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Holdings

Royal Asiatic Society Collections Disposal Records

Identity area

Reference code

GB 891 RAS COLL4

Publication status

Published

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

1 large archival box + electronic documents

Date(s)

  • 1823 - ongoing (Creation)

Context area

Name of creator

(1823-)

Biographical history

The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was founded by the eminent Sanskrit scholar Sir Henry Thomas Colebrooke on the 15th March 1823. It received its Royal Charter from King George IV on the 11th August 1824 'for the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia'. It continues as a forum for those who are interested in the languages, cultures and history of Asia to meet and exchange ideas.
(1900-1981)

Biographical history

Horace Geoffrey Quaritch Wales was born in 1900 and educated at Charterhouse and Queen's College Cambridge. In 1924 he entered the service of the Siamese government and from 1924-1928 acted as an adviser to King Rama VI and King Rama VII. This led to the publication of _Siamese State Ceremonies_ (1931), and _Ancient Siamese Government and Administration_ (1934), this volume being translated into Thai in the same year. He married and with his wife, Dorothy, began extensive travel particularly in south and southeast Asia. During 1934-6 he served as field-director for the Greater India Research Committee, directing archaeological work on early Buddhist sites in Thailand. From 1937-1940 he and his wife undertook surveys and excavations in Malaya, particularly in the Kedah region. He published _The Making of Greater India_ (1951) and continued to publish books, articles and reviews throughout his career. He died in 1981.

Repository

Royal Asiatic Society Archives

Archival history

These records are part of the Royal Asiatic Society's Institutional Records and therefore part of the historical records of the Society.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

These are part of the institutional records of the Royal Asiatic Society which have been accumulated throughout its history.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This archive consists of lists and correspondence concerned with the disposal of items in the Collections of the Society. The Society has not kept comprehensive records throughout its history. Further information pertaining to Disposals of the Society may be found in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society and in the Minute books for the Council and General Meetings. Disposals may continue in the life of the Society. More recent ones are held in the Society's records management system and will be transferred to the archive in due course.

System of arrangement

The archive was arranged chronologically thus: * RAS COLL4/1 - 1823-1900 * RAS COLL4/2 - 1901-1950 * RAS COLL4/3 - 1951-2000 * RAS COLL4/4 - 2001-2010

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Mostly open. Some material may be restricted due to confidentiality reasons. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.

Conditions governing reproduction

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

Language of material

  • English

Additional information

Related units of description

The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society may hold information about the Society's disposals either in its Library Section or in the Report of the Anniversary meeting. Likewise the Minutes of the Council and General Meetings may hold further information.

Description identifier

gb891-rascoll4
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