On 17th November 1967 the British Airports Authority unveiled a plaque at Heathrow Airport to commemorate the start of scientific mapping of Great Britain in 1784, the first baseline of the triangulation of Great Britain being situated close by.
A deed is any document affecting title, that is, proof of ownership, of the land in question. The land may or may not have buildings upon it. Common types of deed include conveyances, mortgages, bonds, grants of easements, wills and administrations.
From the British Records Association "Guidelines 3 - Interpreting Deeds: How To Interpret Deeds - A Simple Guide And Glossary".
The Augustinian canons of Holy Trinity, Aldgate owned land in Tottenham since the Middle Ages. Awlfield farmhouse was part of this estate. In 1619 the farm was leased out with demesne lands totalling 179 acres to Joseph Fenton, a barber-surgeon of London and the most substantial of the demesne tenants. Thereafter the farm was presumably leased, as in 1785, until in 1789 the house and 132 acres were bought by the tenant, Edwin Paine. The estate stretched westward across the Moselle, along the north side of Lordship Lane, thirty years later and was sometimes known as Church farm.
From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 348-355 (available online).
John Eliot senior (1683-1762) was born at St Austell, Cornwall, and was a successful merchant in Falmouth for some years before he moved to London, where he prospered with homes in Croydon and Bartholomew Lane, City of London. His son John (1707-1735) married Mariabella, the daughter of a wealthy tobacco merchant Peter Briggins, from whom he inherited property on which several houses were built in Bartholomew Close in the City. This became the Eliot family home, for it was a quiet and pleasant district, although in 1802 Bartholomew Fair was "Attended with unusual violence" (number 1371).
John Eliot inherited other property, including The King's Head Inn, Southwark, and property in Threadneedle Street and Mile End. The family appear to have retained the Falmouth House, and appear to have had an agent there to look after the business and estate interests. Eliot several times sent his grandson John (1735-1813) to attend to business and the West country Estates in or near Liskeard, Cornwall-Gormellick, Landazzard and Treworgey (see Nos. 116-156)-Topsham, Devon, and Ashmore Farm, Dorset, purchased by John Eliot in 1765 (see Nos. 157-3725).
A near neighbour of the Eliots was Robert Howard, metal and tin-plate worker of Old Street. The son of a brazier of Folkestone, he set up in London, and was one of many business and scientific men who borrowed money from John Eliot (III) the underwriter (see Number 929). His place of business was a large works, employing many local workmen, in Old Street on the site of the present Howard buildings; his daughter when an old woman wrote down her recollections of the works (Number 1709).
Robert Howard associated with A. Argand, the Swiss inventor of the standard oil lamp. The eldest son Robert spent some time at the Argand works near Geneva in 1788-9 and in his letters home he describes the lamps and the improvements, including the addition of the familiar double glass chimney, which it appears Howard effected on his own lamps (See Numbers 1297-1311). In later years the Howards paid an allowance to Argand and his daughter in their old age (see Numbers 1493-1513).
A daughter of the third John Eliot, Mariabella (1769-1852) married a son of Robert Howard, Luke (1772.-1864), who eventually inherited most of the Eliot property and was also a scientist of some note. Luke Howard served his apprenticeship with a chemist, Olive Sims, in Cheshire (see Nos. 1372-1377) and later founded a chemical manufacturing business at Plaistow (later moved to Stratford) in Essex, at first in conjunction with William Allen and then for a few years with Joseph Jewell. There are occasional references to the laboratory and to chemical experiments in Luke's letters and diaries.
Luke Howard, a member of the Askesian Society and elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1821, was especially known for his work in meteorology and for formulating the nomenclature of the clouds ( the familiar "cirrus", "nimbus", etc. ) Amongst other works he published in 1818 The Climate Of London (a copy of the enlarged 2nd. edition, 1833, is in the LMA library). He often noted weather conditions and barometer readings in his pocket diaries (see Nos. 1397-1406). This practice was also done regularly by an Eliot ancestor, Peter Briggins, in his diaries (see No. 2). Luke and Mariabella Howard lived at Plaistow near the laboratory when their children were young. Mariabella kept meticulous household accounts (Nos. 1394-1396) and also wrote charming letters to her husband and brother, mainly about the children. The eldest son was lively and needed a strict hand. At seven years old he helped his mother to bottle a cask of sweet wine, but "he tasted a little more wine...[and] a good deal of sugar off Mary's pies...and poor fellow he has smarted for his naughty tricks" (no. 1431). Mother was indulgent, but father recommended a rhubarb pill daily to cure his sweet tooth, and his grandfather insisted that he should not be allowed near the fishponds when visiting the cousins at Aspley.
Two of the sons followed early in their father's footsteps (Robert carried on the business, John became F.R.S) and as children on their seaside holidays at Folkestone they collected fossils, and seaweed to use as a hygrometer, while their sisters enjoyed bathing. While on such a holiday at Folkestone in 1812, Luke himself was questioned by armed men who were searching for a French General thought to be hiding in the neighbourhood (No. 1643). The daughters attended Quaker schools in Isleworth and Tottenham. There is no mention of the sons' schooling, but they may have attended the Quaker public school at Ackworth near Pontefract, Yorkshire, a school in which John Eliot (who lent money to the trustees) and Luke Howard were interested. Pontefract was the home of Luke Howards maternal relations, the Leathams. Later Luke purchased "The Villa" at Ackworth, which became his chief home (although there are no deeds of this property amongst his collection). Before moving to Ackworth, Luke Howard lived for a short time at Tottenham, Middlesex, and his son Robert lived there after his marriage to Rachel Lloyd, daughter of the Birmingham banker.
