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This series includes minutes and rough minutes of the various committees. These are bound by year in chronological order. Also included in this section are manuscript ledgers of premiums awarded and receipts for premiums. This series includes a complete set of the Transactions. Each volume is indexed and cumulative indexes also exist for certain periods.

The Society's commitment to the Commonwealth dates back to colonial development premiums from 1754. The Indian Section was formed in 1869 and merged with the Foreign and Colonial Section to deliver lectures on topics of interest in this area. This had become the Commonwealth Section by 1951. The Commonwealth Section Committee continued to contribute to the lecture programme until 1987 when the Committee was disbanded in favour of two of the members joining the Lecture Programme Committee to enable them to give direct advice to the Lecture Programme Committee as full members of that committee.\nRecords comprise administrative correspondence and papers and photographs. Minutes of the committee have been filed with miscellaneous 20th century committees

The War Memorials Advisory Council was established under the auspices of the Society in September 1944 after it had organised a conference on 27 April 1944 on the subject of war memorials. (Jnl, vol. 42, pp322-340)\n\nSpeakers included Sir Fabian Ware, the Dean of Westminster, Sir Noel Curtis Bennet, Admiral of the Fleet the Rt. Hon. Lord Chatfield and others. The major concern was that the memorials of the Second World War should show an improvement on those of the First. Lord Chatfield was nominated as President of the Advisory Council and Mr A.R.N. Roberts the Honorary Secretary; they remained in office for the duration. \n\nAs many as fifty leading societies connected with the arts and social welfare, together with a similar number of distinguished individuals from all parties and walks of life (the arts, industry, education, the church, letters) placed their resources and experience at the disposal of the Advisory Council. \n\nThe function of the Advisory Council was to act as a clearing house of general information for the guidance of local groups; the Council itself was not able to undertake consultative work. The Advisory Council also hoped to act as consultants to the Service departments and Government when service memorials and a national memorial came under discussion. \n\nThe Council was disbanded in 1948 due to a lack of public interest and of funds. As recognition for the service performed the Royal Society of Arts awarded Lord Chatfield the silver gilt medal and Mr A.R.N. Roberts the silver medal.\n\nRecords include correspondence and files

The manuscript versions of the Transactions were the draft versions of the printed Transactions, published from 1783 until 1847. They include original correspondence as well as drawings, plans and diagrams in support of claims for premiums and awards. From the late 1840s, papers were read at Society meetings. Some of these papers were reprinted in the Transactions (and the Journal from 1852). Manuscript copies of the text of these lectures, submitted by their authors, are included at the end of this series.\nIncludes correspondence and manuscript versions of papers printed in the Transactions

\nRoutine administrative correspondence was retained by the Society for many years and remained untouched from the time it had been filed. No attempt had been made to arrange the bulk of this correspondence other than in approximate alphabetical order. The correspondence was appraised as part of the Archive Project of 1998-2002\n\nPhysical description and arrangement\nFirst series: c.1854 - c.1889\nThis series comprise bundles of general correspondence to the Society dating from 1854 to about 1889. There are some gaps: nothing dated 1856, 1859, 1860 and 1863 to 1867. They were arranged in alphabetical sequence by year (for example Letter 'A' 1856). Originally there were some 80,000 items of correspondence.\n\nSecond sequence: c.1895 to c.1915\nThis series of documents were filed in their original wood/board boxes during the period 1895 to 1915. The series originally consisted of about 60,000 items. These contained general correspondence to the Society arranged in alphabetical order by name of sender. \nContents include a very small number of pamphlets, printed texts, and circular letters sent to the Society on a range of topics covering all areas of the Society's work. The correspondence is routine administrative material.\nThe records are essentially background material to the Society's work, the most significant aspects of which will have been recorded in the Journal or individual printed reports, as well as in Council and committee minutes from the period.\nThe correspondence is arranged into two series. The first sequence (PR.GE.119/1-23) covers the period c.1850 to 1889, the second (PR.GE.119/24 -38) covers the years c. 1890 to c.1915. Subjects covered include:\nLectures; Examinations; Membership;Council/committee chairmen; Journal; Staff and general correspondence \n\n

Printed materials

Society campaigns at this period included:\nReport on accidents and diseases in industrial occupations; Memorial Tablet (Blue plaque) scheme Campaign for the adoption of a uniform musical pitch; Petition in support of Bethnal Green Museum; Education Exhibition 1854; Paris Exhibitions of 1855 to 1881 to report on exhibitions and attendance at International Electrical Exhibition, Committee on the Economic use of Fuel; Prizes for an improved lifeboat; Competition for a revolution indicator for steam ships; Committee on collisions at sea; International Health Exhibition; Public health and sanitation conferences; National Training School for Music; Patent Law reform; Samuel Pepys Memorial ; Prevention of Fires ; Poisonous Colours ; Motor Trials ; Acetylene Gas Generator Trials; International Postage Association and Committee on postal reform and papers; Colonial and Indian Exhibition 1886; Albert Memorial ; Conference on strikes and lockouts; Committee on collisions at sea; Domestic Economy Congresses ; Art Workmanship Competition; Committee on the deterioration of paper \nRecords include correspondence and routine administrative papers, some printed items and minutes of various committees

