The series consists of general membership files, nominal files of deceased fellows, and files relating to the awards, medals, and scholarships offered or administered by the Royal Society of Canada. The general membership files hold correspondence, minutes and other records of the selection and nominating committees; nomination forms, letters of recommendation and other supporting documentation from sponsors of new candidates for election to the Royal Society; results of the annual votes to elect new fellows by section or academy; and publicity and press releases announcing the election of new fellows. The Royal Society created nominal files of deceased fellows from its individual membership files when it was informed of the death of one of its members. These files typically hold obituaries or biographical sketches written for publication in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, correspondence with the authors of obituaries, letters of condolence to surviving family members, and biographical data forms filled out by the fellow at the time of their election to the Society. They can also include curriculum vitae, clippings about the deceased fellow, items submitted by them during their lifetime for inclusion in the newsletter, and correspondence with them relating to their membership. Portrait photographs of most of the deceased fellows were also acquired for publication with the obituary. These photographs were removed from the files for separate conservation storage (see volumes 144-146). Together, these records provide a collective picture of Canada's leading scholars in the sciences and the humanities and their contribution to Canadian advancement.
The Royal Society has recognized outstanding achievement in the sciences and humanities through the presentation of awards and medals, and encouraged new research through the award of scholarships and fellowships. Correspondence, reports, minutes and memoranda held in the files of the awards committee and the executive secretary illustrate the development of policy and decision-making at a general level within the Society. The files for individual medals and prizes hold minutes of the medal committees and correspondence of the committee chairs; nominations submitted for the awards; supporting documentation for the nominees including curriculum vitae, analyses of their work, and selected publications; the results of voting for the award winners and adjudication of awards; and press releases, correspondence with recipients and other material. Collectively, these records document outstanding achievement in research in science and humanities, and reveal the efforts of this community to reward its most eminent scholars and win recognition for them beyond its borders., Some of the medals and prizes awarded or administered by the Royal Society include the J. B. Tyrell Historical Medal for outstanding work in the history of Canada; the Lorne Pierce Medal for achievement in critical or imaginative literature; the Innis-Gérin Medal for distinguished and sustained contributions to the social sciences; the Pierre Chauveau Medal for distinguished contributions to knowledge in the humanities other than Canadian literature and Canadian history; The Flavelle Medal for an outstanding contribution to biological science; the Henry Marshall Tory Medal for outstanding research in a branch of astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or an allied science; Rutherford Memorial Medals for outstanding research in chemistry and physics; the Thomas W. Eadie Medal for major contributions to engineering or applied science; The McLaughlin Medal for distinguished achievement in medical science in Canada; the Willet G. Miller Medal for outstanding research in the earth sciences; the Jason A. Hannah Medal for an important Canadian publication in the history of medicine; the Chemical Institute of Canada Medal; the BP Canada Energy Research Prize; the Sir Arthur Sims Scholarships for Canadian graduate students studying at a university in the United Kingdom; and various other prizes and awards offered at different times. Some of the fellowships and scholarships awarded have included the German scholarships, Netherlands student awards, NATO post-doctorate fellowships, overseas student bursaries, and Government of Canada overseas awards.
The series also includes two of the medals: the Lorne Pierce medal (medal inventory number 5083) and the Thomas W. Eadie medal, designed by Dora de Pédery-Hunt (medal inventory number 5088), donated by Mr. E. H. P. Garneau.
