ROYAL MANCHESTER INSTITUTION

M6/1/1 - 83 GENERAL RECORDS

M6/1/1 - 15 Minutes

M6/1/1. Council Minutes, 1823 - 1925, 1942 - 1960

M6/1/2. General Meetings of Governors, 1835 - 1907

M6/1/3. Rough Minutes, 1843 - 1889

M6/1/4. Land and Building Committee, 1825 - 1850

M6/1/5. Exhibition Committee, 1832 - 1849

M6/1/6. R.M.I. Association for the Patronage of Fine Arts (from 1847 the Manchester Art Union),1840 - 1850

M6/1/7. Lecture Committee, 1832 - 1843

M6/1/8. Sub Committees, 1855 - 1885

M6/1/9. Curators' Minutes, 1840 - 1846

M6/1/10. Library, Laboratory and Transfer Committee, 1841 - 1847

M6/1/11. Transfer [of Shares] Committee, 1848-1849

M6/1/12. [Vacant Number]

M6/1/13. Sectional Extension Committee, 1853-1854

M6/1/14. Special Sub Committee, 1865

M6/1/15. Reconstruction Committee, 1943 - 1945

M6/1/16. Annual Reports, 1945 - 1949, 1953 - 1958

M6/1/17. Rules, 1839 - 1902

M6/1/18. Trust Deeds, 1841 - 1851

M6/1/19-39 Membership

M6/1/19. Lists of Governors, 1825 - 1947

M6/1/20. Share Registers, 1823 - 1909

M6/1/21. Subscribers Introduced, 1835 - 1855

M6/1/22-23 subscriptions of Hereditary Governors, 1829 - 1877

M6/1/24. Subscriptions Owing, 1831, 1949

M6/1/25-30 Payment of Annual Guinea

M6/1/25-26 Assent, 1826-1855

M6/1/27. Hereditary Governors Paying, 1848-1880

M6/1/28. Dissent, 1827

M6/1/29. Question of Payment of Annual Subsciption by Governors after the Manchester Corporation Act, 1882, 1883-1885.

M6/1/30. Lists of Shareholders, 1855-1879

M6/1/31-33 Transfers of Hereditary Governorships

M6/1/31. Register of Claims and Transfers, 1855-1900

M6/1/32. Index of Governors and Transfers, 1881-1886

M6/1/33. Receipts for payments on Transfer, 1879-1899

M6/1/34. Governors Entitled to Tickets, 1833, 1873

M6/1/35. Governors Applying for Tickets, 1886-1903

M6/1/36. Governors' Addresses, n.d.

M6/1/37. Council Attendance Book, 1879 - 1900

M6/1/38. Visitors' Books, 1849-1859, 1874-1880

M6/1/39. Strangers' Visitors Books, 1829-1845, 1865-1881

M6/1/40-47 Finance

M6/1/40. Account Books, 1823-1913

M6/1/41. Ledgers, 1823-1832, 1866-1884

M6/1/42-44 Payments, 1823-1833

M6/1/45. Bank Pass Books, 1823 - 1837

M6/1/46. Volumes of Invoices, 1823-1875, 1882-1884

M6/1/47. Cheque Counterfoils, 1834-1862, 1879-1912

M6/1/48-58 Correspondence

M6/1/48. Circulars, 1900 - 1924

M6/1/49. Out-Letter Books, 1824-1883

M6/1/50-58 Letters Received

M6/1/50. General Correspondence, 1821-1836

M6/1/51. General Correspondence, 1832-1839

M6/1/52. Correspondence from Lecturers and about the Building, 1831-1837

M6/1/53-56 Correspondence about Annual Exhibitions of works of Modern Artists

M6/1/53. Exhibition Correspondence, 1832-1833

M6/1/54. Exhibition Correspondence, 1833-1834

M6/1/55. Exhibition Correspondence, 1834 - 1835

M6/1/56. Exhibition Correspondence, 1835 - 1839

M6/1/57-58 Correspondence, about Exhibitions of Foreign Artists, 1860 - 1861

M6/1/59-69 Exhibitions

M6/1/59. Exhibition Accounts, 1879-1883

M6/1/60. Daily Income from Admissions and Sale of Catalogues, 1838-1883

M6/1/61. Bills for Cost of Transport, 1882

M6/1/62. Artists Asked to Contribute to Exhibitions, 1837-1853, 1868-1877

M6/1/63. Miscellaneous Letters from Exhibitors, 1882 n.d.