The Howards and Eliots and Peter Briggins were members of the Society of Friends. They normally attended the "Peel" meeting, which was handy for Bartholomew Close, but also went to Croydon and other places. John Eliot (III) and Luke Howard, in particular, attended meetings in various parts of Britain and sometimes abroad. They corresponded regularly with other friends, chiefly on religious matters, and also kept memoranda of meetings and matters of faith; many of the family papers consist of this type of material. A memorandum of John Eliot (III) describes his attendance before the Lord Mayor of London to answer his refusal as a Quaker to pay "Steeple house" rates; and the churchwardens of St. Bartholomew several times distrained upon his pewter-although apologetically, as Eliot and his family were good to the poor of the parish. Luke Howard was also afraid of destraint upon the laboratory. Church tithes, too, were refused on religious grounds and the "priest" personally attended the sheep shearing on the Eliot's Dorset estate, but "was uneasy at having to take it from a person who refused on religious grounds paying." Amongst essays on matters of faith is an article by Robert Howard senior refuting rumours that Quakers were hoarding corn during the shortage at the time of the French Wars. Luke Howard served on many Friends philanthropic committees.
These records, deposited by Messrs. Paine and Brettell of Chertsey, Surrey, solicitors, relate mainly to the purchase of Hanworth Park Estate by Henry Edwards Paine and Richard Brettell from the trustees of the will of Henry Perkins, the bibliophile, in October 1873, and the subsequent resale of the estate in smaller lots from then until 1882.
The collection includes documents which relate to the purchase of the Manor and Estate by James Ramsey Cuthbert from the Duke of St. Albans in 1810, and the sale of them by his son Frederick to Henry Perkins in 1828. On the death of Henry Perkins in 1855 the estate passed to his son Algernon as life tenant. He died without issue, so that in accordance with the Provisions of Henry Perkins' will the estate was sold by the trustees in 1873.
It had been the intention of Henry Paine and Richard Brettell to resell their purchase immediately as a whole, but they finally decided to split the part of the estate they had bought, - lots 1, 4 and 5 - into 19 lots which were first offered for sale in June 1874. They retained lot 3, the Manor of Hanworth. The sale of the estate took eight years, although auctions and sales were frequently arranged, and on occasions the price finally agreed on, was well below that originally asked. In April 1880, Richard Brettell conveyed his interest in Hanworth Park to Henry Paine in exchange for Paine's interest in lands jointly owned elsewhere, and in November of the same year the mortgage on the Estate was repaid.
The first and Largest purchaser was Alfred Lafone, who bought Hanworth Park House and surrounding land in the Park in 1874. Charles Pfander started purchasing land from the estate also in 1874, and James Scarlett bought "Queen Elizabeth's Gardens" in 1875. Many documents relate to the abortive negotiations for a sale to Jacobs Bradwell of Feltham in 1875. In 1878 Jasper Boswell bought 33 acres near the church yard opposite the land of Alfred Lafone, and in the next year Alfred Pullin Newman and his partner, William Hatch, bought much of the land Newman had leased with his brother since 1875. The final sale represented in this collection was in 1882, to Sidney Smith of Feltham, although correspondence relating to the estate continues until 1901.
Enfield Chase was enclosed under an Act of 1777. 'Chase' is another word for unenclosed park land, where hunting took place.
Lammas Lands became commons on Lammas Day (August 1st) when they were opened for common pasture until the spring.
The Middlesex Guildhall was the headquarters and central office of the Middlesex County Council. It was situated in Parliament Square, Westminster. In 1889 local government rearrangments meant that the Westminster area was moved from the county of Middlesex to the county of London. However, the Middlesex Guildhall remained there despite no longer being in Middlesex.
The Girls' Life Brigade was founded in 1902 by the National Sunday School Union. It aimed to encourage girls to become "responsible, self-reliant, useful Christian women". The movement was based at churches. Following a merger with other similar organisations, it is now part of the Girls' Brigade.
For more information see the Girls' Brigade website at http://www.girlsbrigade.org.uk/html/history.html (accessed June 2010).
A militia force was raised from the civilian population of a county, in order to supplement the regular army in cases of emergency. In 1554 a muster of men from the hamlets near the Tower of London was ordered, including Bethnal Green, Poplar and Stepney, then separate, rural villages. By 1605 East London had become an official military unit with the name Tower Hamlets, and the right to muster the militia was held by the Lieutenant of the Tower.
Information from The London Encyclopaedia, eds. Weinreb and Hibbert (LMA Library Reference 67.2 WEI).
Cuthbert Coates Smith of Herne Hill, engineer, and Bernard Edgar Aylwn of West End Lane, then Middlesex, engineer, traded as The Vaal Motor and Launch Company and were based at Eel Pie Island, Twickenham.
The documents in this collection are of two types, here divided into three parts. The first relates to the career of Gen. Sir Henry Charles Barnston Daubeny, G.C.B., 1810-1903, and includes his commissions from the rank of ensign in 1830 to that of colonel in 1857. He subsequently rose to the rank of general, and retired from the army in 1880. He was closely connected throughout his military career with the 55th Regiment of Foot, later the Border Regiment, and achieved the colonelcy of the 2nd Battalion in 1879. Besides being successively created C.B., K.C.B., and G.C.B., (ACC/1096/015,017,020), and honorary commander of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, he was created Knight of The Legion of Honour (15) and Officer of The Imperial Turkish Order of the Medjidie. The latter two decorations were granted as a result of his service in the Crimea, for which he also gained a pension of 100 p.a. (ACC/1096/012,013), and he served in the East Indies and China. He was a justice of the peace for Middlesex, and for Co Clare, Ireland. His appointment to the Commission of the Peace for the latter is included in this collection (ACC/1096/007). For the later years of his life he lived in Spring Grove, Isleworth, and devoted much of his time to a study of family history.
