ScienceLibraries

One of nation's biggest rare books collections in Royal Geographical Society of South Australia's library

One of nation's biggest rare books collections in Royal Geographical Society of South Australia's library
Colonel William Light's surveying equipment (inset) are among items with the mass of are geographical books and manuscripts at the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia library in the Mortlock wing of the State Library of South Australia.
Images courtesy Royal Geographical Society of South Australia

Royal Geographical Society of South Australia library in the Mortlock wing of the State Library of South Australia, with more than 25,000 volumes, became one of the most significant collections of rare geographical books and manuscripts in Australia.

The society was founded in Adelaide in 1885 with Samuel Davenport its first president. It was originally intended as a branch of the Geographical Society of Australasia, founded in Sydney two years earlier. But the “parent” organisation never developed, while the South Australian branch went from strength to strength. In 1996, the society adopted its present name and separate status.

The society had a role in major Elder and Calvert expeditions at the end of the 19th Century. 

In 1905, the society bought the York Gate Library: a major private collection, amassed by a London merchant, on geography, exploration and colonisation. Through this, the society gained a permanent home through links to the public library, now the State Library of South Australia. The society’s extensive library was built around this core, and the books were made available to the public in return for accommodation in the public/state library.

Initially housed in purpose-built premises in the institute building, on the corner of North terrace and Kintore Avenue, Adelaide city, the society library moved into the Mortlock wing of the main state library building on North Terrace.

The society library’s oldest book was a beautifully bound version of Ptolemy’s Geographia from 1482, along with 26 other books from before 1599 including two Ortelius atlases (1571 and 1598). Other rare atlases include two Colom atlases (c.1650 and 1670) and Mercator’s atlas (1635). The manuscript collection had many significant items including three Joseph Banks’ manuscripts (1766, 1768, 1811), John McDouall Stuart’s diary of his fifth expedition (1861-62) and two letters by Colonel William Light.

The society’s library was largely based on four private collections, giving it a broad base in historical geography, colonial history, anthropology and travel. The private collections were: York Gate library (acquired 1905, about 7,500 titles), Thomas Gill’s library (1923, about. 2,400 titles), Dr. F. L. Benham’s library (bequeathed 1939, about. 4,000 titles) and Jim Faull’s local history collection (donated 1990, about 100 titles).

Tours of the library were available by arrangement. A general tour usually included rare books on discovery and exploration with some dating back to the 16the Century, examples of early natural history books (for example, two books on Australian insects with hand-coloured illustrations both published in 1805), early South Australian maps, artefacts including Light’s surveying level and furniture made by John McDouall Stuart. 

Many of the library’s items were in the state library’s rare and restricted room and only included in tours by prior arrangement.  Examples include: Joseph Banks’ manuscripts, John Gould’s famous volumes on the birds and mammals of Australia and original watercolours of George French Angas. The Royal Geographic Society also had a collection of relics pertaining to Australian explorers.

Other related ADELAIDE AZ articles

Forensic Science South Australia principal scientist of forensic statistics Dr Duncan Taylor, also an associate professor of biology at Adelaide's Flinders University, was honoured with the Public Service Medal in 2021 for his work in DNA statistics. He was a developer of DNA interpretation software used worldwide.
Science >
Dr Duncan Taylor at Forensic Science South Australia helps develop DNA software used in crime labs worldwide
READ MORE+
By 2023, the state’s DNA database had one in every 11 or 9% of South Australians –161,000 individuals – registered. Its size resulted in seven out of every 10 samples submitted for testing producing a positive match in crime solving. Forensic Science SA's lead in familial DNA test helped solve the 1993 cold care murder of Susanne Polle (right).
Science >
Big database – one in every 11 persons – from 2007 gives South Australia lead in using DNA to solve crimes
READ MORE+
Dr Peter Dillon, a member of Brownhill Creek Association and Friends of Brownhill Creek, testing water quality of the creek in the Adelaide foothills. The association's research into yabbies as linked to groundwater health was among winners of the first Citizen Science Fund grants in South Australia.
Nature >
Citizen Science Fund from South Australian government makes its first grants in 2023 to small-scale researches
READ MORE+
The University of Adelaide library’s oldest and rarest books include incunabula (books published in the first 50 years, 1450-1500, of moveable type printing). Image courtesy University of Adelaide
Universities >
First printed books among old and rare collection in the strong room at Adelaide University library
READ MORE+
Barbara Hardy Hardy was a prime mover in 1981 for creating a hands-on science centre for Adelaide that became the Investigator Science and Technology Centre, 1991 to 2006.
Environment >
Barbara Hardy heroic South Australian public science education and environment advocacy leader from the 1970s
READ MORE+
The former Adelaide Stock Exchange building becomes the Science Exchange, now home to the RiAus and the Australia Science Media Centre
Heritage >
RiAus (Royal Institution of Australia) spreading science message from old Adelaide stock exchange building
READ MORE+