The manuscripts in the collection consist of fifty-two letters written by thirty-seven scientists. They are arranged alphabetically by writer and date between 1677 and 1873. Among those which discuss scientific projects and topics is a letter, written in 1772, from Edward Bancroft (1744-1821) to Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) about preserving ships' timbers from the ravages of 'aquatic worms'. Another, 1823, from Sir John Herschel (q.v.) to Pierre Simon, Marquis de la Place (1749-1827) is concerned with Sir William Herschel's discovery of the distances and position of the double stars and the series of experiments, using binary systems, carried out by Sir John to verify the discovery. Astronomy is again the subject of a letter of 1854 from Sir George Airy (1801-1892) to Urbain Le Verrier (1811-1877) on the arrangement of an apparatus for the galvanic register of observations, simultaneously at Greenwich and Paris, for the determination of longitude. The majority of documents in this collection have, however, been collected for their autograph value. Other than the prominent scientists mentioned above, the letters include those by William Brouncker (1620-1684), 1677 and 1685; John Flamstead (1646-1719), 1695 and 1703; Nevile Maskelyne (1732-1811), 1784; Joseph Priestly (1733-1804), 1772; William Scoresby (1789-1857), 1827 and Michael Faraday (1791-1867), 1857.

Administrative records relating to the foundation of the Society, its premises and individual members, 1906-1979, including correspondence, diaries, notebooks, obituaries and photographs.

Papers of members, formerly held by the Society, including Sir Patrick Manson (1844-1922), Sir David Bruce (1855-1931), and Sir Philip Manson-Bahr (1881-1966).

Charles Berry collection of 3 notebooks: pathology, bacteriology, tropical medicine, c 1920.

Philosophia naturalis juxta mentem D. Thomae et Aristotelis. Vol. I. Disputatio in octo libros Physicorum Aristotelis, seu pars prima Philosophiae Naturalis, vel Physicae Auscultationes juxta mentem Doctoris Angelici D. Thomae doctrinam (4 ll. + 403 pp. + 6 ll.). II. Secunda pars Physicae, seu Philosophiae Naturalis. De ente mobili, motu locali, seu De caelo et mundo. Juxta miram Doctoris Angelici doctrinam (2 ll. + 420 pp. + 5 ll.). On the fly-leaf of Vol. II: 'Ad simplicem usum mei Petri Joannis Jacobi à Sancto Alexandro studente presenti in Coenobio Sanctae Mariae Veritatis ordinis discalceatorum Sancti Augustini'. 'Terminatus in die 22 maii 1685' is inscribed in the lower margin of the leaf before the index to the same volume. Notes of lectures delivered at an unidentified Augustinian monastery in Italy.

Responses to a questionnaire by Paul Plaut, designed as research for Die Psychologie der produktiven Persönlichkeit, from prominent scientists and artists in Germany and Austria on their views about science and creativity. There are some interesting responses from outside the German speaking countries (Miguel de Unamuno, John Galsworthy), but the bulk of the contributions represent the views of German-speaking academics and artists. Responses to the scientific questionnaire include Albert Einstein, Fritz Haber and Erwin Finlay Freundlich as well as lay figures such as Gustav Radbrüch and Wilhelm Hellpach. Communications from writers range from letters by Heinrich and Franziska Mann to a postcard from Elsa Laska-Schüler. Architects write about their work and new ideas (Erich Mendelsohn) and some of the painters give insights into their creative development, notably Wassily Kandinsky, Otto Dix and Max Pechstein.

Papers of Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair of St Andrews, 1795-1910, comprising general correspondence, 1795, 1840-1910, covering a range of subjects relating to Playfair's scientific and political interests, notably with Prince Albert, 1851-[1853], and via Charles Grey, 1850-1861, concerning the Great Exhibition, Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 1865-1886, Matthew Arnold, 1883, Sir Charles Barry, 1795-1860, Thomas Francis Bayard, concerning 'Venezuela dispute', 1896, Queen Victoria, 1883, and via Sir Arthur John Bigge, 1895-1898, Charles Booth, 1895, Sir David Brewster, concerning lighthouses,1851-1868, Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, concerning their research, 1841-1849, Edwin Chadwick, concerning agriculture and politics, 1855-1899, concerning pensions, Joseph Chamberlain, concerning the Aged Poor Commission, Venezuela, 1894-1899, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, concerning the 1851 Commission,1882-1896, Sir Robert Christison, concerning vivisection bill, 1867-1876, Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1852-1874, Charles Darwin, concerning vivisection bill, 1875, Sir Thomas Henry De La Beche, concerning the Geological Survey, 1842-1852, Sir James Dewar, 1885-1898, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), 1879-1898, Michael Faraday, 1842-1857, William Ewart Gladstone, 1859-1892, Thomas Graham, 1839-1867, Thomas Henry Huxley, 1854-1891, Henry James, 1898, George Granville Leveson-Gower, [1850]-1889, Justus von Liebig, 1841-1873, Joseph Lister, 1876-1898, David Livingstone, including an account of his exploration in Africa, 1861, John Stuart Mill, 1868, Viscount Horatio Nelson to 'Pollard', 1795, Sir Robert Peel, [1842]-1850, letters of condolence to Lady Playfair on the death of Lord Playfair, 1898.

Family correspondence, comprising letters to various correspondents from Playfair, 1854-1898, notably his son George and daughter-in-law; letters from Edith Playfair (third wife), to her step-son, 1898.