M6/1/64. Registers of Packages, 1861, 1865

M6/1/65. Registers of Pictures Sold, 1827-1847, 1881-1882

M6/1/66. Receipts for Pictures Sold, 1870-1883

M6/1/67. Exhibition Catalogues, 1844-1872

M6/1/68. Registers of Tickets, 1879, 1882

M6/1/69. Newspaper Cuttings of Reviews, 1851-1853

M6/1/70-72 Lectures Syllabuses and General Circulars

M6/1/70. Lectures Syllabuses and General Circulars, 1823-1851

M6/1/71. Lectures Syllabuses and General Circulars, 1850-1859

M6/1/72. Lectures Syllabuses and General Circulars 1882

M6/1/73-79 Miscellaneous Papers about the R. M. I.

M6/1/73. The Building, 1829, 1846

M6/1/74. Employees, 1842

M6/1/75. Donations, 1828

M6/1/76. Inventories, 1832, 1842

M6/1/77. The Heywood Medal, 1824

M6/1/78. Correspondence, 1833

M6/1/79. Printed Pamphlets and Histories of R.M.I. 1823-1948

M6/1/80-82 Other Miscellaneous Papers

M6/1/80. Leaflet, 1856

M6/1/81. Photographs of Works of Art, 1904

M6/1/82. Engravings of London Theatres, 1810-1816

M6/1/83. Additional Papers Deposited 1974 following the winding up of the R.M.I., 1973.

M6/2/1-47 ART TREASURES EXHIBITION, MANCHESTER 1857

M6/2/1. Finance

M6/2/1. Accounts, 1856-1858

M6/2/2-15 Correspondence

M6/2/2. Address Book, n.d.

M6/2/3. Draft Circulars, 1856-1857

M6/2/4-8 Out-Letter Books

M6/2/4. General (Chairman and Secretaries), 1856-1862

M6/2/5. General Commissioner, 1856-1857

M6/2/6. Art Secretary, 1856-1857

M6/2/7. Superintendant of General Museum of Art, 1856-1857

M6/2/8. Register of Letters Despatched, 1856-1857

M6/2/9-10 Letters from Officials to Officials

M6/2/9. J. C. Deane, General Commissioner, 1856-1857

M6/2/10. J. B. Waring, Superintendant of General Museum of Art, 1856-1857

M6/2/11-15 Letters Received

M6/2/11. General Letter Books, 1856-1857

M6/2/12. Letters from Owners, 1856-1857

M6/2/13. Letters from Persons Named M..., 1857-1858

M6/2/14. Register of Letters Received, 1856-1857

M6/2/15. Sale of Soulages Collection, 1858-1865

M6/2/16-29 Relationship with Owners of Works of Art

M6/2/16. Registry of Art Secretary's Lists, 1856

M6/2/17. Registry of Owners and Applications for Loans, 1856

M6/2/18. Lists Sent to Owners, 1856-1857

M6/2/19. Appointments with Owners, 1856-1857

M6/2/20. Results of Approaches to Owners, 1856-1857

M6/2/21. Registers of Owners, 1857

M6/2/22. "Sundry Catalogues of Paintings, Etc.", 1857

M6/2/23. Draft Report on the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle, n.d.

M6/2/24. Works of Art Owners are Willing to Lend, 1856-1857

M6/2/25. Lists of Water Colours and Engravings 1857

M6/2/26. Notebooks of Exhibits, n.d.

M6/2/27. Artists and Sculptors Exhibited, n.d.

M6/2/28. Alphabetical List of Owners, n.d.

M6/2/29. Certificates Thanking Owners for Lending Exhibits, n.d.

