering Marine engineering Boatbuilding Disasters Accidents Seaborne disasters Shipwrecks Egypt North Africa London England UK Western Europe Europe Pitcairn Oceania Genoa Italy Zambezi, River Southern Africa Mombasa Kenya East Africa New Guinea Asia and the Pacific Mali West Africa Africa Iran, Islamic Republic Middle East Tibet China East Asia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Yemen Patagonia South America Thailand South East Asia Libya Arctic North America
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Directly from donors. In most cases materials were donated by individuals connected to the papers or their heirs.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Library Manuscripts comprise manuscript items donated to the Royal Geographical Society. They are chiefly single files or a small number of items which are not large enough to warrant forming a special collection. The papers include, astronomical and meteorological observations, diaries, correspondence, notes, conference papers, reports, articles, photographs, sketches and maps covering all aspects of geography and exploration across the globe and date from 1691 to 1994. Highlights include:
Memorandum on a map of South America, by John Arrowsmith.
Papers of Maj R A Bagnold, 1929-1933, comprising positions, routes and heights in Egypt and letters from Bagnold.
Letters from Sir John Barrow to Lord Melville, 1935-1945 and letters to Barrow from Murzuq, 1822 and J D Dundas, 1818.
Papers of Dr Heinrich Barth, 1846-1952, letters and copy of a sketch map of Timbuktu.
Notes on heights of mountains in America by Capt F W Beechey, 1826.
Letters from the King of Siam to Sir John Bowring, 1855.
Letters relating to the British Arctic Air Route Expedition, 1928-1932.
Correspondence and reports of the British Ornithologists' Union Expedition to New Guinea, 1908-1911.
Papers of G Wyman Bury, 1913-1918.
Papers of Capt R F M Crozier, 1836-1906.
Account of a journey to Lhasa and central Tibet by Sarat Chandra Das, 1902.
Papers of Lt James Barker Emery, chiefly relating to Mombassa, 1822-1835.
Plan and elevation of the Screw Yacht FRAM as reconstructed in 1898.
'Narrative of a small party of HMS LEVEN under command of Lt C W Browns sent to explore the Zambesi by one of the survivors, a native of Angola', by Antonio Jozi, 1823.
Journal of Joseph Kaye's voyage from London to Genoa.
Papers and maps relating to William Kennish's exploration in South America for a canal route.
Papers relating to the Kufara expedition led by H W C J Penderel and P A Clayton to Gilf Kebir, 1933.
Papers relating to the Livingstone Award, 1875-1970.
H B Molesworth's diary of a journey to Mokalla (Mukalla), 1893.
Letters from Sir John Morrison to Henry Dundas and others concerning Persia and trade with Persia, 1783-1792.
Narrative of a shipwreck on the southern shores of Arabia by B A R Nicholson, 1836.
Correspondence of Walter Oudney, 1821-1823.
Papers of Adm Sir W E Parry, relating to the Arctic, 1819-1823.
Papers relating to the Pitcairn Islands, 1831-1885.
Annotated 'Code of Naval Signals' belonging to Adm Sir Home Popham, 1799.
Letter from Sultan Husain Sufrari, 1708.
Account of explorations on the coast of Patagonia by B Villarino, 1782.
Travel journals of J Washington, chiefly in South America, 1822-1829.
Letters to A F R Wollaston, 1896-1926.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
Occasional
System of arrangement
Alphabetically by corporate or personal name.
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.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Mostly English; includes other languages and scripts.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
A full list of the collection is available online on A2A as the 'RGS Library Manuscript Collection' (ref: LMS).
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
- Astronomy
- Meteorology
- Transport
- Vehicles
- Geography » Geographical exploration
- Transport infrastructure
- Transport infrastructure » Canals
- Geography
- Geography » Geographical data
- Visual materials
- Visual materials » Maps
- Social behaviour
- Social behaviour » Social norms
- Social behaviour » Social norms » Awards
- Disasters » Manmade disasters
- Zoology
- Zoology » Ornithology
- Transport engineering
- Transport engineering » Marine engineering
- Disasters
- Disasters » Accidents
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
ISAD(G) ed.2
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English