Industry Year 1986 took place because it was considered that in the late 1980's the decline in UK manufacturing seriously threatened our ability to maintain let alone improve the quality of life for our citizens. Industry Years' slogan 'Thanks to Industry', was intended as a challenge to a society which is insufficiently aware that almost everything we do depends on industrial activity and which shows little appreciation of such activity. The Industry Committee was formed towards the end of 1982 to carry forward an initiative begun at St. George's House, Windsor, in conjunction with the earlier, 'Comino Committee' of the RSA. The committee members included: \nSir Geoffrey Chandler, Director, Industry Year; Diana McMahon, Deputy Director, Industry Year; Lord Vinson, Chairman, Industry Year Executive Committee; Christopher Lucas, Secretary; John Robertson, Assistant Secretary\nIts main objective was the promotion, throughout the United Kingdom, of a recognition of the importance to the future of our county - and to its influence on the world economy - of a prosperous and profitable British Industry in all its branches based upon modern technology and , with that, to help to effect a positive change in the cultural attitude towards industry in Britain on the part of the public as a whole. The Industry Committee which was formed to take over from the Comino Fellowship Committee, the latter formed in 1979, was established with much wider terms of reference than the running of Industry Year 1986.\n\nIndustry Matters was the successor of Industry Year. It was a clearly targeted programme of action which continued to stress the importance of industry and its role in our lives, building on the momentum achieved during Industry Year 1986. The main aim was to encourage continuing action in three main areas: developing partnerships between industry and education; action by industry to communicate more effectively the part it plays in society; increasing awareness of industry's role and its service to the community. The work was carried on through a network of regional and local groups, with a central team provided for up to two years by the RSA.\n\nSeries of records which include minutes of various steering committees and correspondence relating to the development and administration of the project.

Records include minutes of the committee, correspondence about awards and attendance at and structure of the Mechanics Committee. Additional correspondence to the committee is also included within the Guard Book series at PR/GE/110

Records include minutes of the Committee of Manufactures, correspondence about awards and attendance at and structure of the committee. Additional correspondence to the committee is also included within the Guard Book series at PR/GE/110

Records include minutes of the Committee of Agriculture, correspondence about awards and attendance at and structure of committee. Additional correspondence to the committee is also included within the Guard Book series at PR/GE/110

Records include minutes of the committee, correspondence about awards and attendance at and structure of committee. Additional correspondence to the committee is also included within the Guard Book series at PR/GE/110

One of the original subject-based committees set up by the Society from 1754 to judge awards and premiums for discoveries in chemistry.\n\nRecords include minutes of the Chemistry Committee, correspondence about awards and attendance at and structure of committee. Additional correspondence to the committee is also included within the Guard Book series at PR/GE/110

The Society is generally credited with the idea of an international exhibition. However the exhibition was administered by a Royal Commission and the Society had no role in the exhibition itself.\nRecords include general administrative correspondence about the setting up and financing of the exhibition, printed reports, lists of subscribers and synopses of letters from John Scott Russell to Prince Albert, among others. Also includes a series of copy photographs of some of the exhibits and copies of contemporary illustrations. Catalogues and jury reports are included within the exhibition publications section at SC/EX/

The Society was more closely connected with the management of this exhibition than with that of 1851. In both cases the initial organisation was due to the Society, and in both cases the early preparations were made by and at the risk of the Society. However, the 1862 Exhibition was managed by a Commission appointed by the Society, while in 1851 the Managing Commission had been entirely independent. Although 1851 was a profitable exhibition, receipts in 1862 were insufficient to cover expenses. \nThis series includes general correspondence to the Society about plans for the exhibition and about funding, as well as a series of images of the exhibition. There are no details of exhibits. These are included in the exhibition catalogues at SC/EX/1.\n\nRecords include general administrative correspondence to the Society, press cuttings and copy photographs of illustrations

The Society's Council was appointed Commissioners to the British Section of this exhibition which was arranged originally to commemorate Columbus's sailing to the new world. \n\nRecords include general correspondence, letter books (copies of letters sent), various ledgers and account books, minutes of the organising committees, printed material and catalogues and photographs of the Exhibition grounds and displays