The records in this series include the reconstruction of
Sir William Chambers's annual accounts for 1768-1795 and original quarterly statements of expenditure and original bills and receipts for the year 1788. The reconstructed Chambers account book then forms part of the "Treasurer's" series of bound, audited RA annual accounts, 1768-1820 and 1841-1977, signed by Treasurer himself and the Auditors. It is one of two virtually identical series of bound audited RA annual accounts, the other being the "Academy" series, 1768-1881 inclusive, signed by the Auditors and the members of the Council. There may be volumes missing in this "Treasurer's" series for the period 1820-1841, at the start of
Sir Robert Smirke's treasurership, but loose annual balance sheets exist for the period 1823-44 inclusive. The volumes provide an itemised record of quarterly expenditure [abstracts of bills], and quarterly and annual balance sheets [general statements] of expenditure and income. It is noted prior to 1818 that a copy of the accounts had been passed by the Treasurer to the monarch (via the clerk to the Privy Purse). The details of expenditure include the salaries of individual officers and other employees, payments to Professors, Visitors and models in the Schools, expenses relating to the Library, household expenses (including rent, rates and taxes, insurance, fittings and repairs, restoration of pictures, stationery, postage, public relations, heating, lighting and upkeep of the courtyard at Burlington House), pensions, and expenses incurred in connection with the summer exhibitions (including fees paid to members of the Committee of Arrangement) and loan exhibitions. Income includes interest and dividends, proceeds from exhibitions, the Royal Academy Club, rent payments from the Artists General Benevolent Fund, the RA Fund, catering and the sale of investments. The records also include some accounts of the various funds, either unified with the main RA accounts or appearing as separate balance sheets
The Annual Report contains full annual accounts from 1860. The first report provides a general abstract of the RA's finances from 1769 to 1859.