| RefNo | CMP |
| Level | Series |
| Title | Council Minutes, Printed |
| Creator | The Royal Society |
| Date | 1832-1997 |
| Description | Printed copies of minutes of the meetings of the Royal Society Council, concerned with the business and administration of the Society. Minutes record discussions of all matters relating to the Society's constitution, activities, awards, funds and bequests, buildings, staff, etc.
From 1832-1997 the minutes were printed for distribution to Council Members, and copies were retained for the library, these copies make up this series. Printed minutes for years 1832-1979 are bound into volumes.
The Council minutes exist in three main forms. In addition to this printed series are the original council minutes (CMO, 1663-present). The original minutes for 1663-1882 were transcribed retrospectively in the early 18thC and then regularly until 1822 for greater security, these copies form the series 'Council Minutes Copy' (CMC,1663-1832). |
| Language | English |
| Extent | 27 volumes and 11 boxes |
| Format | Printed |
| PhysicalDescription | Leather bound volumes, printed booklets boxed |
| Arrangement | Chronological by date of meeting |
| FindingAids | MS/407 'Alphabetical index to the printed minutes' by P.M. Roget is a guide to most of the first volume of printed minutes, 1832-1844.
MS/801 is a subject index for the topics under discussion in volumes 1-4 of the printed minutes, 1832-1877.
Volumes 5-6 (1878-1892) contain manuscript indexes
Volumes 7-26 (1893-1979) contain printed indexes |
| Notes | Volumes for 1832-1979 are located in the library reading room, boxed minutes for 1980-1997 are located in the lower mezzanine adjacent to the biography section |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| Copyright | The Royal Society |
| AdminHistory | From 1832 the minutes were printed for distribution to Council Members and sets retained by the Society. |
| RelatedMaterial | The Council minutes exist in three main forms. In addition to this printed series are the original council minutes (CMO, 1663-present). The original minutes for 1663-1882 were transcribed retrospectively in the early 18thC and then regularly until 1822 for greater security, these copies form the series 'Council Minutes Copy' (CMC,1663-1832).
There are also various series of rough minutes with some fair copies in the Manuscripts General series (MS/629-47, 19 volumes, 1665-1870 and MS/800, 5 boxes, 1885-1896).
The manuscripts general series also contains some indexes to the minutes:
MS/407 'Alphabetical index to the printed minutes' by P.M. Roget is a guide to most of the first volume of printed minutes, 1832-1844.
MS/801 is a subject index for the subjects under discussion in volumes 1-4 of the printed minutes, 1832-1877.
Select minutes have been published:
The Council Minutes Original for the period 1660-1687 are printed with the Journal Book Original in 'History of the Royal Society' (London, 1756-1757) by Thomas Birch . An index to the proper names in Birch by Gail Ewald Scala was published in 'Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London' Volume 28, No. 2 (1974).
The minutes 1663-1800 are published on microfilm by University publications of America.
Council meeting agenda and associated papers submitted to Council form the series 'Council Agenda and Papers' (CAP, 1945-present). Some earlier documents submitted to council are preserved in the series 'Council Documents' (CD, 1900-1930). There are also printed copies of Council agenda for the years 1950-1975 pasted into bound volumes and annotated. These form the series 'Council Agenda' (CA, 1950-1975). |
| RelatedRecord | MS/426/127 |