Papers relating to diplomas and appointments, 1840-1892, notably appointment as Professor of Chemistry, Edinburgh University, 1858, Charity Commissioner, 1886, Lord-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria, 1892, Privy Councillor, 1873.

Papers relating to orders and decorations, 1851-1898, notably Order of the Bath, Order of the Legion of Honour and Jubilee Medal.

Records relating to the Royal School of Mines and Royal College of Science, 1851-1966, comprising articles on the Museum of Practical Geology; report of the Royal School of Mines Committee, 1902; a history of the Royal School of Mines, 1966; prospectuses, 1851-1907; annual reports, 1882-1906; minutes of the Council of Professors, 1851-1911; lecture accounts, 1851-1881; Normal School of Science and Royal School of Mines student fees, 1881-1883; Royal College of Science student fees register, 1900-1901; staff lists, 1903-1908; entries to lectures, 1851-1879; student entries, 1879-1881; register of passes, 1881-1893; Royal College of Science and Royal School of Mines ledgers, 1893-1896; Royal College of Science ledgers of students, 1897-1908; lecture bills, 1851-1900; inaugural addresses, 1896-1905; Royal School of Mines examination returns, 1851-1881; registers of examinations, 1883-1901; examination results, 1882-1908; apparatus accounts, 1895-1909.

Papers of Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count von Rumford include: (Rumford 1) volume of letters to and from various recipients such as William Savage, Bessey Williams and Joseph Banks, 1798-1832; (Rumford 3) a daybook of 1799 and a notebook of expenses for 1802; printed papers relating to Rumford 1819-1964, such as 'Sir Benjamin Thompson, Comte Rumford' by J. D. Dumas in Journal des Savants 1881-1882 and Count Rumford's Concept of Heat by S. C. Brown, 1952; (Rumford 9) typescripts of letters in the bound volume, Rumford 1; (Rumford 11) MSS consisting of receipts, postcards and a sketch of Rumford's tomb with a transcript of the inscription and notes by C. E. S. Phillips, 1805- c1935; (Rumford 12) Dr Stollard's correspondence in connection with the Rumford papers, 1972-1973.

Scientific papers sent to the Royal Society which remained unpublished at their time of receipt, or which were abstracted in the Society's 'Proceedings' after being read at a meeting of Fellows. Early papers in this sequence are occasionally of interest in being preserved complete with associated correespondence (pre-dating Referees Reports); for example, the Charles Wildbore - Nevil Maskelyne letters 1787-1790 (AP.7.16-34). Mid nineteenth century papers of some significance may exist, in both original and abstracted form, such as HWF Talbot's 'Some account of the art of photogenic drawing' (AP.23.19) The Society's policy now is to return rejected scientific papers to authors, so any current additions to this collection usually take the form of unpublished supplementary data to published papers.

Miscellaneous mounted press cuttings, 1900-1902, on various topics including the sieges of Mafeking and Ladysmith during the Boer War; the death and funeral of Cecil Rhodes; the siege of Peking during the Boxer Uprising; and the progress of scientific thought in the 19th century. The sources include the Daily Telegraph, Westminster Gazette, Punch, and the St Andrew's Citizen.

Papers of Thaddeus Robert Rudolph Mann, 1938-1984; comprising biographical and bibliographical material, notebooks and reprints on enzyme research, 1938-1954; photographs of the Molteno Institute of Biology and Parasitology, Cambridge, 1925-1960.

The collection comprises lectures on scientific subjects delivered by Lillie at the Mechanics' Institutes of Launceston and Hobart, Tasmania.

Records of the Royal College of Science, 1881-1971, comprising lists of Royal Exhibitioners, National Scholars and Free students, teachers in training, 1881-1896; lists of science teachers attending instruction courses, 1883-1899; accounts of payments to government students, 1902-1906; admission forms from fee paying students, 1906-1907; memoranda book, 1893-1896; Open day for visitors, 1971.

Papers of William Hasledine Pepys include correspondence to and from various recipients, relating to various issues such as surgical instruments, club nominations and the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI), c1805-1862 in: Pep A (Green Folder), Pep B (Brown Folder), Pep C (1836 Folder), Pep D (Autographs), Pep E (Miscellanea). Pep F (Royal Institution) is a bound volume containing various notices of meetings, proposed bye-laws and accounts relating to the RI, 1806-1810.

Single manuscript letters or small groups of related documents considered too small to be added to the Manuscripts General series. Includes various document formats. The collection contains all manner of papers by, about or belonging to the Fellows of the Royal Society. Subject matter covers all branches of the sciences and includes non-scientific material. Current accessions are limited to materials not generated by the Royal Society, but acquired by gift or purchase; these usually number less than 10 items per accession. This has not always been the practice, so that the collection also contains relatively large groups of papers, occasionally on Royal Society business.

A collection of eighteenth century letters and papers of Sir Joseph Banks, his family and other contemporary Fellows.

A catalogue of books of the library of Robert Boyle, in the hand of John Warr junior, executor of Robert Boyle and some theological notes.

Correspondence of Sir Arthur Schuster and letters and papers concerning the International Association of Academies, 1899-1913.

Letter from Sir Charles Blagden to Sir Joseph Banks concerning papers published needing correction, 31 August 1790.

