DESIGNATORY LETTERS AFTER AN RAS MEMBER'S NAME
DAN WATERS
205
'As an RAS member, am I entitled to put letters after my name?' Occasionally, your Branch receives such enquiries. We are also sometimes asked if our Hong Kong members are Fellows
Although RAS members of our London Headquarters are given the title of Fellow, that has never been the practice with the Hong Kong Branch since it was reconstituted in 1960. There are other Royal societies in Hong Kong, however, which do use the term 'Fellow.' The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society is one example.
Indeed even when the Hong Kong Branch of the RAS was first established, from 1847 to 1859, the title 'Member' and not 'Fellow' was used. It would also appear from records that the title 'Member' was used in the North China RAS Branch in Shanghai.
Regarding putting letters after one's name. That splendid reference book, Things Chinese or, Notes Connected with China, is of special interest. The author was the noted sinologist J Dyer Ball MRAS (Member of the Royal Asiatic Society) as he styled himself. One notes straightaway that he used the title Member and not Fellow. That is probably because he was a member of the North China Branch.
Interestingly, Dr James Hayes points out that the famous missionary, sinologue-author, J Edkins DD, in his booklet on Opium (published by the Presbyterian Mission Press, in Shanghai, in 1898), styles himself, 'Honorary Member of the Asiatic Society (sic) London and of the Japanese Branch'.
I have sought the views of RAS Head Office, London, on this subject. They say they cannot find any official statements sanctioning the placing of RAS after one's name. They suspect it has not been encouraged. Head Office also mentions that, in Professor Beckingham's History of the Royal Asiatic Society, he does not refer to Fellows being called anything else nor does he refer to the use of designatory letters.
DESIGNATORY LETTERS AFTER AN RAS MEMBER'S NAME
DAN WATERS
205
'As an RAS member, am I entitled to put letters after my name?' Occasionally, your Branch receives such enquiries. We are also sometimes asked if our Hong Kong members are Fellows
Although RAS members of our London Headquarters are given the title of Fellow, that has never been the practice with the Hong Kong Branch since it was reconstituted in 1960. There are other Royal societies in Hong Kong, however, which do use the term 'Fellow.' The Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society is one example.
Indeed even when the Hong Kong Branch of the RAS was first established, from 1847 to 1859, the title 'Member' and not 'Fellow' was used.' It would also appear from records that the title ‘Member* was used in the North China RAS Branch in Shanghai.
Regarding putting letters after one's name. That splendid reference book, Things Chinese or, Notes Connected with China, is of special interest. 2 The author was the noted sinologist J Dyer Ball MRAS (Member of the Royal Asiatic Society) as he styled himself. One notes straightaway that he used the title Member and not Fellow. That is probably because he was a member of the North China Branch.
Interestingly, Dr James Hayes points out that the famous missionary, sinologue-author, J Edkins DD, in his booklet on Opium (published by the Presbyterian Mission Press, in Shanghai, in 1898), styles himself, 'Honorary Member of the Asiatic Society (sic) London and of the Japanese Branch'.3
I have sought the views of RAS Head Office, London, on this subject. They say they cannot find any official statements sanctioning the placing of RAS after one's name. They suspect it has not been encouraged. Head Office also mentions that, in Professor Beckingham's History of the Royal Asiatic Society, he does not refer to Fellows being called anything else nor does he refer to the use of designatory letters.
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