M6/2/30-34 Packing

M6/2/30. Issue of Packing Circulars, 1857

M6/2/31. Registers of Packages Arriving, 1857

M6/2/32. Register of Return of Works of Art to Owners, 1857

M6/2/33. Day Book of Return, 1857

M6/2/34. Receipts for Return of Exhibits, 1857

M6/2/35-38 Insurance

M6/2/35. Insurance Copying Book, 1857

M6/2/36. Works of Art Insured with Lloyds, 1857

M6/2/37. Works of Art Insured with Other Companies, 1857

M6/2/38. Reports on Condition of Exhibits, 1857

M6/2/39-47 Exhibition Arrangements

M6/2/39. The Exhibition Building, 1857

M6/2/40. Lay-out of the Exhibits, n.d.

M6/2/41. Photographing the Exhibits, n.d.

M6/2/42. Railway Access, 1856

M6/2/43. Police Arrangements, 1857

M6/2/44-45 Visitors'

M6/2/44. Visitors'Book, 1857

M6/2/45. Registers of Season Tickets, n.d.

M6/2/46. Graph of Visitors, 1857

M6/2/47. Miscellaneous, 1856-1857

M6/3/1-24 EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS, LONDON, 1851

M6/3/1-2 Committee

M6/3/1. Committee Members, 1850-1851

M6/3/2. Committee Papers, 1850-1851

M6/3/3-6 Finance

M6/3/3. Subscription Books, 1850

M6/3/4. Subscription Lists, 1850-1851

M6/3/5. Cash Books, 1850-1851

M6/3/6. Bills, 1849-1851

M6/3/7-13 Correspondence

M6/3/7. Out-Letter Book, 1850-1852

M6/3/8-13 Letters Received

M6/3/8. General Correspondence, 1849-1852

M6/3/9. Correspondence about Subscriptions, 1849-1851

M6/3/10. Correspondence about Arrangements for the Working Classes to Visit the Exhibition, 1850-1851

M6/3/11. Correspondence with Exhibitors, 1850-1851

M6/3/12. Correspondence about Medals, 1850-1852

M6/3/13. Register of Letters Received, 1849-1852

M6/3/14-23 Exhibition Arrangements

M6/3/14-18 Applications for space, 1850

M6/3/19. Register of Applications for Space, 1850

M6/3/20. Allottment of Space for Manchester, 1850-1851

M6/3/21. Plans, 1851

M6/3/22. Report on Police Arrangements, c 1853

M6/3/23. Ticket Applications, 1851

M6/3/24. Miscellaneous, 1850, 1876

Note on the Calendar

The collection was roughly sorted and given reference numbers in 1945. A list of the old and new numbers is given in the Appendix.

The collection has been re-sorted and calendared, 1975-1981, with frequent interuptions. Therefore inconsistencies have arisen. It was intended originally to calendar fully all the correspondence, but the factors of time and size of the calendar have led to this being abandoned.

In M6/1 all the records have been fully calendared including the out- letter books (M6/1/49).

In M6/2 the in and out letter books (M6/2/4-7, 9-12), have not been fully calendared, but most have their own indexes.

In M6/3 the out -letter book (M6/3/7) has not been fully calendared, but has an index.

See Appendix for Index to M6/1 and M6/2.

<span class="wrapper"><p>OTHER RECORDS RELATING TO ROYAL MANCHESTER INSTITUTION IN THE ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT</p> <p>Photocopies of copies of the deeds of settlement of the real and personal property of the R.M.I., 26 Dec. 1832. MISC/335/1,2</p> <p>Papers of Dr. Edmund Lyon of Manchester, 1824-1857 M134/4/1-3</p> <p>Regulations, 1847 M116/4/5/1</p> <p>Copy Order of Quarter Sessions in Regina v Inhabitants of Manchester about whether the R.M.I. was exempt from poor rates, 1849. M116/2/9/7,8</p> <p>References to Exhibition in diary of Clara Alcock of Ashton upon Mersey, Sept. 1874. C21/2/1</p> <p>Papers of Thomas Worthington of Manchester, F.R.I.B.A., 1879-1887. M183/</p></span>