Transcription by E Gerland of the original correspondence between Denis Papin and Gottfried Leibniz correspondence held at Cassel State Library, Hanover, with presentation correspondence from E Gerland to RB Prosser.

Papers of Egon Kodicek, 1934-1984; comprising biographical and bibliographical items; laboratory notebooks of work at the Dunn Nutritional Laboratory, Cambridge, 1950s-1960s, and writings on nutrition research; some correspondence and photographs.

The collection includes material on several research projects undertaken by McCance and Widdowson, 1929-1993, as well as a small amount of personalia. There are notebooks recording the first research on analysis of foodstuffs carried out in the UK, started by McCance when at the Diabetes Department of King's College Hospital, after R D Lawrence asked him to analyse cooked foods. Widdowson joined him in 1933 and together they devised the separate methods for estimating different carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch and dextrose). In 1940 their findings were published as Chemical composition of foods, the first of now regularly produced Standard Food Composition publications. There are notebooks and photographs of self-experimentation undertaken within the department, on salt-deficiency, conducted by McCance on himself, colleagues and medical students, involving not only a salt-free diet, but exposure to a hot air bath to sweat the salt out of the body, and also on absorption and excretion of iron. There is also his diary of the experimental study of rationing undertaken in 1939. There are 220 complete questionnaires from their survey of female colleagues and acquaintances for a study of physical and emotional periodicity in women, undertaken 1929-1930. There are experimental notebooks and files relating to research into body composition and development from 1944 onwards. This collection represents only a part of the diversity of research undertaken during the course of their long careers.

The collection comprises medical notes and associated personal material. MSS.835-853 comprise notes by Acland on scientific and medical subjects, spanning the period from his schooldays to the First World War. MSS.3652-3653 are Acland's notes of clinical lectures given in 1876-1877 at St. Thomas's Hospital by Charles Murchison (1830-1879). MSS.5798-5800 comprise loose papers: letters, wall-charts and diplomas.

Papers, 1937-c1990, of Alex Comfort.

The first deposit (6 boxes) comprises letters received, 1937-1964, on his literary and other interests, with the letters of 1937-1945 focussing particularly on literary subjects, including poetry in the 1940s, but latterly more varied, including ideas and activism in anarchism, pacifism, and nuclear disarmament, as public speaker, broadcaster and pamphleteer, including for example letters from Bertrand Russell, 1960-1962; copies of letters from Herbert Read, 1941-1964; a few personal papers, 1936-1946, including The Times announcement of the birth of Comfort's son, 1946; papers relating to peace campaigns in which Comfort was involved, 1944-1961; lecture notes and poetry, stories, and articles by Comfort on pacifism, politics, and science, 1941-1960 and undated; printed papers relating to Comfort's interests, 1945-1962.The second deposit (46 boxes, 4 files) comprises 14 boxes of correspondence relating to Comfort's work, publications, and other interests, some dating back to 1949 but largely dating from the 1960s to 1980s; manuscripts and, particularly, typescripts of both published and unpublished verse and prose, both scientific and non-scientific, including for example 'I and That', 'The facts of love', 'A practice of geriatric psychiatry', 'Reality and empathy', 'The Power House', 'More joy', 'A giants strength', 'Darwin and the naked lady', 'Come out to play', 'The Almond Tree', and 'Letters from an outpost'; printed articles by Comfort, the topics including old age and some sexual subjects; scripts for talks and broadcasts; press cuttings, dating largely from the 1950s and 1960s, relating to Comfort and his work; a file of slides of India, 1962, and two files of scientific slides; printed papers by other authors on various scientific topics.

