Find your ancestors in Royal Society of Arts Membership Lists and Minute Books

What can these records tell me?

With every record you will find a transcript of the vital details and a copy of the original image. Every transcription will include a combination of the following facts:

  • Name
  • Role – Member or Sponsor
  • Event date – this could be the date of the meeting or date or entry date
  • Declined date
  • Residence
  • Member’s name
  • Sponsor’s name
  • Archive and reference

Use the previous and next buttons to view more of the records. This is particularly useful when you are reading the historic minute books. You can browse through pages and pages of society meeting minutes.

Discover more about these records

This collection features the first eight Manuscript Subscription Books, which contain lists of our original members dating back to 1754. Additionally, it includes the first five minute books, with the earliest documenting the Society of Arts' inaugural meeting on March 22nd, 1754. Explore the pages of these minute books to find the names of prize recipients, newly sponsored members, and records of the society's activities in promoting the arts, manufacturing, and commerce.

History of the Royal Society of the Arts

The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, as it was initially known in the 18th century, was founded in 1754. The Society's creation occurred in a coffee house called Rawthmells, spearheaded by William Shipley, a drawing master and social reformer from Northampton. Its mission was to foster progress in the arts and industry through a competition known as the Premium Award Scheme, funded by contributions from public-spirited individuals. The first three premiums offered focused on the cultivation of madder, the discovery of cobalt (both used as dyes) and recognising artistic talent in children under fourteen. The Premium Award Scheme remained the Society’s primary focus for the first century. However, in 1850, Sir Henry Cole, an English civil servant and inventor, redirected the Society’s efforts. This shift led to the planning and execution of the Great Exhibition of 1851, overseen by Sir Henry Cole, John Scott Russell, and HRH Prince Albert, who served as President of the Society from 1843 until he died in 1861. During this period, lectures became a key component of the Society's activities. The first Journal was published in 1852, and the first examinations were established in 1856 (leading to what is now known as OCR, or Oxford, Cambridge, and RSA Examinations). In the following years, the Society launched several pioneering initiatives, including the Blue Plaque Scheme in 1866, The Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in 1995, chaired by Prue Leith, Focus on Food in 1999, and the Arts and Ecology Programme. The RSA became renowned for initiating and developing significant projects before passing them on to other organisations.

Women in the RSA

From its inception, the Society allowed women to become members, setting it apart from other societies. The first recorded female members, listed in October 1755, were Miss Elizabeth Vaughan and Lady Betty Germain, daughter of the Earl of Berkeley. In 1758, Mrs. Elizabeth Montague, a prominent author and leading figure of the early Bluestocking intellectual society—though her name was recorded as "Mountague"—also joined the Society.

Links to Colonial America

The Society’s records and subscriber lists highlight significant connections to early colonial America. Benjamin Franklin, a renowned inventor and American diplomat, was among its subscribers. Initially admitted as a Corresponding Member, Franklin was eager to contribute financially to the Society’s rewards and premiums, earning him full membership in return. In 1757, Franklin moved to London and resided near the Society’s present-day location. From 7 September 1757, he regularly attended Society meetings in person. Franklin was a strong advocate for the Society’s plan to offer premiums for raw materials sourced from the North American colonies. He hoped the Society would regard the colonies as equals to England, rather than merely suppliers of raw materials. However, Franklin’s loyalty to Britain diminished as he became more aware of British views on the colonies. In 1775, he returned to America to support the cause of independence.

Records in the collection

RSA membership cards, 1754-1792

Minute Books:

  • 1754-1757 (RSA/AD/MA/100/12/01/01)
  • 1757-1758 (RSA/AD/MA/100/12/01/02)
  • 1758-1759 (RSA/AD/MA/100/12/01/03)
  • 1749-1760 (RSA/AD/MA/100/12/01/04)
  • 1760 (RSA/AD/MA/100/12/01/05)

Manuscript Subscription Books:

  • 1754-1763 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/1)
  • 1754, Signature Book (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/1a)
  • 1764-1772 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/2)
  • 1773-1792 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/3)
  • 1793-1802 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/4)
  • 1803-1812 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/5)
  • 1813-1825 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/6)
  • 1825-1840 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/7)
  • 1840-1850 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/8)
  • 1850-1852 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/9)
  • 1852-1856 (RSA/AD/MA/900/16/10)