• <corpname>Royal Manchester Institution, 1824 - 1973, Lancashire</corpname>
• <corpname>Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science and Arts, 1823 - 1824, Lancashire</corpname>

The following records were transferred to the Library in 1944 (see "The Records of the Royal Manchester Institution" by E. A. Entwisle, Hon. Sec. in The Manchester Review, summer 1946.) They fall into three main sections :- M6/1 the general records of the R.M.I. M6/2 the records of the 1857 Art Treasures Exhibition, and M6/3 the records of the Manchester Section of the 1851 Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. These records are strictly not part of the archives of the R.M.I., but possibly became stored with them because Thomas Worthington, architect (1826 - 1909), the Acting Secretary, was a leading Member of the Institution.

OLD NUMBER: A1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/50

OLD NUMBER: A2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/51

OLD NUMBER: A3/1 - 3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/53-55

OLD NUMBER: A4 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/56

OLD NUMBER: A5/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/49/1, 2

OLD NUMBER: A6 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/49/3

OLD NUMBER: A7/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/49/4,5

OLD NUMBER: A8 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/49/6

OLD NUMBER: A9 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/49/7

OLD NUMBER: A10/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/57,58

OLD NUMBER: B1/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/20/1,2

OLD NUMBER: B2/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/70,71

OLD NUMBER: B3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/21

OLD NUMBER: B4 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/17/1,3; M6/1/19/1; M6/1/79/2-9

OLD NUMBER: B5 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/27/1

OLD NUMBER: B6 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/27/2

OLD NUMBER: B7 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/27/3

OLD NUMBER: B8/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/65/2

OLD NUMBER: B8/2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/59

OLD NUMBER: B8/3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/35

OLD NUMBER: B9/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/22/1; M6/1/24/1,2

OLD NUMBER: B9/2,3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/22/2,3

OLD NUMBER: B9/4 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/36

OLD NUMBER: B10 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/52

OLD NUMBER: B11 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/31

OLD NUMBER: B12/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/21/1,2

OLD NUMBER: B13 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/39/1

OLD NUMBER: B14 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/72

OLD NUMBER: B15 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/82

OLD NUMBER: B16 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/48

OLD NUMBER: B17 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/31/3-5

OLD NUMBER: B18/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/19/2

OLD NUMBER: B18/2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/30

OLD NUMBER: B18/3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/62/10

OLD NUMBER: B18/4 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/22/4

OLD NUMBER: B18/5 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/34/2

OLD NUMBER: B18/6 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/32

OLD NUMBER: B18/7 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/19/3

OLD NUMBER: B18/8 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/19/4; M6/1/16/1-3; M6/1/24/3

OLD NUMBER: B18/9 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/63/5

OLD NUMBER: B18/10 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/25; M6/1/62/2,3

OLD NUMBER: B19/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/38/1,2

OLD NUMBER: B19/3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/37

OLD NUMBER: B19/4 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/39/2

OLD NUMBER: B20/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/76/2

OLD NUMBER: B20/2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/65/1

OLD NUMBER: B20/3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/60/1

OLD NUMBER: B21/1-5 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/62/5-9

OLD NUMBER: B21/6 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/64/1

OLD NUMBER: B21/7 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/62/11-13

OLD NUMBER: B21/8,9 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/68/1,2

OLD NUMBER: B22/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/34/1

OLD NUMBER: B22/2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/67/1

OLD NUMBER: B22/3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/74

OLD NUMBER: B23/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/17/1,2; M6/1/73/1

OLD NUMBER: B24/1-3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/60/2-4; M6/1/66/1-4

OLD NUMBER: B25 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/81

OLD NUMBER: B26 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/67/2-11

OLD NUMBER: B27 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/62/14

OLD NUMBER: B28 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/26

OLD NUMBER: B29 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/77

OLD NUMBER: B30 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/75

OLD NUMBER: B31 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/62/4

OLD NUMBER: B32 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/79/1

OLD NUMBER: B33 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/69

OLD NUMBER: B34 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/61

OLD NUMBER: C1-4 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/46/1-4

OLD NUMBER: C6-12/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/46/5,6,8-10,12

