Boosé Scrapbooks

A collection of scrapbooks containing press cuttings, correspondance, photographs, tickets, invitations, menus and programmes.

James Rufus Boosé joined the staff of the RCI as a clerk in 1873 at the age of fourteen and was largely responsible for the publication, in 1886, of a catalogue of the 4,700 volumes and 1,600 pamphlets contained within the library. By the time of his appointment to the position of Librarian in 1889, Boosé had, in practice, been managing the library's affairs for several years. He became Secretary of the Institute in 1909 serving this position until 1915. In 1912 the Council had allowed Boosé to tour Canadian cities to enlist new members and organize branches and, after his retirement from the post of Secretary, he then became the Institute's travelling commissioner. This was a newly created office with a brief to recruit new members and extend the activities of the institute outside London and, through it, he was instrumental in accelerating an increase in overseas membership. He was the author of numerous works relating to colonial matters and libraries. By the time of his death in New Zealand in 1936 Boosé had visited almost every part of the Empire on the institute's behalf.

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

The scrapbooks are in fair condition.

For a portrait of Boosé see RCI Box 2. For a further three scrapbooks of press cuttings and correspondance relating to travels in the West Indies 1915-16 and Australia/New Zealand 1921-22, see the RCS Business Archive.

Biographical information taken from: Reese, Trevor R. (1968), 'The history of the Royal Commonwealth Society 1868-1968', London: Oxford University Press.

This collection level description was entered by SG using information from the original typescript catalogue.

Boosé, James Rufus, 1859-1936