1990 - Professor Ann K.S. Lambton

There are three items of correspondence regarding the purchase of the Medal. For more information on conferment of the Medal, see Related Material.

Ann Katharine Swynford Lambton (known as A.K.S. or Nancy) was born in 1912 and grew up in Newmarket. She studied at SOAS, London. Between 1939 and 1945, she was press attaché at the British Legation (later Embassy) in Tehran, for which war service she was made an OBE in 1942. She returned to SOAS as senior lecturer, then reader, in Persian, before being appointed professor in 1953. She continued to teach at SOAS until her retirement in 1979. Her knowledge of Iran was considered one of the most informed in the western world. After retirement she continued her research and writing. She died in 2008, aged 96.

In the Council Minutes for 12 October 1989 it was recorded that the President would select a Gold Medal Committee and in the Minutes for 14 December 1989 the President reported that the Committee would comprise of Professor Sir Cyril Philips, Mr B.W. Robinson and Dr. D J. Duncanson. In the Minutes for the Meeting on 8 February 1990 it was reported that Professor A.K.S. Lambton was nominated to receive the Gold Medal and this was agreed.

In the Report of the Anniversary Meeting in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,1990, p,455, it was recorded that Sir Cyril Philips paid tribute to Professor Ann Lambton for her distinguished services in Oriental research and the Medal was presented by the President to Professor Lambton. In the Report of the Anniversary Meeting in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1991, p. 473, it was recorded that the Triennial Gold Medal had been awarded to Professor A.K.S. Lambton ad the Anniversary General Meeting in May.