Royal Asiatic Society Governance: Royal Patronage

The patronage material includes original Charters and royal letters, and institutional correspondence concerning the Patronage of the Society.

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.

The material was arranged according to the reigning monarch acting as Patron. Though there is no material for some of the Patrons, a series has still be created to show the succession and to inform where related material may be found. The series are:
* RAS GOV3/1 - George IV
* RAS GOV3/2 - William IV
* RAS GOV3/3 - Victoria
* RAS GOV3/4 - Edward VII
* RAS GOV3/5 - George V
* RAS GOV3/6 - Edward VIII
* RAS GOV3/7 - George VI
* RAS GOV3/8 - Elizabeth II
* RAS GOV3/9 - Charles, Prince of Wales

Mostly Open. The current twenty years are closed for confidentiality reasons. Please contact the archivist. nc@royalasiaticsociety.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.

As part of the institutional records, they have always been part of the Society's possessions.

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.

This material was 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 form part of the institutional records of the Royal Asiatic Society.

The Minutes of Council Meetings (RAS GOV1) should be researched in conjunction with this material in order to gain a fuller picture of the Patronage history of the Society.

Published

gb891-rasgov3