OLD NUMBER: C12/2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/41/2

OLD NUMBER: C13/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/40/2,3

OLD NUMBER: C14 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/40/4

OLD NUMBER: C15 NEW NUMBER: M142/6

OLD NUMBER: C16 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/40/1

OLD NUMBER: C17/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/41/1

OLD NUMBER: C17/2,3 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/42/1,2

OLD NUMBER: C18/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/44,43

OLD NUMBER: C19 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/45/1

OLD NUMBER: C20/1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/45/2,3

OLD NUMBER: C21 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/40/5

OLD NUMBER: C22 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/23; M6/1/63/1-4

OLD NUMBER: C23 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/5/3

OLD NUMBER: C24 NEW NUMBER: M6/1/47/1-4,6

OLD NUMBER: 1851 DI/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/8-12

OLD NUMBER: DI/1a NEW NUMBER: M6/3/4

OLD NUMBER: DI/1b NEW NUMBER: M6/3/12

OLD NUMBER: DI/1c NEW NUMBER: M6/3/8,11

OLD NUMBER: DII NEW NUMBER: M6/3/8-11

OLD NUMBER: DIII NEW NUMBER: M6/3/8

OLD NUMBER: F1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/3/1,2

OLD NUMBER: F3 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/3/4

OLD NUMBER: F4 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/3/3

OLD NUMBER: F5 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/3/5

OLD NUMBER: G1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/5/1,2

OLD NUMBER: H1 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/6

OLD NUMBER: H2 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/23

OLD NUMBER: J1,2 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/19/1,2

OLD NUMBER: K1-5 NEW NUMBER: M6/3/14-18

OLD NUMBER: L NEW NUMBER: M6/3/8/314,315; M6/3/20/1-21; M6/3/21/1

OLD NUMBER: M NEW NUMBER: M6/1/64/2; M6/3/2/1,2; M6/3/8/102, 137, 138, 362, 402; M6/3/10, 13, 22

OLD NUMBER: 1857/1 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/24/1,2

OLD NUMBER: 2 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/44

OLD NUMBER: 3a, b NEW NUMBER: M6/2/27/1,2

OLD NUMBER: 4 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/8

OLD NUMBER: 5 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/18/2

OLD NUMBER: 6 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/16,17

OLD NUMBER: 7 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/2

OLD NUMBER: 8 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/20

OLD NUMBER: 9 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/32

OLD NUMBER: 10 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/27/4,5

OLD NUMBER: 11 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/19

OLD NUMBER: 12 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/26/1-5

OLD NUMBER: 13, 14 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/36,37

OLD NUMBER: 15 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/6/2

OLD NUMBER: 16 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/421-659

OLD NUMBER: 17 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/7/3

OLD NUMBER: 18 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/7/1

OLD NUMBER: 19 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/1/3

OLD NUMBER: 20 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/31/1,2

OLD NUMBER: 21 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/1/1

OLD NUMBER: 22 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/6/1

OLD NUMBER: 23 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/22

OLD NUMBER: 24 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/35

OLD NUMBER: 25 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/18/1

OLD NUMBER: 1857/26 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/14

OLD NUMBER: 27 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/12

OLD NUMBER: 28 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/4/1

OLD NUMBER: 29 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/5/1

OLD NUMBER: 30 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/660-920

OLD NUMBER: 31 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/921-1150

OLD NUMBER: 32,33 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/30/1,2

OLD NUMBER: 34 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/27/3

OLD NUMBER: 35 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/1/2

OLD NUMBER: 36 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/3, 23, 37, 39, 40, 42, 46

OLD NUMBER: 37 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/25/1-99

OLD NUMBER: 38 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/28; M6/3/30/3; M6/3/31/6,7

OLD NUMBER: 39 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/15/1-25

OLD NUMBER: 40 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/39/2; M6/3/40, 42