Papers of Sir William Lawrence Bragg include: (Box1-Box5) speeches and lectures 1942-1971 (some undated), (Box6) civil service lectures 1964-1966 and (Box7-Box9) school lecture notes 1959-1970, relate to topics such as x-ray analysis, science and industry, science in education, the structure of minerals, atoms and molecules, electricity, light, the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI) and various acceptance speeches for medals. (Box10) Honours and appointments 1936-1971, relate to correspondence and certificates for honours and positions received from various institutions such as the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge and the Royal Society; also includes letters of congratulations for the honours including that of being knighted in 1941. (Box11) Royal Institution relates to salaries, contracts and organisation. (Box12) James Watson's book 1966-1968, relates to correspondence between Watson and Lawrence, as well as other correspondents; reviews and amendments to the book by Watson called The Double Helix. (Box13) Nobel Prizes relates to papers and correspondence over speeches and nominations for the Nobel Prizes (Note these papers are closed until 2021). (Box14) Private correspondence, references, testimonials and Royal Society Fellowships 1954-1984, relate to various issues including writing references for people, personal life and proposals for Fellows of the Royal Society. (Box15) Retirement, appointments, RI internal affairs, Westgate covenant and salaries. (Box16-Box18) Articles 1955-1969, relate to various articles written by Lawrence for newspapers and journals such as the Times Educational Supplement, Acta Crystallographica and New Scientist. (Box19) Visits to the USA 1925-1935, include articles and correspondence relating to visits to institutions in America; writing articles and general RI administration. Several boxes contain various papers including: (Box20) correspondence with Joseph J. Thomson; a report on the (Michael) Faraday film by S R Eade of 1932; a diary of a visit to South Africa; correspondence 1965, relating to the 50th anniversary of winning the Nobel Prize in 1915; correspondence relating to R J Seeger's paper on Michael Faraday; papers relating to the Rutherford Memorial Lecture of 1958 and papers relating to the Bragg Lecture Fund for the RI; (Box 21) correspondence relating to tape recordings of Lawrence in interviews; articles for Nuclear Applications, Acta Crystallographica and others 1967-1968; articles and correspondence for Scientific American 1965-1971 relating to x-ray crystallography; correspondence regarding the writing of a new edition of The Atomic Structure of Minerals by Lawrence,1954-1967 relating to the crystal structures of minerals; (Box22) correspondence relating to Lawrence Bragg's 80th birthday celebrations, 1968-1971; correspondence relating to Isaac Newton and astrolabes; correspondence relating to Lawrence writing the book The Development of X-Ray Analysis; correspondence relating to Lawrence writing a book about physics called Ideas and Discoveries in Physics; (Box23) BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) correspondence 1954-1960, relates to broadcasts made by Lawrence; correspondence relating to the television programme '50 Years a Winner' about the anniversary of winning the Nobel Prize in 1965; (Box24) letters of congratulation from Lawrence to other people 1954-1969; correspondence relating to the editorial board of the Contemporary Physics publication 1964-1969; (Box25) correspondence relating to 'cranks', people who were not genuine or asked for information unrelated to Lawrence's work; correspondence 1962-1971, relating to a new edition of The Crystalline State book by Lawrence; papers relating to a visit to Czechoslovakia 1968-1969; (Box26) papers relating to the disposal of scientific books and journals 1962-1971; papers relating to the distribution of reprints of articles 1967-1969; correspondence 1966-1971, relating to the RI 'Library of Science' series on science subjects reproducing other publications such as the Proceedings of the Royal Institution; (Box27) correspondence with the Field Survey Association 1948-1971, relating to Lawrence's work during the World Wars; Sound Ranging in the 1914-1918 War, refers to papers of 1966-1969 relating to the subject; correspondence on the bubble model film 1954-1971, relating to the silent film on the 'Bubble Model of a Metal' by Lawrence; (Box28) general correspondence 1966-1971, relating to making films of lectures and scientific topics such as x-ray crystallography and molecules and life, by various companies such as the BBC, Anvil Films Limited and the Educational Foundation for Visual Arts; film scripts and correspondence for 'The Nature of Things' series of six broadcasts from the RI by Lawrence for the BBC 1959-1968; (Box29) correspondence 1965-1968, relating to scientific lectures at the Imperial Defence College and Lawrence's involvement in giving them; correspondence 1956-1970, relating to the Institute of Physics and the Physical Society on issues such as naming a medal after Lawrence Bragg; (Box30) invitations to dinners and lectures at numerous institutions, 1966-1971; (Box31) correspondence 1955-1971, relating to functions, articles, books and work for the Lee-Hemming Fellowship Fund, the Lucretian Club, films of school lectures, the Medical Research Council and miscellaneous papers regarding publishers and societies; (Box32) papers and correspondence relating to the Honorary Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Gallery 1955-1970, publications for the New Knowledge journal 1965-1966, 'nice letters to keep' kept by Lawrence 1963-1971, the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Prize won in 1915, 1964-1966, the Nobel Prize winners Max Perutz, John Kendrew, Francis Crick, James Watson and Maurice Wilkins, the Nobel meeting at Lindau in 1971 and obituaries by and information from Lawrence1961-1971; (Box33) lists of publications 1913-1969; press correspondence and cuttings 1955-1968; requests for reprints 1958-1964; correspondence relating to research 1953-1971; (Box34) reviews of papers 1947-1970; correspondence relating to the RI 1966-1971; correspondence and papers relating to the Royal Society and Club 1957-1971; (Box35) correspondence relating to the Royal Society soirées 1965-1968; correspondence relating to the Schools Science and Technology Committee 1969; correspondence relating to Solvay Physics Conferences 1933, 1962-1970; correspondence relating to Trinity College Cambridge 1951-1971; correspondence relating to visitors from overseas 1954-1962; (Box36) a card index to old files of Lawrence's; (Box37) family correspondence 1888-1941; (Box38) correspondence relating to appointments 1954-1962; correspondence relating to giving lectures and writing papers 1939-1960; requests for articles 1959-1967; (Box39) correspondence relating to lectures demonstrations for the American Association of Physics Teachers 1962-1963; correspondence relating to an article in the Saturday Evening Post, the bomb detector and with A. J. Bradley 1938-1963; (Box40) correspondence and scripts for broadcasts 1938-1953; (Box41) correspondence relating to Lawrence as a Canadian liaison 1940-1946; (Box42) correspondence relating to publications and becoming Cavendish Professor of Physics 1938-1963; (Box43) correspondence relating to publications by Lawrence 1921-1937; (Box44) correspondence relating to the English Speaking Union of the Commonwealth, with P. P. Ewald, short films by Lawrence, funds for physicists and the Gemmological Association of Great Britain 1954-1968; (Box45) invitations to functions 1947-1953; (Box46) correspondence relating to the Higher Technical Education Committee, hospital expenses incurred by Lawrence, broadcasts and the Institute of Physics 1943-1965; (Box47) correspondence relating to the Gold medal of the Institution of Royal Engineers, international crystal structure tables and invitations to lecture 1932-1964; (Box48) invitations, correspondence relating to obituaries for R. W. James, papers for the Lawes Agricultural Trust Committee 1953-1968; (Box49/a) correspondence relating to lightning conductors 1959; (Box49/b-c, Box50-Box54/a) miscellaneous correspondence from various recipients on various aspects of Lawrence's work and life, 1942-1968; (Box54/b-c) correspondence relating to the Nuffield Science Project 1963-1965; correspondence with Ray Pepinsky on visits and x-ray analysis 1957-1958; (Box55) correspondence relating to the Pepinsky machine for x-ray analysis, publications and articles, the Physical Society, broadcasting and with Derek J. de Solla Price 1941-1969; (Box56-Box57) personal correspondence of Lawrence Bragg 1944-1966; (Box58-Box59/b) references and testimonials by Lawrence 1925-1958; (Box59/c) letter from J. A. Darbyshire 1932; (Box60) reviews of publications 1933-1946; (Box61) correspondence relating to the Royal Institution Appeal 1966-1968; (Box62/a-b) correspondence relating to RI lectures by Lawrence and others 1938-1952; (Box62/c-Box63/b) texts and notes of RI lectures and speeches 1952-1954; (Box63/c-d, Box64/a) correspondence relating to the Royal Photographic Society and the Royal Society Tercentenary, with press cuttings, 1955-1961; (Box64/b) correspondence relating to the Solvay conferences 1959-1961; (Box65) correspondence and papers relating to the Field Survey Association and the War Office, 1919-1940; (Box66) correspondence and reports relating to sound ranging for the war effort, 1940-1946; (Box67) correspondence relating to 'The Nature of Things' television series 1959-1965; correspondence relating to the Understanding Science magazine, the London International Youth Science Fortnight and London Science Club 1962-1968; (Box68-Box70) correspondence and papers relating to overseas visits to countries such as Portugal, South Africa, Canada, Berlin and India, 1941-1968; (Box71-Box79) research notes and correspondence on topics such as x-ray optics, silicates, alloys, order-disorder and heat curves, 1919-1953; (Box80) desk diaries 1966-1970; (Box81) pocket diaries 1951-1971; (Box82-Box86) correspondence and papers on the International Exhibition, Brussels 1958 including papers on exhibits from the UK to be transported to Brussels for example the 'atom exhibit', the 'crystal exhibit' and the 'living cell exhibit', 1956-1959, with letters to and from William Henry Bragg of 1913-1914; (Box87) material including photographs and ephemera collected by Lawrence for his autobiography; (Box88-Box91) RI administrative files including correspondence, applications for tickets, applications for grants for the Davy-Faraday Research Laboratory, Managers' minutes and papers, school science lectures and Christmas lectures, 1953-1965; (Box92) reprints of papers by Lawrence's students and colleagues 1919-1970; (Box93) correspondence relating to the Friday Evening Discourses at the RI 1954-1967.

