visit: royalasiaticsociety.org

Search archive

_British Association of Malaya_

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Description area

History

The British Association of Malaya was founded in 1920, replacing the Straits Settlements Association which had existed since 1868. It subsequently became the British Association of Malaysia and the British Association of Malaysia and Singapore.

From 1952 to 1967 the Secretary of the Association was Hugh Bryson. He organised the accumulation of two important collections of historical material. In 1960, in cooperation with the Royal Commonwealth Society, Bryson initiated the gathering of original documents - memoranda, diaries, correspondence - and the writing of special reminiscences by those with first hand experience of the geographic area covered by the Association. Subjects of particular significance include politics and government, trade and commerce, social and cultural history, the First and Second World Wars, and the Malayan Emergency. As the material was received it was deposited in the Royal Commonwealth Society Library. Bryson also collected photographs, particularly those reflecting the history of South-East Asia.
← Back to results