The Commission was set up following an approach made by a number of eminent scientists to Lord John Russell, the Prime Minister sent on 10 March 1847.
[1] In June 1847 the original Commission was set up with eleven members and a quorum of five.
Having met three times by the end of the year, it was found that the revolutionary events on the continent of Europe provided a distraction, and the commission failed to meet its quorum on occasions.
John Payne Collier acted as secretary (which was before his activities as forger had come to light).
[2] A major part of the RCBM was concerned with the British Museum Library Catalogue.