OLD NUMBER: 41 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/10/1-102

OLD NUMBER: 42 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/9/1-143

OLD NUMBER: 43 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/1656-1996

OLD NUMBER: 44,45 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/5/2, 3

OLD NUMBER: 46a, b NEW NUMBER: M6/2/7/3, 2

OLD NUMBER: 47 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/210-416

OLD NUMBER: 48 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/1415-1649

OLD NUMBER: 49 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/11/1151 - 1407

OLD NUMBER: 50 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/45/1-3

OLD NUMBER: 51 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/34

OLD NUMBER: 52,53,54 NEW NUMBER: M6/2/4/4, 3, 2

OLD NUMBER: M NEW NUMBER: M6/2/13

"The Manchester Institution for the "Promotion of Literature, Science and Arts" resulted from a visit to the Exhibition of Paintings and Works of Art of the Northern Establishment of Artists at Leeds by three Manchester artists - William Brigham, Frank Stone and David Parry in Summer 1823. They thought it would be a good idea to have a similar annual Exhibition in Manchester. In September local artists, gentlemen and businessmen decided to found an "Institution for the Promotion of the Fine Arts in Manchester". In March 1824 the King agreed to give it his royal patronage and it became the Royal Manchester Institution.

Various sites for a building were considered, but Mosley Street was decided upon. Plans were invited from architects and Charles Barry's were chosen. James Trubshaw of Haywood, Staffs, and Thomas Johnson of Lichfield were the contractors and George Shorland of Manchester, Clerk of the Works. Building began in 1827 and continued until 1835.

The foundation of the Institution and its construction are well illustrated by the records (M6/1/50). Architects applying to plan the Institution included John Clark of Edinburgh, John B. Papworth of London, Francis Goodwin of London, John Foster, jun. of Liverpool, Lewis Wyatt of London and the successful candidate Charles Barry. There are few illustrations of the institution - two sketches of parts of the building by Barry 1830 and 1835 (M6/1/50 page 139, M6/1/51/71) and an undated unsigned ink sketch of the R.M.I. (M6/1/73/3). Letters from Thomas Johnson include references to other buildings designed and built by him - Norcliffe Hall, Styal, for Robert Hyde Greg and The Park, Whitefield, for Robert Philips (M6/1/54/23)

Correspondence and estimates about the building include letters from W. Pilkington of St. Helen's Crown Glass Works about the best type of glass to use, 1832 (M6/1/49/1 pages 189, 198, M6/1/50 page 173).

The first annual Exhibition was held in 1827 and there are records for most of the Exhibitions until 1883, Particularly interesting are the letters from British artists, 1832 - 1839, and from foreign artists,1860 - 1861, while a full set of records survives for the 1857 Art Treasures Exhibition.

Lectures on artistic, scientific, literary and general subjects were held from 1827. Besides letters to and from potential lecturers, 1825 - 1883, there are detailed syllabuses, 1836 - 1859.

There are references to various societies which used the rooms of the Institution such as the Choral Society, Geological Society, Madrigal Society and Pathological Society, and the early years of the School of Design are also illustrated.

In 1880 because of dwindling funds it was proposed to transfer the building and contents to Manchester Corporation. In May 1882 agreement was reached and the proposals were embodied in the Manchester Corporation Act, 1882. The Corporation took possession in January 1883. The new Art Gallery Committee was to consist of fourteen councillors and seven members of the Institution.

In 1971 a new Manchester Corporation Act amalgamated the Art Gallery Committee with the Libraries Committee to form the new Cultural Services Committee. The right to nominate seven members of the Committee was transferred from the R.M.I. to the University and the rights of the R.M.I. in the Art Gallery ceased.

The Royal Manchester Institution itself was dissolved in December 1973.

The Heywood Prize Fund which had been founded by a gift from Benjamin Arthur Heywood in 1824 as an annual prize"for the most meritous production of Science or Art" and had remained the province of the Institution after 1883, was transferred to the

University on the dissolution of the R.M.I.