Original manuscripts of letters to the Royal Society, which are largely scientific. These papers form the raw material from which the Letter Books were compiled. There are many letters of importance, 1613; 1642; 1651-1740.

A series of volumes containing additional papers read before, or collected by the Royal Society and others not entered into the Classified Papers series.

Papers of Sir Henry Thomas Tizard, 1938-1942, notably correspondence relating to his work as scientific adviser to the Air Ministry, 1939-1942; Chemical Defence Board, 1949; official papers relating to the Council on Scientific Research and Technical Development, 1940; British Technical Mission to the United States, 1940; correspondence, 1940, notably with the British Embassy, Washington and Military Intelligence Division.

Papers relating to the Committee on Scientific Research on Human Institutions of the Division of the Social and International Relations of Science of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, including minutes of meetings, papers written by members and the Committee's report.

Material collected by Thompson, 1825-1915, and removed from books within the S P Thompson Rare Books collection housed within IET Library. It comprises correspondence (1890-1915) from contemporary physicists and mathematicians such as David James Blaikley, Sir William Henry Blagg, Sir Charles Tilston Bright, Hugh Longbourne Callendar, Henry Smith Carhart, Sir John Ambrose Fleming, Sir Richard Tetley Glazebrook, Oliver Heaviside, Gisbert Kapp, Phillip Kelland, Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir William Henry Preece, Albion T. Snell, Sir William Spottiswoode, and William Thompson, Baron Kelvin; and press cuttings, photographs, engravings, autographs and letters (1870-1916) relating to eminent scientists including Sir Cristopher Wren, Sir Isaac Newton, James Watt, William Herschel, Sir John Flamsteed, Alexander Von Humboldt, Charles Darwin, Louis Pasteur, Sir Charles Lyell, William Gilbert, Otto von Guericke, Robert Boyle, Benjamin Franklin, Joseph Priestley, Alessandro Volta, Sir Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday, Sir Charles Wheatstone, James Clerk Maxwell, Josiah Latimer Clark, Werner von Siemens, Alexander Graham Bell, Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti, and many others.