The final two parts of the collection deal respectively with pedigrees and genealogical notes, and with tombs, heraldry, and property connected with the Daubeny family. The division is not altogether clear cut, as some original bundles whose contents fall preponderantly into one category contain a few items from another. The Daubeny family was of direct Norman descent in the male line, and the head of the South Petherton branch was successively Baron Daubeny by tenure, by writ of summons to parliament (c 1295-1486) and by letters patent (1486-1548). The last of this line was Henry Lord Daubeny, later Earl of Bridgewater, who died without issue in 1548; his uncle and heir, James Daubeny of Wayford, never laid claim to the barony.
Later Daubenys had distinguished careers in the Church and the army. Colonel Henry Daubeny, 1779-1853, the father of H.C.B.D., who was also a keen genealogist, collected information concerning the Daubeny family and the related family of Hungerford, and compiled a manuscript pedigree (ACC/1096/041). His son continued his work on the pedigree with additions and corrections, and it was printed in 1884, but only as far as 1841. H.C.B.D. also arranged for the restoration of family tombs at South Petherton, Somerset, and Westminster Abbey. He collected material relating to families connected with the Daubenys by marriage (Hichens, Barnston, and Carpenter) and by name (the D'albinis, Delbenne and Theodore Agrippa D'Aubigne, grandfather of Madame de Maintenon). A recognised authority on the history of the family, he was consulted for advice and information by other Daubenys. Many members of the family took an active interest in the subject, not only in his lifetime, but also after his death, as can be seen in the correspondence concerning Philip D'Aubigni the Crusader (ACC/1086/130-137) and the shields of the barons of Magna Carta (ACC/1096/130-137). After his death the manuscript pedigree (ACC/1096/41) received further limited additions.
A large number of items in this collection have no indication of date, and can only be dated approximately. It should also be mentioned that the spelling of the family name differs between branches of the family, as well as varying at times in the family history; while Col. Henry and Sir Henry Charles Barnston favoured the form "Daubeney", other branches usually used the form "Daubeny". Sir Henry is often described as "Charles" to distinguish him from his father and three of his brothers who also bore the name "Henry" as a first Christian name. The best guide to the various Daubeny branches is the book of pedigrees (ACC/1049/041).
The Home Guard was first raised in May, 1940, on a semi-civilian basis in close association with the Police force, and was originally known as the Local Defence Volunteers. It was organized in companies, grouped in zones, corresponding to the Police districts, and In Middlesex there were four zones. In July, 1940, companies were organized in battalions, and after August, 1940; this semi-civilian force became known as the Home Guard. The following January, officers were given commissions and proper military status, and the force was brought under direct military control. In 1942, service in the Home Guard became compulsory. Early in 1943, zones were renamed Sectors. In the County of Middlesex there were 33 battalions, with a flotilla on the River Thames.
The operational, and recruiting area for the 1st (Middlesex) Home Guard, appears to have been within an area comparable with the Metropolitan Police Zone (Division) "T", including Heston and Isleworth; Staines; Ashford; Laleham; Harlington; Stanwell; Yiewsley and West Drayton; Hounslow; Whitton; Osterley; Cranford; Feltham; Bedfont; Hayes.
(Condensed from The Story of Middlesex, New Wartime Series, Vol. I, Number 2 - 1943, pp.59-61).
Probate (also called proving a will) is the process of establishing the validity of a will, which was recorded in the grant of probate.
If a person died intestate (without a valid will) their money, goods and possessions passed to their next of kin through an administration (or letters of administration) which had the same form in law as a will.
From the British Records Association "Guidelines 3 - Interpreting Deeds: How To Interpret Deeds - A Simple Guide And Glossary".
The documents are concerned with 69, later 73, Cambridge Road and 71, later 75, Cambridge Road.
'Mr. Ware' is probably Isaac Ware, the architect (d 1766), appointed clerk of works to His Majesty's palace in 1738. The King's River supplied Hampton Court Palace with irrigating and drinking water.
Richard Ford was senior magistrate at the Bow Street Office from 1800 to his death in 1806. John Cole Steele was murdered on Hounslow Heath 6 Nov. 1802. Possibly this case did not proceed beyond suspicion, for Devlin does not appear in the Middlesex Sessions books or Old Bailey Sessions register for this period.
A large house was built in Whitton in 1607, standing west of Hounslow Road, opposite the present church. It was rebuilt in 1724-25 for its owner, the Earl of Ilay, later that Duke of Argyll. In 1726 Ilay recieved permission to inclose more heath around the house, and laid out a park with a lake and a Gothic tower. The house was known as Whitton Place. A later owner sold Whitton Place to Sir William Chambers and constructed another house, Whitton Park, further north. Both houses are now demolished.
From: 'Twickenham: Introduction', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington (1962), pp. 139-147 (available online).
The Mitchison family came from Northumberland. William Mitchison, whose will was dated 24 March 1817, owned the Benwell estate, Northumberland, and property in Newcastle-on-Tyne. This descended in turn to his two sons. Anthony, described as formerly of Wood Street, Cheapside, London, silk manufacturer, but late of Sunbury, died unmarried in 1836, aged 51 years, and was buried at Hampton. John the elder is described in a deed of 1834 as late of Gutter Lane, silk manufacturer, now of Sunbury. He owned property in Shoreditch, Islington, Soho and the City of London in the 1820's, although no draft or original deeds of these transactions are included in this accession. There are likewise no early deeds for the Manor Estate, Sunbury, which he probably purchased about 1828, and property in Lambeth which was acquired by him or his son, William Anthony Mitchison the elder. In 1839 he was operated on by Sir Astley Cooper, but, unfortunately, the shock of the operation rendered him temporarily insane. He eventually recovered his senses but the management of the estates, until his death in 1856, fell largely to his son, William Anthony the elder. By this time his elder surviving son, John Mitchison, the younger, was insane, though not certified as such until an inquiry in 1864 (ref: ACC/1156/69-71, 73-4).
