Archives
The Society's Archives consist of the ‘Business Papers’ (the Society's own official records maintained since the Society was founded in 1807), and other material related to its activities, including special collections of eminent geologists’ papers deposited with the Society.
Follow the links to discover more information about the different aspects of the collection:
Follow the links to discover more information about the different aspects of the collection:
Information for Researchers / Family Historians
Simple enquiries may be answered in response to emailed or written enquiries, but extended research cannot be undertaken.
The Archive Collection can be consulted by bona fide researchers. Please contact the Library before visiting the Society to consult material in the archives, outlining the nature of your enquiry by email, by telephone (020 7432 0999) or by writing to the Librarian. Non-members will be charged a daily fee. ID will be required from non-members and references may be requested. Fellows of the Society are entitled to use the collection without any time limit, but non-Fellows are restricted to five days' study in any one year.
The Society reserves the right to refuse access to its archive collections or to individual items within them.
Geological Society Historical Sources Online
The catalogue of the Archive is not available online but holdings are included in the Access to Archives (A2A) catalogue.
The following historical reference information is accessible on this site:
Photographic and Image Work
Enquiries regarding images should be addressed to the Archivist.
Permission to publish or reproduce any material, graphic or textual, originating from the Society's archives must always be sought.
Acquisitions
The Society welcomes offers of material relevant to the history of the Society or its Fellows, although very limited storage space makes it impossible to accept everything offered. Staff will try to give advice on possible alternative places of deposit for items/collections which the Society is unable to take.
Digitisation
Some collections, particularly the Murchison correspondence and journals, are only available on CD, for conservation and security reasons. The Society’s earliest publication, the ‘Transactions of the Geological Society of London’ (1811-56), which includes papers read at Society meetings are available online via the Lyell Collection.