Working notes, correspondence, annotated papers and printed pamphlets relating to telegraphy, collected by Heaviside 1872-1921. The collection comprises: Notebooks mainly consisting of mathematical equations and calculations with drafts and transcripts of papers submitted to the Philosophical Magazine and the Electrician, covering subjects such as problems with long distance signal transmission and the development of a non-distortional circuit, duplex telegraphy, the age of the earth including the development of equations for heat loss from a spherical body, measurement of resistance, eletromagnetic theory of light, the transmission of an electric charge along a wire, Maxwell's equations, vector operators for mathematical calculations; Pamphlets and publications mainly relating to telegraphy, many annotated, including works on the analysis of cathode rays, radiation, radioactivity and early attempt to define the workings of the atom, telegraphy and telephony; Papers, comprising rough notes and calculations, including drafts of papers such as Operators in Physical Mathematics Parts 2 and 3, proof copies of Electromagnetic Theory with notes and calculations on the reverse, and correspondence with The Electrician and other periodicals over the publication of his articles; Official awards and honours presented to Heaviside and other assorted items, including the award of Cedergren Medal and Gottingen University Honorary Doctorate, 1924; Notes by Heaviside on plane waves and electrification, the application of zonal harmonics on physical problems, magnetic induction, gravitational dimensions, the magnetism of the earth, on the backs of old letters; Correspondence from notable scientists and mathematicians including Sir Oliver Lodge, W E Ayrton, W H Bragg, S P Thompson, and Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs; Material found at Paignton, 1957, including Preliminary drafts of articles for Electromagnetic Theory; annotated galley proofs of Electromagnetic Theory; assorted papers, spare proofs of papers and miscellaneous correspondence, and additional correspondence sent to Heaviside.

London County Council register of tramway track lengths, recording description and lengths of route, street length, track length and remarks, such as "conversion to trolleybus", "abandoned" and so on, [1912-1952], with enclosures: photocopy of map of tramways in the London County Council area, revised to 1931; and diagrams of track lengths in Leyton and Hammersmith.

Commentarius R.P. Joannis Specij Societatis Jesu in octo libros Physicorum Aristotelis. Ejusdem in Aristotelis de Coelo quatuor libros et in duos de Generatione et Corruptione libros. Exceptus a Fratre Jacobo Petro Plonacho Benedictino Ottenpurano. On the verso of fol. 111 of the second volume is a pen-drawn figure of the Aristotelian geocentric Universe. In the second volume, on both title-pages the date is written wrongly 'MDCXVI' for 'MDXCVI'. On the first t.p. of this volume alone is the surname 'Plonach' of the writer given. In Vol. I and elsewhere he appears as 'Frater Jacobus Peter' only. Produced in Dillingen.

Commonplace books of extracts and notes from works published mainly during the last quarter of the 17th century and early 18th century, relating to science, medicine and mathematics. Written mainly in Latin or Italian, but with some entries in French. Author's holograph MSS. Illustrated by numerous folding and other pen-drawn diagrams and figures, and a few wash-drawings. The numeration of the volumes has been added.

Vol. I In universam scientiam mechanicam institutiones (80 ll. 3 folding pen-and-wash drawings). II Optica. Catoptrica. Dioptrica (56 ll. 4 folding pen-drawings). III Extracts and notes mainly in Latin, but a few in French on medical, scientific, mathematical and philosophical works, mostly published between c 1685 and 1700: with notices of others on Church history and doctrine, Jansenists, etc. There is a long entry towards the end of the volume on the 'Medicina mentis' by Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhausen [1651-1708], (352 ll. 1 folding wash-drawing, 8 folding pen-drawings, wash-and pen-drawing in the text). IV A similar collection, but with a preponderance of entries in French, included in which is a long article under the title: 'La vie de demoiselle Antoinette Bourignon [1616-1680], écrite par elle-même [etc.]' Amsterdam. 1683. The date 1705 is found on the verso of the last leaf (312 ll., 5 folding pen-drawings, and a few marginal pen-drawn figures, etc.) V Notes and extracts on geometry, mechanics, optics, physics, etc. on Cartesian principles: in Italian and Latin. At the end is a long entry entitled: 'Fisica generale sopra il lume, ed i colori per il P. Mallebranche (i.e. Nicolas de Malebranche [1638-1715]) dall'Istoria dell'Accademia delle Scienze, 1699' (224 ll. 6 folding pen-drawings). VI Netwon (Sir I.). Optica: in Latin (160 ll. 11 folding pen-drawings and marginal pen-drawn figures, etc.). VII Extracts from Newton's works on astronomy: conics, mechanics, physics, etc.: in Latin (246 ll., 10 folding pen-drawn figures, etc.). VIII Extracts on astronomy, geography, geometry, and chronology: in Latin. Written in 1713 'in hoc anno'. An added note on the first page contains the date 1714 (208 ll. 8 folding pen-drawn figures, and marginal figures, 1 folding Table). IX Sanctorius (S.). Ex commentariis in Avicennam et in Aphoirismos Hippocratis (256 ll.). A note on 'Colica' in Aphorism XXV is dated 1716. X Extracts and notes from 17th cent. medical works, notes of cases, medical receipts, etc.: in Latin (196 ll.). Illustrated with a full-page pen-drawing of a male head. Against this Marmi has written: 'Exhibeo schema communicatum mihi ab excellentissimo D[octore] Schustonio [?] Practico Esslingense ... Elegantissime Burrhus eques Mediolani (i.e. Giuseppe Francesco Borri [1627-1695]) apud Tackium (Johann Tackius [1617-1675]) Phasis p. 160 uti Macrocosmi Compendium homo existimatur, ita homo sive humanus mundus in se quoque habet proprium compendium in vultu et imago nostri corporis est facies'. The illustration shows the facial nerves supposed to correspond with those of other parts of the body. XI A similar volume, mainly in Latin, but with some entries in Italian (318 ll.). There are long extracts and notes on the works of Galen and Hippocrates. A marginal note on the 6th leaf is dated Naples 1714: another entry on 'Aqua Tofana' is dated 1715 apparently at Naples.

