Albert Way

Albert Way (23 June 1805 – 22 March 1874) was an English antiquary, and principal founder of the Royal Archaeological Institute.

Way was born in Bath, Somerset, on 23 June 1805. He was the only son of Lewis Way (1772–1840) of Stansted Park, near Racton, Sussex, by his wife Mary (1780–1848), daughter of Herman Drewe, rector of Combe Raleigh, Devon. Lewis was the second son of Benjamin Way of Denham, Buckinghamshire, and elder brother of Sir Gregory Holman Bromley Way.

Albert Way was educated at home and at Trinity College, Cambridge. One of his Trinity contemporaries was Charles Darwin, whom Way encouraged to continue his insect collecting. Way graduated BA in 1829, and MA in 1834. In his early life, he travelled in Europe and Palestine with his father. Following his father's death in 1840, Way was able to live off his private income.

In 1839, Way was elected fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He served as the Society's Director from 1842 until 1846, when he moved to Wonham Manor in Betchworth, Surrey.

In 1843, Way became joint honorary secretary, with Charles Roach Smith, of the British Archaeological Association, newly founded by Smith and Thomas Wright. However, Way felt that Smith was too cautious in running the Association, so in 1845 he founded the rival Archaeological Institute (afterwards the Royal Archaeological Institute). He was one of the honorary secretaries to the Institute, and organised many of its meetings and exhibitions in different parts of the country. He had to reduce his involvement after 1863 for health reasons, but he continued to assist with the Institute's Journal until 1868.

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