I Say Goodbye… and He Says Hello!

This will be the last blogpost that I write as the Society’s Archivist. After handing in my resignation at the beginning of the year, the process of finding my successor is now complete and, after our handover period, I will be leaving the Society at the end of the month.

I am very grateful for the opportunities this position has provided. I entered the position with minimal knowledge of Asian history and though I am still far from expert, I have a much wider grasp of the field. I have gained enormous satisfaction in sorting and caring for the Society’s archival collections from the beginnings, when I was opening boxes to discover what the Society owned, to now when there are nearly 300 collections on our archival catalogue. I’ve worked with an amazing number of interns, students and volunteers who have also helped with making the collections more accessible. I have met researchers from round the world and it has increased my satisfaction when they intimated my cataloguing had aided their research. And day-to-day it’s been a joy to work alongside my colleagues, particularly the Librarian, Edward Weech, but also the other members of the team, Alison Ohta, Camilla Larsen and Matty Bradley.

I took time out from being the Archivist at the Society in 2021 to concentrate on my own writing. Unfortunately Covid got in the way of some of my plans. I was required to look after my granddaughters as their parents were key workers. So, with ideas germinating and completed projects needing publishers, I’ve decided it’s time to give these  interests higher priority in the coming months. Also, I now have a new grandson, so it will be lovely to have more time to spend with him.

I want to thank all of you who have supported me during my time at the Society with your encouragement in both my work and in writing this blog. As you might guess from the posts, I enjoy writing! People often ask if I have a favourite collection. I can’t say that I have – it always seemed to be the one that I was currently working on! But I do have 2 favourite pictures in the collections. They are not the most valuable nor the most beautiful but both capture my imagination. The one above is by the artist John Griffiths (1837-1918) and is of the view from the Cave No. 10 of the Ajanta Cave complex. Inside the caves are wonderful paintings but I love the way this picture is looking out to the scenery beyond. It speaks to me of new possibilities.

My other favourite picture is this one of Freya Stark painted by Lord Methuen (1886-1974) and bequeathed by him to the Society. This painting hangs in the Lecture Theatre near to the lectern so as I’m listening to and watching any lecturer, Freya is also looking down. She was a formidable woman but I love her adventuring spirit and this painting inspires me to have new adventures.

So, I am leaving to seek alternative possibilities and new adventures. I will finish with my thanks again to the Society and to my colleagues for my time here as archivist. It has been a joy!

Nancy Charley

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Hello there!

I just want to give you a bit of an introduction of myself as the new Archivist of the Society, and my journey of getting into the archival world.

Before pivoting into archives, I worked as a travel journalist in Hong Kong, where I was born and grew up. I spent my mid-20s happily taking trips across Asia, both for work and leisure, appreciating the wonders around the regions, from the breath-taking ladder fields in Yunnan, China, to the magnificent Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. I have always harboured an interest in history, heritage and cultural traditions, but little did I know how I could make a career out of it, let alone becoming an archivist. I had a taste of archival experience when I was sorting and researching the historical records of my organisation in preparation for an anniversary publication, and, in hindsight, this experience planted a seed for something bigger in my life.

In 2022, looking for a career change, I relocated to London to pursue my MA studies in Archives and Records Management at UCL. London seemed a natural choice to me at that time, given what it had to offer, especially with the existence of numerous archives spanning the fields of higher education, public authority, business and more. While pursuing my degree I gained hands-on experience from volunteering and placement in a number of organisations, including the Shakespeare’s Globe, British Jesuit Archives, UCL Special Collections and the British Library.

I kickstarted my career as a qualified archivist at the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, a legal membership organisation with a history dating back to the 15th century. At the Middle Temple Archive, I helped manage a vast and diverse heritage collection, consisting of more traditional paper-based records to curious objects, some of which include an ornamental japanned longcase clock, an upholstered chair with duck-shaped armrests and a silver Burmese boat snuffbox. I took great joy in deciphering old handwriting, writing monthly thematic articles to introduce the collections, and, above all, connecting people with history through answering research enquiries and providing access to records.

I spent my first week at the Royal Asiatic Society familiarising myself with the collections and organisational practice. Asian history is such a broad discipline that warrants much more time, knowledge and expertise to navigate, as with the numerous treasures held by the Society. I want to thank the Society for giving me this opportunity, and especially Nancy, for guiding me through the handover period. I look forward to starting off some of the exciting Library and Archives projects we have in the pipeline. Talk soon!

James Liu

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On a separate note, on Thursday 20th March, Professor Doris Behrens-Abouseif, Research Professor at SOAS, delivered an engaging lecture on men’s fashions in Medieval Cairo. She looked back on the transformation of dress cultures in Cairo during the period of Mamluk Sultanate, highlighting the involvement of sultans and emirs in the design of uniforms and ceremonial outfits. It was fascinating to see some of the images illustrating the change of style in the turbans worn by men, as well as the way they kept their hair and beard. If you are interested in finding out more about this subject, check out Professor Behrens-Abouseif’s latest book Dress and Dress Code in Medieval Cairo here.

James Liu, 21 March 2025.