After his father's death, William Anthony managed the estate on behalf of his brother John, whose Committee he became, his sister Juliana, who was domiciled in France, and himself, and acquired property in Kensington, Sunbury, Harmondsworth and elsewhere. William Anthony succeeded to John's estate in 1899, and on his death in 1900 left the estates to his three surviving sons, the Revd. Richard Stovin Mitchison, Herbert Sturges Mitchison and Arthur Maw Mitchison. They reached an agreement about the division of the estates between them (ref: ACC/1156/39), the properties being jointly managed until this could be effected. The Benwell and Sunbury Manor estates were sold, in 1903 and 1902-21 respectively, as were several other properties. The records end in the 1920's.
The Mitchisons inherited estates in Withern, Lincs., from the Stovin family (ref: CC/1156/178). Richard Henry Stovin bequeathed his estates to Richard Stovin Maw, eldest son of his deceased half-sister, Margaret. These lands were subsequently left mortgaged and in trust to his daughters, Catherine Sturges Maw, who died unmarried in 1902, and Harriett Jane Stovin Maw, who married William Anthony Mitchison the elder. The Withern Estate was sold by her sons in 1918-19 (ref: ACC/1156/167-177). Harriett and Catherine Maw were also beneficiaries under the will of their uncle, Joseph Sturges (d.1875), who set up a trust for the benefit of his nieces and nephews (ref: ACC/1156/190).
The parliamentary constituency of Tottenham is situated in the borough of Haringey. It was established in 1885 when it also included the Wood Green area. Between 1885 and 1918 the area returned Liberal candidates.
In 1918 the seat was divided into Tottenham North and Tottenham South, while Wood Green became a separate constituency. Between 1918 and 1950 the Tottenham seats were held by a mix of Conservative and Labour candidates. In 1950 the seats were reunited into the current Tottenham constituency, covering Tottenham, Tottenham Hale, Haringay, West Green, Seven Sisters, Bruce Grove, Northumberland Park and Finsbury Park. Since 1950 the seat has been held by Labour candidates.
The Wood Green constituency returned Conservative Members of Parliament between 1918 and 1950. Between 1950 and 1983 it returned Labour politicians. The constituency was abolished in 1983 and merged with Hornsey to form the parliamentary constitutency of Hornsey and Wood Green, comprising half of the borough of Haringey, covering Wood Green, Noel Park, Alexandra Palace, Muswell Hill, Crouch End, Cranley Gardens and Highgate. The new seat was held by the Conservatives until 1992 when a Labour candidate was successful. In 2005 and 2010 the seat was taken by the Liberal Democrats.
Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin, Ireland on 15 Jul 1919. When she was very young Iris and her parents moved to London, England, and Iris studied at Frobel and Badminton Schools. She followed this with studies in classics, ancient history and philosophy at Oxford, and further study at Cambridge. During the war years Iris worked for the Treasury in London, and then joined the UNRRA providing relief in formerly occupied countries in Europe. In 1948 she became a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, where she taught and researched philosophy.
Iris Murdoch wrote a number of tracts on philosophy, however it is for her novels that she is best known. She wrote 26 novels in total, her first being Under the Net published in 1954. Other notable works include The Bell and The Sea, the Sea, for which she won the Booker Prize. Her last novel, Jackson's Dilemma, was published in 1995. In her youth Iris Murdoch had relationships with a number of individuals, including Elias Canetti. She met author and scholar John Bayley while at Oxford, and they married in 1956. She wrote to a great number of people and maintained friendships in this way. Later in life Iris Murdoch was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, the first effects of which she had attributed to writer's block. She died in 1999.
Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin, Ireland on 15 Jul 1919. When she was very young Iris and her parents moved to London, England, and Iris studied at Frobel and Badminton Schools. She followed this with studies in classics, ancient history and philosophy at Oxford, and further study at Cambridge. During the war years Iris worked for the Treasury in London, and then joined the UNRRA providing relief in formerly occupied countries in Europe. In 1948 she became a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, where she taught and researched philosophy.
Iris Murdoch wrote a number of tracts on philosophy, however it is for her novels that she is best known. She wrote 26 novels in total, her first being 'Under the Net' published in 1954. Other notable works include 'The Bell' and 'The Sea, the Sea', for which she won the Booker Prize. Her last novel, 'Jackson's Dilemma', was published in 1995.
In her youth Iris Murdoch had relationships with a number of individuals, including Elias Canetti. She met author and scholar John Bayley while at Oxford, and they married in 1956. She wrote to a great number of people and maintained friendships in this way.
Later in life Iris Murdoch was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, the first effects of which she had attributed to writer's block. She died in 1999.
Leo Pliatzky was a senior civil servant who spent much of his career working for the Treasury. He became friends with Iris Murdoch at the University of Oxford and they remained in contact for many years afterwards.
Gipsy Hill Teacher Training College was established in 1917 and a revolutionary College for the education of Kindergarten and primary school children. Originally founded on a site on Gipsy Hill, near Croydon, the College's first principal was Lilian de Lissa, an expert in education training from Australia. The College continued at the Gipsy Hill site until the Second World War, growing in popularity but suffering from failing buildings. During the War the College was evacuated, first to Brighton and then to a large house near Bradford. After the war in 1946 the College moved to Kingston Hill, where it continued to grow in popularity. In 1975 the College became part of Kingston Polytechnic, which later became Kingston University. The site of the College from 1946 onwards is now the University's Kingston Hill campus.
