| Description | Records of relating to the Archives and Conservation Studio, 1971-2004, comprising:
Surveys and reports on the condition of the archives, 1974-[1986]; Reports and correspondence on the construction and maintenance of the archives store, 1980-1985; Archivist reports, 1980-1987; Historical articles and papers by John Thackray, Honorary Archivist, 1971-1984; material on Archive fundraising and appeals, 2003-2004;
Conservator's reports, 1981-1986; Records of the Joint British Library and Geological Society conservation facility, later Burlington House Conservation Project, 1983-1987; Records relating to the construction, equipment and work of the conservation studio, 1979-1985; Photographs of the work of the conservation studio, later photographs of requested items from the Society’s collections, 1981-1999. |
| Administrative History | Until 1979, the archives of the Geological Society were spread throughout the offices of Burlington House. Aided with an initial grant subsidy from the British Library which ran between 1979-1982, the Society was able to appoint an archivist and a conservator to at last look after the collections professionally. An archives store was constructed in 1981/1982 funded by the work of the Appeals Committee.
A further grant subsidy from the British Library was awarded at then end of 1983 for what became known as the Burlington House Conservation Project, which involved the conservation studio taking on work from local learned societies and the Royal Academy. However the external funding ended in 1986 and with the Society unable to finance the costly facility itself the studio closed. Most of the equipment was later exchanged in lieu of conservation services. |