Pasted down as end-papers at the beginning of Vol. IV is a small folio sheet containing an engraving of 'Triangulus australis' above a decorated wreath, which includes a small meallion-portrait of Werner XVII Comes de Hapsburgo. It is numbered 132, and is apparently extracted from an unidentified volume of engravings. The identification of the author of these MSS. is based on two entries. The first is in Vol. III is a marginal note on the verso of the 12th leaf of the entry of the 'Medicina mentis' of Tschirnhausen noted above. It begins: 'Mihi Jos. Herm. M[armi]. The expansion of 'Herm' into an Italian Christian name seems doubtful, but it could be 'Hermannus' or 'Herminius' or even 'Hermes' or 'Hermete'. The second entry is however decisive. It is found also in a marginal note on the eating of cucumbers in the summer, in connexion with the onset of bile after drinking in hot weather as observed by Galen. This is definitely signed 'I. H. Marmi'. Produced in Naples?

'Stemma physiologiae': lectures on Aristotle's 'Physica', recorded as "dictante R. P. Ludovico à Sancto Luca. Transcripsit Joannes Chrysostomus à Conceptione B.M.V."and given in Nikolsburg.

Autograph letters and documents collected by George Grey Turner, 1647-1924. Details of the writers included can be found in the descriptions of the individual manuscripts.

(1) Letter from William Paton Ker of University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, Cardiff, to John Viriamu Jones, Principal of the College, 13 May 1887.
(2) Letter from John Viriamu Jones to the Registrar of the University of London, 17 May 1887. Enclosing Ker's letter.

(3) Letter from Henry Rudolf Reichel, Principal, University College of North Wales, Bangor to the Registrar of the University of London, 11 Jun 1887.
All 3 letters relate to degree examinations and syllabuses in Old English, Middle English and Science.

Items (1) and (3) are autograph; all letters bear signatures.

Letter from John Minter Morgan of 8 Pembroke Street, Cambridge to Rev Professor Adam Sedgwick, 24 Jun 1845. Covering letter (on mourning paper) to a copy of Morgan's The Christian Commonwealth. Recalling a meeting of the British Association [for the Advancement of Science] at which Sedgwick 'expressed a hope that we should not confine our attention to the advancement of science but also direct its most beneficial application'.

Autograph, with signature.

Reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society from 1832 to date (Peer Review). The referees were appointed to advise the Committee of Papers, and were drawn from appropriate subject disciplines within the Fellowship. Referees Reports vary in content between terse notes recommending acceptance or rejection to long monographs devoted to the subject under review. Much of their interest derives from the comment of one scientist on the work of another, for example Michael Faraday on J P Joule (RR.3.154,158) or Sir Oliver Lodge on Ernest Rutherford (RR.13.106).

Scientific and other papers sent to the Royal Society, presented at meetings of Fellows, or commissioned by the Society. They form a complementary series to the Early Letters, both of which were superseded by the Letters and Papers. Many of these items, referred to as the 'Guard Books', are duplicated in the Register Book of the Society. The classification is a simplified form of the 'Philosophical Transactions' abridgment by John Lowthorp. This arrangement was completed in 1741 by Thomas Birch. The majority of the papers in these volumes are manuscript, but a few printed documents occur throughout the series. Some of the papers are earlier in date than the grant on 15 July 1662 of the First Charter to the Society. The Committee of Trades seems to have been associated with the earlier meetings of those philosophers who subsequently became Fellows, and produced a number of practical papers, some of which were written in 1639 and which are mostly found in Volume 3(i). There are still earlier documents, mostly in Volume 25, which may have been included in the gift, in 1667, of the Arundel Library.

Scientific papers sent to the Royal Society, many of which were published in the 'Philosophical Transactions'. As the name implies, the series is a combination and continuation of Early Letters and Classified Papers into the 19th century. Later, the sequence divided into Philosophical Transactions and Archived Papers. From the time that the Letters and Papers (or New Guard Books as they were originally known) were created, none of these original papers were copied into Letter or Register Books. Scientists represented include William Herschel (66 papers) William Watson (36 papers) Henry Baker (32 papers) Everard Home (31 papers), William Stukely (30 papers), and John Smeaton (23 papers). As the series progresses, the character of the documents alters - the earlier decades contain larger numbers of short letters, but by the 19th century most of the manuscripts are in the form of long monographs. The texts are supported by a large quantity of original illustrations throughout the series. This collection provides a virtually unbroken run of presentations by leading 18th century scientists; the few gaps include 1746-1749, when no papers were collected. Occasionally such missing items may be located in the archives of other institutions.

Papers by, about or belonging to the Fellows of the Royal Society, and acquired by donation or purchase from outside sources. Large diverse series of papers intended to encompass all collections of documents which were not generated by the organization, but which were donated, purchased or otherwise acquired from outside sources. The series therefore contains all manner of papers by, about, or belonging to Fellows of the Royal Society. The subject matter is as diverse as the interests of the Fellows, and covers all branches of the sciences, including some non-scientific material. Generally, the Manuscripts are Western in origin. Also includes some records generated by the Society itself but added to the collection when considered unsuitable for existing categories.

Sir Robert Southwell's Lecture on water at the Royal Society, 8 Apr 1675.