Kingston University is a university in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London. Formerly Kingston Polytechnic, it was granted university status in 1992. It has approximately 18000 students.
Kingston School of Art (later Kingston College of Art) was originally part of Kingston Technical Institute, but formed as a separate institution in 1930. The College moved into its own campus in the Knight's Park area of Kingston in 1939. The School continued to grow in the subsequent years, teaching a number of design related subjects including Fashion and architecture. In 1970 the Kingston College of Art merged with Kingston College of Technology to form Kingston Polytechnic. The former College's site is now the University's Knights Park Campus.
Kingston University is a university in Kingston upon Thames, south-west London. Formerly Kingston Polytechnic, it was granted university status in 1992. It has approximately 17000 students.
Alan Poulton is a scholar and musician who has researched and written books relating to musical theatre.
Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin, Ireland on 15 Jul 1919. When she was very young Iris and her parents moved to London, England, and Iris studied at Frobel and Badminton Schools. She followed this with studies in classics, ancient history and philosophy at Oxford, and further study at Cambridge. During the war years Iris worked for the Treasury in London, and then joined the UNRRA providing relief in formerly occupied countries in Europe. In 1948 she became a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, where she taught and researched philosophy.
Iris Murdoch wrote a number of tracts on philosophy, however it is for her novels that she is best known. She wrote 26 novels in total, her first being 'Under the Net' published in 1954. Other notable works include 'The Bell' and 'The Sea, the Sea', for which she won the Booker Prize. Her last novel, 'Jackson's Dilemma', was published in 1995.
In her youth Iris Murdoch had relationships with a number of individuals, including Elias Canetti. She met author and scholar John Bayley while at Oxford, and they married in 1956. She wrote to a great number of people and maintained friendships in this way.
Later in life Iris Murdoch was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, the first effects of which she had attributed to writer's block. She died in 1999.
Devaki Jain is a writer and economist, best known for her writing on feminist economics.
Kingston School of Art (later Kingston College of Art) was originally part of Kingston Technical Institute, but formed as a separate institution in 1930. The College moved into its own campus in the Knight's Park area of Kingston in 1939. The School continued to grow in the subsequent years, teaching a number of design related subjects including Fashion and architecture. In 1970 the Kingston College of Art merged with Kingston College of Technology to form Kingston Polytechnic. The former College's site is now the University's Knights Park Campus.
Dame Jean Iris Murdoch was born on 15 July 1919 in Dublin; later moving with her family to Brook Green, Hammersmith. Murdoch was educated at Froebel Demonstration School at Colet Gardens; Badminton School, Bristol from 1932 and Somerville College Oxford; winning scholarships to both Badminton and Somerville College.
At Oxford, Murdoch was influenced by the classicist, Eduard Fraenkel, and her philosophy tutor Donald MacKinnon and soon joined the Communist Party. Murdoch gained a first in Classics in 1942 and was employed as assistant principal in the Treasury, 1942-1944; later joining the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, working in London, Brussels and Austria. Murdoch returned to London in 1946, winning a place at Vassar College and a Commonwealth Scholarship, however as she had declared herself a communist on her application for an American visa her application was denied. Murdoch studied at Newnham College, Cambridge, 1947-1948 and won a philosophy tutorship at St Anne's, Oxford, where she stayed until 1963, she later worked as a lecturer at Royal College of Art for four years.
Murdoch's first book Sartre: Romantic Rationalist was published in 1953 by Bowes and Bowes in a series titled 'Studies in Modern Thought' and her first novel Under the net was accepted for publication. She went on to write many books including The Bell, 1958, which achieved great commercial success and The Red and the Green, 1965, concerning the Easter rising, reflecting her Irish background. Murdoch was appointed DBE in 1987 and presented with an honorary degree from Kingston University in 1993. In 1997 Murdoch was diagnosed as suffering with Alzheimer's disease and died in Oxford on 8 February 1999.
Publications include: Existentialists and Mystics: Writings on Literature and Philosophy, 1997; A Fairly Honourable Defeat, 1970 and Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals, 1992.
Barbara Dorf studied at the Slade School of Art. She has exhibited in a large number of prominent London galleries and mixed shows, and in Paris and Belgrade. She is also a lecturer and an art historian. Her paintings were much admired by EH Gombrich and Iris Murdoch.
Brian Smith was a mathematics teacher with a passion for the arts. Originally from Australia, he moved to the UK in the early 1950s and work for a short time as a dresser for the theatre before becoming a teacher. Brian regularly visited the theatre and kept the programmes for all the plays, concerts, ballets and events he attended.
Cary Ellison was originally named Ellison Bayles, however he started using his stage name on the advice of his agent, shortly after starting his career as an actor in 1939. He spent many years touring in theatrical productions, and on one such tour met actress Olive Milbourne who he married in 1944. Eventually Ellison decided to move on from acting, and after trying a number of different jobs, he joined the staff of Spotlight in 1953. Spotlight is a major casting directory. When Ellison joined in 1953 he was given the task of improving the number of subscribers- within a few years the directory had more than doubled in size and new actors and actresses were added to its pages every year. As part of his work Ellison would tour the repertory theatre companies twice a year, making notes on the cast, director and play, to help match the actors and actresses with suitable parts, and to spot future theatre stars. Actors he spotted early on include Derek Jacobi, Richard Briers, Judi Dench, Patricia Routledge and Leonard Rossiter. He would also make notes on the performances of such well known actors as Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Vivien Leigh when at the peak of their fame. His influence was not only confined to Spotlight, he also held an advisory service for performers looking to improve their career prospects, and founded ‘12’- an association of those interested in supporting the future of the acting industry. He retired from Spotlight in 1980, at which time many of those whose careers he had helped shape held a tribute concert in his honour. Even after his retirement Ellison continued to advise up and coming actors at Guildford School of Drama. He died in 2002.
