Royal Anthropological Institute

Since the mid-1850's various schemes have been initiated for the provision of shared accommodation for learned societies. On 27 May 1853 the Vice-President of the Ethnological Society, G.B. Greenough, FRS, reported that the Royal Society with other learned societies was trying to obtain accommodation in the proposed building, Burlington House, at public expense. Council resolved to appoint a Sub-Committee 'to represent the claims of the society to participate in the advantages about to be conferred on science'. On 30 June of that year it was reported to Council that the Ethnological Society would be included in the application to the government. The Royal Society and other principal societies were accommodated in Burlington House but not the Ethnological Society; see A1, ff. 134, 142, 162, 188-9, 204-5.

Papers. 1948-50.

At its Council meeting on 15 Dec. 1863, the Anthropological Society resolved to constitute a Committee 'to arrange a Dinner of the Society' (see Council minutes, A3:1, f. 41). The dinner took place on 3 Jan. 1864 at its Anniversary Meeting (A8, Supplement 2/12) and appears to have been an annual event since subsequent dinners were held on 2 Jan. 1866 and 1 Jan. 1867 (A8, Supplement 2/14, 25) with C. Carter Blake as Secretary of the Dinner Committee for the latter; wine merchants bills are held for 2 Feb. and 14 June 1866 (A7, ff. 125, 152). The Council meeting of 5 Jan. 1869 'Resolved that the Annual Dinner of the Fellows and their friends be announced in the General Circular and at the Evening Meetings...' (A3:1, f, 387). In addition to these annual dinners, the Anthropological Society hosted a Public Farewell Dinner to Capt. R.F. Burton, Vice-President on 4 Apr. 1865 at St. James's Hall before his departure to Santos, Brazil as Consul.

Minutes, committee papers and some agendas, 1974-85, held as follows: