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Royal Geographical Society

RGS CORRESPONDENCE BLOCK 1830-1833


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0402 CB1

Held at: Royal Geographical Society

Title: RGS CORRESPONDENCE BLOCK 1830-1833

Date(s): 1830-1833

Level of description: Collection level (sub-fonds)

Extent: 1 box, 0.2 linear metres

Name of creator(s): Royal Geographical Society

CONTEXT

Administrative/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).

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Royal Geographical Society Correspondence Block 1830-1833 consists of correspondence with the Society in the first four years after its foundation. The letters cover administrative matters as well as all aspects of Geography and exploration throughout the world. These files contain incoming letters only, replies are held separately in the out-letter books. Authors include John Arrowsmith, Sir George Back, Friedrich Bialloblotsky, Robert Fitzroy, William Richard Hamilton, Baron Alexander von Humboldt, Alexander Maconochie, William Marsden, Paris Geographical Society, Dr John Richardson and Robert Hermann Schomburgk.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: Mainly English but with some letters in other European languages.

System of arrangement:

This body of material is filed alphabetically by author or institution.

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 Request for Copies form. No reproduction or publication without permission of the RGS-IBG Archivist. Please note that in some cases copyright of the author or owner may need to be sought.

Physical characteristics:

Almost all items are handwritten but some files may contain printed items.

Finding aids:

The RGS archives: a handlist / compiled by Christine Kelly. London: RGS, 1977. Also Access to Archives database at www.a2a.org.uk

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Correspondence Block 1830-1833 is the earliest part of eleven sections of the RGS Correspondence Collection. In most cases the items were sent to the RGS directly by their authors and have remained with the Society ever since.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Transferred directly from the RGS Secretary to the Archives.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material:

Correspondence Blocks 2-11, RGS Administrative Papers, Out-Letter Books.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Compiled by Sarah Strong, Archives Officer, using hard copy listings held in-house.

Rules or conventions: 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.

Date(s) of descriptions: May, 2008


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Geographical exploration | Geography
Learned societies | Associations | Organizations

Personal names
Arrowsmith | John | 1780-1873 | geographer and mapmaker
Back | Sir | George | 1796-1878 | Knight | Admiral and Arctic navigator
Bialloblotsky | Christoph Heinrich Friedrich | 1799-1868 | Methodist missionary and teacher
FitzRoy | Robert | 1805-1865 | Vice-Admiral
Hamilton | William Richard | 1777-1859 | antiquary and diplomatist
Humboldt | Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr | von | 1769-1859 | naturalist and explorer
Maconochie | Alexander | 1787-1860 | naval officer, geographer and penal reformer | Captain
Marsden | William | 1754-1836 | orientalist and numismatist
Richardson | Sir | John | 1787-1865 | Knight | physician, naturalist, and Arctic explorer
Schomburgk | Sir | Robert Hermann | 1804-1865 | Knight | botanist

Corporate names
Paris Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society

Places