Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1834-2000 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
c100 linear feet
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Society was founded in London in 1834 and incorporated by royal charter in 1887. The founding aims were " the collection and classification of all facts illustrative of the present condition and prospects of Society, especially as it exists in the British Dominions". The founders included Charles Babbage and T.R. Malthus and members of the Society were, and are, known as Fellows. From the beginning there has been no bar on women as either Fellows or guests at meetings. Through its Fellows, the Society has always had close connections with Government as well as with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the London School of Economics. The new Society organised itself into a number of Committees to investigate the several branches of statistics and compile new and reliable data. Very soon it became clear that this broad approach and imposed structure could not be maintained and in 1837 the Committee on the practical working of the Society reported almost total failure of the Committee structure as established with only the Medical Committee still in existence. In future Committees would be established on an ad hoc basis as required by Fellows or following requests to the Society. An initial aim of the Society had been to establish and develop a Library of statistical works and the demise of the committee structure led to the decision to concentrate on building up the Library. The other principle activities of the Society were the publication of a Journal and the holding of monthly meetings at which papers were delivered and discussed by Fellows and their guests. A continuing concern of the Society has been the development of an efficient census system. The Society's activities began to expand in the 20th century with the establishment of the Industrial and Agricultural Research Section. In 1993 the Institute of Statisticians, founded in 1948 as a professional and examining body for statisticians, was merged with the Society. Today the Society is the main professional and learned society for statisticians which awards professional status, validates university courses and runs examinations world-wide. The Society has had a variety of London addresses. It was originally based in offices at Royal Society of Literature, moved to 11 Regent Street in 1843 and within 2 years to offices on the ground floor of the London Library. The next move, in 1874, was to share offices with the Institute of Actuaries in the Principal's House at King's College. Ten years later the Society moved to a more permanent home at 9 Adelphi Terrace where it remained until moving to 4 Portugal Street in 1936, then in 1954 to 21 Bentinck Street, to 25 Enford Street in 1975, and finally to its present premises in Errol Street in 1995.
Repository
Archival history
The Society has changed premises 9 times causing significant gaps in the archives, especially in the later 19th century. Work began on organising and cataloguing the archives in 1998 and the material currently available is primarily that which had been brought together at that time .
GB 1060 RSS 1834-2000 Collection (fonds) c100 linear feet Statistical Society of London
Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society
The Society was founded in London in 1834 and incorporated by royal charter in 1887. The founding aims were " the collection and classification of all facts illustrative of the present condition and prospects of Society, especially as it exists in the British Dominions". The founders included Charles Babbage and T.R. Malthus and members of the Society were, and are, known as Fellows. From the beginning there has been no bar on women as either Fellows or guests at meetings. Through its Fellows, the Society has always had close connections with Government as well as with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the London School of Economics. The new Society organised itself into a number of Committees to investigate the several branches of statistics and compile new and reliable data. Very soon it became clear that this broad approach and imposed structure could not be maintained and in 1837 the Committee on the practical working of the Society reported almost total failure of the Committee structure as established with only the Medical Committee still in existence. In future Committees would be established on an ad hoc basis as required by Fellows or following requests to the Society. An initial aim of the Society had been to establish and develop a Library of statistical works and the demise of the committee structure led to the decision to concentrate on building up the Library. The other principle activities of the Society were the publication of a Journal and the holding of monthly meetings at which papers were delivered and discussed by Fellows and their guests. A continuing concern of the Society has been the development of an efficient census system. The Society's activities began to expand in the 20th century with the establishment of the Industrial and Agricultural Research Section. In 1993 the Institute of Statisticians, founded in 1948 as a professional and examining body for statisticians, was merged with the Society. Today the Society is the main professional and learned society for statisticians which awards professional status, validates university courses and runs examinations world-wide. The Society has had a variety of London addresses. It was originally based in offices at Royal Society of Literature, moved to 11 Regent Street in 1843 and within 2 years to offices on the ground floor of the London Library. The next move, in 1874, was to share offices with the Institute of Actuaries in the Principal's House at King's College. Ten years later the Society moved to a more permanent home at 9 Adelphi Terrace where it remained until moving to 4 Portugal Street in 1936, then in 1954 to 21 Bentinck Street, to 25 Enford Street in 1975, and finally to its present premises in Errol Street in 1995.
The Society has changed premises 9 times causing significant gaps in the archives, especially in the later 19th century. Work began on organising and cataloguing the archives in 1998 and the material currently available is primarily that which had been brought together at that time .
Internal transfer
Archives of the Royal Statistical Society, 1834-2000, comprising reports of Council, lists of Fellows and byelaws, 1834-2000; minutes of Council and committees, Anniversary, Annual and Ordinary meetings, 1834-1995; Fellowship records, 1834-2000; administration records, 1834-1980s; finance records, 1834-1980s; minutes and papers of research and study Sections; and Library registers, catalogues and papers, 1851-2000.
Regular accruals to major series are expected.
The archives are arranged as indicated in Scope and Content above.
Generally open after 20 years except for confidential information or for reasons of personal privacy.
At the discretion of the consultant Archivist and in accordance with copyright.
English
Outline catalogue
H.W. Macrosty, Annals of the Royal Statistical Society 1834-1934 (RSS, 1934); R.L. Plackett "Royal Statistical Society: The Last Fifty Years, 1935-1984" Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A (General), Vol. 147, No. 2 (1984), pp.140-150; S. Rosenbaum "The Growth of the Royal Statistical Society" Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A (General), Vol. 147, No. 2 (1984), pp. 375-388.
Compiled by Janet Foster, Archives Consultant, RSS. 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. October 2000. Royal Statistical Society Statistical Society Statistical Society of London Statistics
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Internal transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Archives of the Royal Statistical Society, 1834-2000, comprising reports of Council, lists of Fellows and byelaws, 1834-2000; minutes of Council and committees, Anniversary, Annual and Ordinary meetings, 1834-1995; Fellowship records, 1834-2000; administration records, 1834-1980s; finance records, 1834-1980s; minutes and papers of research and study Sections; and Library registers, catalogues and papers, 1851-2000.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
Regular accruals to major series are expected.
System of arrangement
The archives are arranged as indicated in Scope and Content above.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Generally open after 20 years except for confidential information or for reasons of personal privacy.
Conditions governing reproduction
At the discretion of the consultant Archivist and in accordance with copyright.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Outline catalogue
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
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