The three founding Trustees of the BSA were:
- (Sir) James Tynte Agg-Gardner, MP (1846-1928): Harrow; Trinity College, Cambridge. Chairman of the Cheltenham Original Brewery Company Ltd. Returned as Conservative MP for Cheltenham in 1885.
- Pandeli Ralli (1845-1928). A founding member of the member of the Hellenic Society. Returned as Liberal MP for Bridport (1875-80); and for Wallingford (1880-85). Resigned as Trustee in 1900.
- Charles Waring (c. 1827-1887). Contractor for the railways (Waring Brothers); projects included St Pancras railway station in London. Liberal MP for Poole.
- (Sir) Richard Claverhouse Jebb (1841-1905). Trinity College, Cambridge. Professor Greek, Glasgow (1875-89). Regius Professor of Greek, Cambridge (1889-). Conservative MP for Cambridge. Knighted 1900.
- Dr Edwin Freshfield (1832-1918). Winchester; Trinity College, Cambridge. Solicitor (whose clients included the Gladstones; 'solicitors to the Bank of England'); senior partner (1903-18). His father-in-law, J.F. Hanson, was the Levant Company's representative in Smyrna.
- George Augustin Macmillan (1855-1936). Eton. Publisher. London secretary of the BSA 1886-98.
- Dr Walter Leaf (1852-1927). Harrow; Trinity College, Cambridge. London banker. Honorary Treasurer of the BSA 1886-1906.