Kingston Polytechnic was formed in 1970 from the merger of Kingston College of Technology and Kingston College of Art. Gipsy Hill Teacher Training College then became part of the Polytechnic in 1975. In 1992 the Polytechnic was given university status to form Kingston University.
Rams Rugby Football Club was the student rugby club of Kingston Polytechnic.
John Shepherd was a student at Kingston Polytechnic and a member of the Rams Rugby Football Club from 1979-1982.
Wendy Perriam is the author of several novels, often associated with suburban life. Her work includes Sin City, Absinthe for Elevenses and Broken Places. She has also published several collections of short stories and had these, poetry and other works published in magazines. After studying at a convent school Perriam studied at Oxford and Kingston School of Art before becoming a full-time author. She also teaches creative writing.
The Stephen Sondheim Society was established in 1993 to promote the works of the musical theatre composer and lyricist in the UK and elsewhere, and to build an appreciation and interest in them. The Society has a number of patrons connected to the world of musical theatre, including Sondheim himself. Their work includes running a website and forums dedicated to Sondheim, sharing news of performances of Sondheim’s shows and arranging trips to see them, and publishing a magazine on Sondheim’s work. They also run an annual competition for student performers, the Stephen Sondheim Society Performer of the Year awards (or SSSPOTY), as well as organising other events such as an annual garden party. As part of their aim to educate others on the work of Sondheim, the Society has built up an archival collection relating to him and his work. The core of the Collection was formed by antiquarian bookseller Peter Wood which was then passed to the Society, and it has since continued to be added to. The Archive will continue to grow as more items are collected.
Battersea College of Education was established in the department of 'Women's Studies' at Battersea Polytechnic Institute as the Training School of Domestic Economy. A special grant had been given to the Polytechnic by the London County Council to open a teacher training school in domestic economy, and the first eleven full time students started their course in 1894. The department was recognised by the Board of Education as a teachers' training school in 1895. The department flourished, and in 1903 a new block was opened to provide improved accommodation. In January 1911 the first hall of residence was opened, with further halls provided in 1914.
After the Second World War the premises of Manor House School on Clapham Common Northside were purchased by London County Council for the Department. In 1948 London County Council took over the management of the department from Battersea Polytechnic and it was re-designated Battersea College of Domestic Science. A programme of building was undertaken, including a new science block which opened in 1953, and further new buildings opened in 1960. The College acquired a new site, Manresa House in Roehampton, in 1963, which became the Battersea Training College for Primary Teachers, providing courses for mature students. The College had also become a constituent college of the University of London Institute of Education, with courses leading to a Teachers' Certificate with special reference to domestic subjects and Department of Education and Science recognition of Qualified Teacher Status. In 1965 responsibility for the college was transferred from the London County Council to the newly established Inner London Education Authority and the College became known as the Battersea College of Education.
In 1976 it was proposed that Battersea should merge with the Polytechnic of the South Bank. Manresa House was closed in 1979, and primary education students were transferred to Rachel McMillan College. Home Economics students remained at Manor House which became part of the Polytechnic of the South Bank. The teacher training certificate was phased out in 1979, and in 1981/1982 the students transferred to the Polytechnic campus.
City of Westminster College has its origins in an evening institute established in the First World War providing lip-reading classes for deafened servicemen in the vestry of St George's Church in Hanover Square, Westminster. The institute, which became known as St George's Institute, only ran evening classes and moved to a number of different sites, successively St George's Row School, Ebury Bridge and Dean Farrar Street. A further move was made to the Burdett Cookery School, with some classes held in the Townsend Foundation School, Rochester Row. The institute grew rapidly during the 1930s, becoming one of the largest commercial institutes in London, with classrooms and chemistry laboratories in Westminster City College. In 1936 an arrangement with Westminster Training College was made enabling the institute to provide more student hours than any comparable institute in London and replacing the link with Westminster City College. The institute moved again to the Millbank School, Erasmus Street. In 1939 two social studies courses were introduced, whilst languages and commercial, administrative and social studies were all well established.
The Waterloo Road School site was taken over by the institute in 1951, shared with the Law Department of Kennington College. By 1959 there were 41 full-time staff, more part-time lecturers and over 30 rooms used. Full-time courses were offered in 1959 in the institute's three departments of Civil Service, Commerce and University Entrance, with part-time and evening work. In 1954 the institute moved to Francis House, renting space from the Army and Navy Stores. Further space was rented from them in 1955, enabling matriculation work to be transferred from Regent Street Polytechnic. New departments of Science, Social Studies and Day Release work were created. Awards and courses were rationalised following the 1959 McMeeking report 'Further Education in Commerce', with the introduction of national certificates in business studies, and establishment of new departments of Economics and Arts and Science and Maths. By 1962 there were over 6000 students associated with the institute. In 1965 the work of the Arts Department was transferred to the West London College of Commerce.
In 1959 the institute was renamed City of Westminster College. In the early 1960s the first courses in Hospital Administration were organised, and part of the college moved in 1966 to Blackfriars Road where housing laboratories and the Social Studies Department were accommodated (later to become part of Southwark College). In the mid 1960s new departments of Professional Studies, later renamed Accountancy and Finance, and Business Studies were established. The publication of the White Paper 'A Plan for Polytechnics and Other Colleges', published in 1966, had announced the creation of some 30 polytechnics throughout the country to form what became called the public sector of the binary system of higher education. The 13 existing colleges managed by ILEA were to be reorganised into five. City of Westminster College joined with Borough Polytechnic, the Brixton School of Building, and the National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering to become the Polytechnic of the South Bank in 1970.
