Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1964-1982 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
4 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
In 1967 a bill to legalise the medical termination of pregnancy in certain circumstances was introduced to parliament by the MP David Steel. The College was closely involved with and monitored the provisions of the bill during its progress through Parliament until its enactment.
Archival history
GB 1538 A16 1964-1982 Collection (fonds) 4 boxes Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
In 1967 a bill to legalise the medical termination of pregnancy in certain circumstances was introduced to parliament by the MP David Steel. The College was closely involved with and monitored the provisions of the bill during its progress through Parliament until its enactment.
Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists relating to the Abortion Act 1967 and subsequent amendments, 1964-1982, comprising the principal files of College presidents on the Abortion Act 1967 and the College's involvement in the issue of abortion, from the presidency of Sir Hector MacLennan to the first year of that of Sir Rustan Feroze, plus papers relating to a College enquiry into the first year of the 1967 Act and the College's joint study with the Royal College of General Practitioners of attitudes to pregnancy. The files contain correspondence, reports, copies of the abortion bill, legal opinions, evidence and responses of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to the Lane Committee of Inquiry, copies of Hansard, memoranda and pamphlets on abortion, press cuttings.
No further accruals are expected; records relating to abortion are now kept within their original context.
The records are arranged as outlined in the scope and content.
Correspondence and unpublished papers open 20 years after last date on file. Published material is open.
Copyright is vested in the College, other than published material, which is in the copyright of the publisher.
English
A general index to the files listed in the catalogue of the Archives of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is maintained in the College Archives; refer to the College Archivist.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists holds correspondence which was not removed from the main files of presidents' papers relating to the 1967 Act and later amendments (Reference: A4); Honorary secretaries' files on abortion (Reference: A7/4/3 and A7/6/7); additional records relating to the Lane committee of enquiry into the working of the 1967 Act (Reference: A3/2/3); Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists's response to a Ministry of Health enquiry into abortion dated 1938-1938 (Reference: C18); records of the RCOG working party on the unplanned pregnancy, 1969-1972 (Reference: M7); The College's record of the joint RCOG-RCGP study of attitudes to pregnancy and induced abortion, 1972-1976, (Reference: C7/2); correspondence of an Advisory Appointments Committee relating to wording of advertisements for appointments to hospitals where abortions are performed, 1977 (Reference: C21/5); records of the College's steering committee for a study into late abortion, 1981-1984 (Reference: B7E); proceedings of a postgraduate meeting to discuss a College enquiry into late abortion, 1984 (Reference: E4/32); records of the working party on termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality, 1995-1996 (Reference: M13); published College guidelines on induced abortion (Reference: P4/11 (1997), P5/7 (2000) and P5/10 (2001)).
The archives of the Abortion Law Reform Association, 1935-1983, plus some papers of the Co-ordinating Campaign for the Defence of the 1967 Abortion Act, are held at the Archives and Manuscripts Department of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine.
The results of the RCOG questionnaire on abortion were published in the British Medical Journal (1970), 2, pp. 529-535.
Compiled by Clare Cowling, revised by Julie Tancell as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; ISAD(G), Second Edition, 2000. November 2002 Abortion Associations Birth control Family planning Feroze , Sir , Rustam Moolan , b 1920 , Knight , obstetrician and gynaecologist Human reproduction Lane Committee of Inquiry Maclennan , Sir , Hector , 1905-1978 , Knight , gynaecologist Medical personnel Medical profession Medical sciences Newspaper press Organizations Personnel Physicians Physiology Pregnancy Press Press cuttings Professional associations Reproductive cycle Royal College of General Practitioners Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists , President Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists x British College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Surgeons Surgery People by occupation People
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists relating to the Abortion Act 1967 and subsequent amendments, 1964-1982, comprising the principal files of College presidents on the Abortion Act 1967 and the College's involvement in the issue of abortion, from the presidency of Sir Hector MacLennan to the first year of that of Sir Rustan Feroze, plus papers relating to a College enquiry into the first year of the 1967 Act and the College's joint study with the Royal College of General Practitioners of attitudes to pregnancy. The files contain correspondence, reports, copies of the abortion bill, legal opinions, evidence and responses of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to the Lane Committee of Inquiry, copies of Hansard, memoranda and pamphlets on abortion, press cuttings.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
No further accruals are expected; records relating to abortion are now kept within their original context.
System of arrangement
The records are arranged as outlined in the scope and content.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Correspondence and unpublished papers open 20 years after last date on file. Published material is open.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is vested in the College, other than published material, which is in the copyright of the publisher.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists holds correspondence which was not removed from the main files of presidents' papers relating to the 1967 Act and later amendments (Reference: A4); Honorary secretaries' files on abortion (Reference: A7/4/3 and A7/6/7); additional records relating to the Lane committee of enquiry into the working of the 1967 Act (Reference: A3/2/3); Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists's response to a Ministry of Health enquiry into abortion dated 1938-1938 (Reference: C18); records of the RCOG working party on the unplanned pregnancy, 1969-1972 (Reference: M7); The College's record of the joint RCOG-RCGP study of attitudes to pregnancy and induced abortion, 1972-1976, (Reference: C7/2); correspondence of an Advisory Appointments Committee relating to wording of advertisements for appointments to hospitals where abortions are performed, 1977 (Reference: C21/5); records of the College's steering committee for a study into late abortion, 1981-1984 (Reference: B7E); proceedings of a postgraduate meeting to discuss a College enquiry into late abortion, 1984 (Reference: E4/32); records of the working party on termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality, 1995-1996 (Reference: M13); published College guidelines on induced abortion (Reference: P4/11 (1997), P5/7 (2000) and P5/10 (2001)).
Finding aids
A general index to the files listed in the catalogue of the Archives of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is maintained in the College Archives; refer to the College Archivist.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The archives of the Abortion Law Reform Association, 1935-1983, plus some papers of the Co-ordinating Campaign for the Defence of the 1967 Abortion Act, are held at the Archives and Manuscripts Department of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine.
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Family planning » Birth control » Abortion
- Organizations » Associations
- Family planning » Birth control
- Family planning
- Physiology » Human reproduction
- Medical profession » Medical personnel
- Medical profession
- Medical sciences
- Press » Newspaper press
- Organizations
- Personnel
- Medical profession » Medical personnel » Physicians
- Physiology
- Physiology » Human reproduction » Pregnancy
- Press
- Press » Newspaper press » Press cuttings
- Organizations » Associations » Professional associations
- Medical sciences » Surgery
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; ISAD(G), Second Edition, 2000.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English