THE ARCHIVE AND MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS OF THE RAI

A uniquely valuable resource, the material in the Archive and Manuscript collections spans a period of over 150 years, and thus gives an insight into the history of anthropology from its beginnings to the present time, as well as being a rich vein of first-hand information.

The Archive collection covers the history of the Institute itself, from its origins in the 1840s in the Anthropological and Ethnological Societies, through their merger as first the Anthropological, and subsequently, Royal Anthropological Institute. Most of the leading lights of British anthropology have been Fellows, and, among others too numerous to list, there is information on:

• Sir Arthur Keith
• Prof. E.E. Evans-Pritchard
• B.K. Malinowski
• B.M. Blackwood
• V.G. Childe
• Prof. Sir G. Elliot Smith
• Prof. Sir Raymond Firth
• A.R. Radcliffe Brown
• W.M. Flinders Petrie
• W.H.R. Rivers
• C.G. Seligman
• A.M. Hocart

There are Council minute books and publications, and a huge variety of letters covering several Committees, Awards, Lectures and all matters concerning the Institute. These are divided into subject areas, and there is a comprehensive index, which is being added to continuously, as more material is archived. This is available for consultation, and the archives can be viewed by appointment, except for material produced in the last thirty years.

The Manuscript collection covers material not available in published form, and includes donations of papers left to the Institute. Examples include the papers of:

• M.E. Durham
• N.G. Munro
• R.S. Rattray
• M.W. Smith
• E.H. Man
• M.L. Tildesley
• Sir E. im Thurn
• Vice Admiral Boyle T. Somerville
• E. Dayrell
• A.B. Deacon
• M.W. Hilton-Simpson
• C.W. Hobley

The material includes field-notes, letters, sketch-books, diaries, cuttings and photographs, hand-written vocabularies, genealogies, prize essays, and notes, both hand-written and typed, on subjects covering every field of anthropology. This material is also indexed and may be examined by appointment. There are some copying restrictions, but notes may be taken.

Enquiries should be made to the Archives Officer, Sarah Walpole, by phone on +44 (0)20 7387 0455, fax on +44 (0)20 7388 8817, or .