Collections
Manuscripts, Archives and Photographs of the Royal Commonwealth Society
Introduction
Archives and Special Collections
Preserving the collections
Copying photographs, manuscripts or archives
Copyright
Ordering copies
Image reproduction rights
Picture research
Donations
Introduction
The RCS Library contains many special collections and archives. The majority have been re-catalogued online since the Library moved to Cambridge in 1993, but a few large collections have yet to be sorted, conserved and catalogued.
The list below links to online catalogues where they are available and in some cases links to very detailed descriptions of individual files and photographs.
Work is currently on-going to catalogue the very large paper archives of the British Association of Malaysia (BAM). We hope to complete this work in 2011. The corresponding BAM photograph collection has recently been conserved and catalogued.
Archives and special collections:
Bennett collection
Alfred Bedford Bennett (1879-1947), Viscount Bennett of Mickleham, Calgary, and Hopewell and Vice-President of the Royal Empire Society (1930-1947) was Prime Minister of Canada during the period 1930-1935...
Books in this collection have been catalogued on Newton, http://ul-newton.lib.cam.ac.uk/ and may be viewed collectively by Classmark search, using the classmark stem: RCS.Ben.
British Association of Malaysia photograph collection
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FBAM
British Association of Malaysia paper archives (Cataloguing in progress)
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FRCMS%20103
Church Missionary Society (CMS) photograph collection
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FCMS
The CMS archives are held at the University of Birmingham - see: http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/44/1215.htm
Cobham collection on Cyprus
Collected by Claude Delaval Cobham(1842-1915), Commissioner of Larnaca, Cyprus, 1879-1907
Books, pamphlets and periodicals in this collection have been catalogued on Newton, http://ul-newton.lib.cam.ac.uk/.
They may be viewed collectively by Classmark search, using the classmark stem: RCS.Cob.
The collection has also been microfilmed for preservation reasons.
Photographs in the Cobham collection have been catalogued on Janus, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FCobham
Colonial Blue Books
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/rcs_op_project/Colonial_blue_books.html
Online catalogue records for all colonial 'Blue Books' held in the Royal Commonwealth Society can now be found in the University Library's online catalogue, Newton. http://ul-newton.lib.cam.ac.uk/
They may be viewed collectively by Classmark search, using the Classmark stem: RCS.L.BB
Fisher photograph collection
Collected by Alfred Hugh Fisher (1867-1945) for the Visual Instruction Committee of the Colonial Office (Great Britain).
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FFisher
Malcolm MacDonald collection
Malcolm John MacDonald (1901-1981), politican and diplomat http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FRCMS%2041
The University of Durham holds the majority of Malcolm MacDonald's papers.
Malcolm MacDonald photograph collection
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FMM
Marshall Islands Sailing Charts
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/marshall_is.html
Military archives
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/military_archives.html
Offical publications
The collections of the Royal Commonwealth Society include over 2213 metres of official publications in both serial and monograph format. These publications date from the mid 19th century to the end of British involvement and sometimes beyond. They include many rare and internationally significant reports. http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/rcs_op_project/index.html. Colonial Blue Books, Staff lists and official publications from Malaysia, Hong Kong, the West Indies, and parts of Africa, have been catalogued on the University's online catalogue, Newton. http://ul-newton.lib.cam.ac.uk/
Photograph collection
The Royal Commonwealth Society Photograph Collection contains over 100,000 images from all over the world. Dating from the mid-1850s to the mid-1980s the photographs provide insight into the history of the Commonwealth, documenting developments in a wide variety of fields including medicine, education and industry.
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/homepage.html
A slideshow and gallery are available online:
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/homepage.html
Photographic panoramas
http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/photographic_panoramas.html
Queen Mary Indian Collection
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FRCMS%2089
Queen Mary photograph collection on India
http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/node.xsp?id=EAD%2FGBR%2F0115%2FQM
Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Competition
http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/225222
West Indian collections
The Royal Commonwealth Society collections hold a diverse and fascinating range of published, archival and photographic records of Britain's former colonial territories in the Caribbean - the islands known as the West Indies and British Guiana. The majority date from the late 19th century to the mid to late 20th century but there are some important earlier accounts too.
The collection comprises official/government reports, yearbooks and directories, guidebooks, bibliographies, monographs, periodicals and pamphlets, poetry and fiction, memoirs and correspondence, scrapbooks and press cuttings, and some photograph albums. For more details see: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/west_indies.html
The collection DOES NOT include the minutes of the Society of West India Merchants or the West India Committee. These are held by the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, but microfilm copies are held by the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Senate House Library, University of London. For more details see: http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail? coll_id=4590&inst_id=16&nv1=browse&nv2=person
Additional archives and photographic collections
A very large number of smaller photographic and archival collections have also been catalogued on Janus, the Cambridge archives portal. (http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/) Select Advance search and restrict to Cambridge University Library, Royal Commonwealth Society collection.
Preserving the collections
Help us preserve the RCS collections. Please handle original photographs, art work and manuscripts with special care; in particular,
- the print surface of photographs should not be touched
- books and other objects should not be placed on top of manuscripts, photographs, or indeed any archival material
- do not make tracings from photographs or write on paper placed over them
- please do not remove prints from protective sleeves without the permission of a member of staff.
- please replace batches of prints in their correct numerical sequence after use.
- please report any damage you discover
Copying photographs, manuscripts, or archives
Researchers may take photographs themselves of materials they consult in the Commonwealth Room, Manuscripts Reading Room, Munby Rare Books Room and Map Room for non-commercial research and private study only.
General photography (e.g. of people, locations, reading rooms) is not permitted.
To ensure the preservation of these unique and valuable collections, all photography is at the discretion of library staff.
Copyright
Whilst the University owns the physical collections, it does not necessarily own the copyright in them. It is the responsibility of the researcher to pursue and obtain copyright clearance from the copyright holder before reproduction of any kind may take place.
Approximately 700 images are available on the Royal Commonwealth Society Photograph Project gallery: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/gallery1.html
Please refer to the Terms of Use and Notices before reproducing any of these images: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/gallery1.html
Biographical details of photographers and their studios are given in the Photograph Catalogues and in the Photographers Index. These should be used to help trace copyright owners: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photographers/.
Please refer to the Library’s Imaging Services department for further advice on copyright. Email: photo@lib.cam.ac.uk. http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/imagingservices/copyright.html
Ordering copies
Please use the online order form on the Imaging Services webpages: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/imagingservices/images_ordering.html
Further information and advice on prices is available on the Imaging Services webpages: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/imagingservices/.
Image reproduction rights
Images of works held by the library and those created by its Imaging Services department are subject to copyright. The purchase of an image from the library does not confer the right to reproduce it in a print or electronic publication, either commercial or non-profit making. You must first obtain permission which will normally be granted on acceptance of licence terms and payment of the appropriate fees. Please refer to: http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/imagingservices/reproductionrights.html
Picture research
Please note that the Library is unable to provide a photographic or picture research service.
Donations
The Royal Commonwealth Society Library is not actively collecting new archival collections, photographs or manuscripts. However, donations of small collections which complement its existing collections will be considered.
Potential donors should contact the Smuts Librarian ( http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/deptserv/rcs/contacts.html) with details of their collection including, in the case of photograph collections, approximately how many images, whether or not they are captioned, geographical regions covered, dates, and, where known, the names of photographers or collectors.
Consideration will be given to the size and condition of the collection, as well as its subject content and provenance. If the Library feels unable to accept a collection, advice about alternative repositories will be given.