In December 1945 the Education Board for the Heating and Ventilating Industry set up a committee to look into the possibility of establishing a National School for the Heating and Ventilating Industries. This was in response to the Percy Report which recommended that National Schools associated with certain industries should be established. In 1946, with the agreement of the National Association of Heating, Ventilating and Domestic Engineering Employers, discussions were opened with the Ministry of Education on the establishment of a National School. These proposals were well received and in January 1947 a memorandum, drawn up by the Ministry on National Colleges and financial arrangements, were discussed by the Ministry and the Board. It was agreed that Industry should pay £50 per student per session with a guaranteed minimum of £1000 per year. The National Association also agreed to this and in April 1947 it was decided that a National College for Heating and Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering be formed within the Borough Polytechnic. The agreement of the London County Council was secured in November 1947 and the first meeting of the Board of Governors of the newly established National College for Heating, Ventilating, Refrigeration and Fan Engineering was held on 20 January 1948 at the Borough Polytechnic.
The first Chair of Governors was Hubert Secretan and there were representatives from the three industries on the Board of Governors. There were high hopes for the new College and the third annual report of the Education Board for the Heating and Ventilating Industry hoped 'it will be the centre for the highest grade of technological training for the industry and will be in close contact with the most up-to-date development and research' (NC/7/2/3). The College existed to meet the needs of the industries and had two principal aims: to provide a high standard of technological training and to undertake research.
In its first session, commencing in September 1948, the College offered full-time Diploma courses in the three industries: Heating and Ventilating Engineering, Refrigeration Engineering and Fan Engineering. The College also offered part-time day or evening refresher courses for those employed in industry. Courses led to diplomas after full-time study for two terms, and later one year, or an Associateship of the National College with post graduate or post HND entry.
The College was, from its inception, closely linked with the Borough Polytechnic. Its premises were located within the grounds of the Borough Polytechnic Annexe and the College used the facilities of the Polytechnic for teaching ancillary subjects. Before the National College was established the Polytechnic had become the principal college in heating and ventilating engineering in London. A lecturer in heating and ventilating engineering had been appointed in 1917 for evening courses and after World War 1 part-time day classes were introduced. At first, the college was heavily dependent on service teaching from other departments of Borough Polytechnic, especially mechanical engineering, mathematics and humanities, but began to widen its work by undertaking research.
The College was given a logo of a shield divided into four, representing the three industries and the Borough Polytechnic. It also had a motto, 'e tribus unum', meaning 'one from three'.
In the 1950s the accommodation within the Borough Polytechnic was too small to allow the continued expansion of student numbers and to undertake research. The Ministry of Education agreed to cover the costs of the building and industry donated money to purchase new equipment. The new building on Southwark Bridge Road (now the Faraday Wing) was opened to students in September 1960.
By the 1960s government policy had moved away from National Colleges which taught a limited syllabus. The Ministry of Education preferred Technical Education Institutions to provide a broader education than covered by the National Colleges and in 1964 it began discussions with the National College on its future. It was proposed that the National College become a department of the Borough Polytechnic.
In September 1970 the National College amalgamated with the Borough Polytechnic, Brixton School of Building and City of Westminster College to become the Polytechnic of the South Bank. In effect, the National College became the Polytechnic's Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology.
South West London College was founded in 1966 from the amalgamation of other educational institutions. The College specialised in degrees and diplomas in accountancy, business and management studies, with the first full time course offered in 1967. The College was designated a Higher Education Centre under the Education Reform Act 1988 but was dissolved by the Secretary of State for Education in 1991. The College's Students were dispersed to a number of colleges: South Bank Polytechnic, Thames Polytechnic, City of London Polytechnic, Kingston Polytechnic, Polytechnic of Central London and the Polytechnic of North London. Staff were combined with those at South Bank Polytechnic and Thames Polytechnic.
Avery Hill College was established in 1906 by the London County Council as a residential female teacher training college. The mansion at Avery Hill, Eltham had been purchased by London County Council in 1902. It had previously been the home of Colonel John Thomas North and his family, who had spent up to �200,000 on renovating and adding to the property to create a large Italianate mansion. On his death in 1896 his widow sold the property, which was eventually bought by London County Council for �25,000. The College opened in 1906 with 45 resident and 115 day students. Most of the students were between 18 and 21 and came from London, and had already worked as pupil-teachers. The syllabus included nature study, drawing, music and the theory of education as well as the more usual academic subjects. Science was not taught until the 1930s as so few of the girls had been taught the subject at school. Games included tennis, hockey, cricket and netball, and student societies were established to organise social events and activities. By 1908 the College had purchased nearby Southwood House and a school building in Deansfield Road which were converted to hostels. Numbers of applicants to the College continued to rise, and four new halls of residence were built in the grounds of Southwood House, the last opening in 1916. During the First World War Roper Hall became a convalescent home for soldiers, but the College remained open.
In 1928 Avery Hill was attached to the University of London to conduct examinations for Teacher's Certificates, along with all teacher training colleges. In 1935 a range of improvements were made to the College's facilities, when the halls of residence were updated and mains electricity introduced. The Principal, Freda Hawtrey, introduced training for nursery school work as an important feature of Avery Hill courses after 1935.
During the Second World War Avery Hill was evacuated to Huddersfield Technical College. The College returned to Eltham in 1946, although all the buildings had suffered war damage, including most of the original mansion. Three large houses in Chislehurst were purchased in 1947 and converted into hostels, easing the problem of student accommodation.