Collected papers of William Fletcher Barrett including letters to Barrett with supporting documents by Barrett on scientific interests and some photographs.

Philosophia Universalis Pertineis a Gabrielem Colleno Logicum, 1694.

Correspondence of the Sowerby family, chiefly letters to James Sowerby. Correspondents include: George Arnott Walker Arnott; Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward; Etheldred Bennett; William Bingley; James Clealand; Richard Cotton; Francis Crow; James Dalton; George Don; Richard Duppa; William Henry Fitton; Leonard Horne; John Harris; Adrian Hardy Haworth; Henry Heuland; George Hibbert; John Coakley Lettsom; John Lewis; Gideon Mantell; Thomas John Newbold; George Henry Noehden; Charles Panse; Thomas Joseph Pettigrew; Joseph Ellison Portlock; Thomas Purton; Philip Rashleigh; Joseph Sabine; Henry Sheppard; William Travis; Patrick Walker; Henry Warburton; William Wedderburn and Thomas Stamford Raffles.

Material created by Ronalds' during his time abroad, and as Honorary Director of the British Association's Observatory at Kew, with various notes on electricity, 1818-1871. It comprises material relating to Ronalds' travels abroad including journals, notebooks, sketchbooks, bills of expenses, and correspondence relating to two journeys to Italy, Egypt, the Holy Land and the Greek Islands; Material relating to 'Sketches at Carnac' and atmospheric electricity including pencil sketches and notes on atmospheric electricity taken from published sources; Correspondence while Honorary Director at the British Association's Observatory at Kew, including letters to Ronalds from various correspondents, mainly dealing with aspects of meteorology and magnetism, and the affairs of the Observatory at Kew, with technical discussion of self-registration by photography, bifilar magnets, atmospheric electricity; Notes, reports and copy correspondence relating to Ronalds' time at the Kew Observatory including a foolscap notebook with several loose insertions relating to a system devised by Ronalds for propelling or towing vessels in water by means of a stationary fulcrum; Papers relating to telescopes, fires, meteorology and Report on Kew for 1849-1850, including notes and diagrams relating to the design of a stand for a telescope, material relating to the design of a self-acting fire alarm, barometric and temperature readings, material relating to expenses and experiments at Kew for report on the observatory 1849-1850 presented to the British Association at their meeting in 1850, papers relating to a proposed 'Turner's Manual' which Ronalds began writing 1838-1839; Papers relating to perspective, the electric telegraph, galvanism and electromagnetism, electric columns, atmospheric electricity, aquatic propulsion and drawing and surveying; Notes and sketches on items relating to various subjects, including a small catalogue of books on meteorology, electricity etc, and a bundle of unused photographic paper and some tracings from Ronalds' self registering instruments; Printed material relating to Ronalds' perspective tracing instruments; Extracts from diaries and newspaper cuttings; Portrait album of well-known European scientists.

Personal and business correpondence of William Fothergill Cooke, mostly relating to his dispute with Charles Wheatstone, together with legal documents (copies and originals) connected with the case, in 7 bound volumes. Comprising personal correspondence, mainly to Cooke's mother relating to his hopes and expectations of the telegraph. The correspondence is mainly 1836-1841 with fewer letters for 1843, 1844, 1860, 1868, 1869, 1875, 1879 and 1880. There is also correspondence with Latimer Clark both before and after Cooke's death concerning a history of British Telegraphy and a life of Sir William Fothergill Cooke. Copies of this some of this correspondence can be found in Volume VII, and these are easier to read than the extensively crossed originals; Correspondence relating to railway companies, arbitration, and creation of the Electric Telegraph Company. The correspondence also shows the causes of the breakdown of his partnership with Wheatstone, the arbitration process and subsequent agreement to purchase Wheatstone's royalties in the shares; Correspondence between Mr Robert Wilson, solicitor acting for William Fothergill Cooke, and William Richardson, solicitor acting for Professor Wheatstone, relating to the arbitration between Cooke and Wheatstone, frequently concerning sending of drafts of agreement, with amendments, and with arranging appointments for arbitrators, and witnesses for the arbitration; Papers concerned with the arbitration between Cooke and Wheatstone, including bound copies of agreements and articles referred to in the arbitration; Papers submitted to the Arbitrators, Sir Marc Isambard Brunel and John Frederic Daniell in 1841, mainly copies of evidence. They represent Cooke and Wheatstone's cases, and the Arbitrators' decision, with one later patent granted to Sir William Fothergill Cooke. There are also some poems about Autralia or the Central World and Neptune at the end of the volume; Papers concerning assignment by Wheatstone of all royalties and shares to Cooke, including extracts of letters and transfers and assignments of inventions, rights in patents and shares separating Wheatstone and Cooke's business affairs; Copies of letters, mainly from Volume I of the collection made by George Bristow of the successor firm to Wilson and Harrison with the idea of publishing them on the 50th anniversary of the first Patent for the Electric Telegraph. The Volume contains copies of three letters between Bristow and Latimer Clark, and copies of extracts of other letters. Several letters were cut out for publication in 1893. There are also some notes made by a clerk at Bristow's concerning the other original material and its whereabouts, and also references to 'The Electric Telegraph: Was It Invented by Professor Wheatstone?' in two volumes by Sir W F Cooke, 1856-1857. The copies are easier to read than the extensively crossed originals.