Royal Asiatic Society Property: 5 New Burlington Street

The Royal Asiatic Society leased the premises at 5 New Burlington Street from 1848 to 1869. There is no original archival material for this period. These papers consist of copies of a perspective drawing executed from Regent Street. There are 2 copies of this view with an explanatory note. And a further copy of numbers 78-86.

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. In 1848, the East India Company responded to an appeal from the Royal Asiatic Society and doubled its grant. This enabled the Society to obtain better accommodation and 5 New Burlington Street was leased for 21 years from William Buckmaster. The interior design was originally by Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Open. Please contact the archivist using the email address given here. 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

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

These Papers were catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2019.

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.

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

The Minutes of the Council Meetings provide evidence of the decisions being taken regarding the leasing of this property and the attempts to find finance and support for premises.

The chapter, "A History of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1823-1973" by C.F. Beckingham, within "The Royal Asiatic Society: Its History and Treasures", edited by Stuart Simmonds and Simon Digby, published 1979, provides further information regarding the history of the Society's premises.