The series consists of records relating to the Royal Society's constituent sections which, after 1975, were renamed academies to reflect their evolving role. Section I became Academy I, the Académie des lettres et des sciences humaines; Section II became Academy II, the Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences; and Section III became Academy III, the Academy of Science. The latter section originally had comprised three sections (III, IV, and V) which had merged in 1961 to form a single section for science. For Section and Academy I (volumes 66-71), the series holds files of the secretary and president (including those of Louis-Philippe Audet); general correspondence; minutes of meetings; files relating to candidates and nominations for election as fellows of the Royal Society; and records of awards, receptions, and presentations. There are comparatively few files of Section and Academy II which mostly date from the 1960s and 1970s (volumes 71-72). These include minutes, secretary's files, general correspondence, and nominations for election as fellows. Correspondence between President E. T. Salmon and George Woodcock is of interest for its discussion of the future and direction of the Royal Society (file 72-6).
Section and Academy III (volumes 72-79, 87-90 and 139) is documented by a large body of records which consist of minutes of meetings, including the Council and Selection Committee; general correspondence; nominations of fellows and fellows elected; medals, prizes and awards; programmes of conferences; and correspondence relating to the election of new fellows. In addition, there are blocks of files for specific divisions within Section and Academy III like Animal Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Geological Sciences, and Medical Science. Correspondence and reports of the Committee on the Adequacy of Science Representation (vol. 75), 1966-1968, illustrate the growing concern among scientists with the relative numbers of fellows and the position and role of science within the Royal Society. The series holds very few records of Section IV. Records for Section V are more substantial (volumes 79-87) and include correspondence of the secretary; general correspondence; minutes of annual meetings; minutes of the Selection Committee and Programme Committee; biographies of fellows; nominations for election as fellows; and files for the Flavelle Medal and other prizes.
The series also holds two photographs of M. C. Charlebois.