After the war the College continued to attract rising numbers of students, with up to a third coming from the north of England by the late 1940s. Students continued to take a two year course leading to a Teacher's Certificate validated by the University of London. In 1959 Avery Hill took on male students, but inadequate accommodation meant that they boarded at the former Methodist training college in Westminster. The College also established an annexe at Mile End for mature students in 1968. In 1960 a third year was added to the teacher training course, according to the Ministry of Education's requirements. From the 1960s the future of Avery Hill as an independent college was under close consideration by the Inner London Education Authority as well as the college itself. After several years of resisting plans for mergers and retaining its independence Avery Hill merged with Thames Polytechnic in 1985, when Avery Hill became the Polytechnic's Faculty of Education and Community Studies.
E Myra Kellaway attended Avery Hill College, a London County Council teacher training college for women in Eltham, from 1935 to 1937. Her father owned a photographic business in Sidcup, Kent.
Keyes was born in Dartford in 1922, the son of an army officer. He was brought up largely by his grandfather and was educated at Dartford Grammar School, Tonbridge School and at Oxford University. He began to write poetry whilst at school, and at Oxford became friendly with the poet John Heath-Stubbs. He joined the army in 1942 as a lieutenant in the West Kent Regiment. He was killed in action in Tunisia during a raid on 19th April 1943. He was awarded the Hawthornden Prize posthumously in 1944.
Publications: Co-editor with Michael Meyer, Eight Oxford Poets (1941), which contains some of his own work; The Iron Laurel (1942); The Cruel Solstice (1943); Collected Poems (1945) with a Memoir by Michael Meyer.
Ethel Marshall attended Avery Hill College, a London County Council teacher training college for women in Eltham, from 1909 to 1911.
Martina Bergman Osterberg was a Swedish woman and an early supporter of women's suffrage in Sweden. She trained at the Royal Central Gymnastic Institute in Stockholm, and was appointed Superintendant of Physical Education in Girls' and Infants' Schools by the London School Board in 1881. She founded a college for girls in Hampstead in 1885, known as the Hampstead College of Physical Training. Teacher training was the central activity of the College, following the scientific method of the Swedish teacher Per Henrik Ling. The students were taught anatomy, physiology, hygiene, massage and remedial exercises. Corsets, which most women regarded as an essential garment, were not worn by the students and gym tunics were designed for the College in 1892. The design was adopted by most other schools in the country and became standard school uniform. Games and sports became a principal activity of the College, with students taking part in swimming, tennis and fives from the opening, and soon after fencing and cricket.
In 1895 Madame Osterberg transferred her college and the 27 students to Kingsfield, a large country house near Dartford. Activities continued much as before, with the addition of a track which was used for running, marching and cycling. Basketball was adapted at the College for soft surfaces, and given the name netball. By 1904 lacrosse was also introduced. On her death in 1915 the trustees and Committee of Management continued to run the College much as Madame Osterberg herself had done so.
In 1919 a third year was added to the College course, allowing students to specialise in specific subjects. In 1936 Dartford began an association with the University of London with students able to work for the University's Diploma in Theory and Practice of Physical Education. Increasing numbers of students led the college to expand, opening Oakfield Hall and hostel and acquiring 28 acres of land for more playing fields. During the Second World War the College was evacuated to Cornwall, and at the same time became Dartford College of Physical Education. The College became grant-aided, and in 1960 was transferred to the management of London County Council (LCC), when the Committee of Management was replaced by a Governing Body. In 1968 the LCC began plans to increase student numbers from 165 to 750. A three year course was also introduced to train teachers for general teaching in primary and middle schools, but the College continued its emphasis on games playing and training physical education teachers.
Dartford College amalgamated with Thames Polytechnic in 1976. By 1979 the PE course for women teachers of sports and gymnastics was closed, and by 1986 teacher training at Dartford had ceased. Thames Polytechnic had located the Faculties of the Built Environment and of Education and Movement Studies at Dartford by 1985.
Thames Polytechnic was designated in 1970 following the merger of Hammersmith Departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Surveying with Woolwich Polytechnic in 1969. Other mergers followed, Dartford College of Education in 1976, Avery Hill College of Education 1985 and Garnet College in 1987. In 1988 science teaching was transferred from Goldsmiths' (McMillan Building, Deptford) and from City Polytechnic to Thames Polytechnic to become the School of Earth Sciences. South West London College, Wandsworth was dissolved in 1991 and many staff and students transferred to Thames Polytechnic.
In 1992 Thames Polytechnic was redesignated as the University of Greenwich following the Higher and Further Education Act (1992), which created a single funding council, the Higher Education Funding Council, for England and abolished the remaining distinctions between polytechnics and universities. The transformation of the polytechnic into a university gave access to a wider range of research funding, both from government and industry. As a result the number of research projects at the university quickly rose, from 41 in 1992 to over 300 in 1995, reflecting the increase of external income from �2.5 million to over �6 million in 1995 and subsequent increase in postgraduate students. The new university had seven campuses and over 14,000 students, and various plans to reorganise the university's structure and geographical spread were considered. In 1993 the first stage of the new student village at Avery Hill was opened, and in 1994 Woolwich public swimming baths were acquired as a new Students' Union headquarters.
Discussions began in 1992 on a merger with the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) based at Chatham. A settlement was reached with the NRI in 1996 and 360 NRI staff joined the University, and a campus for the School of Earth Science and School of Engineering was established at Chatham.
After a successful partnership with West Kent College at Tonbridge during the 1990s, Greenwich established partnerships with a further seven colleges in south-east London, Kent and Essex as Associated Colleges. The university and college worked closely together to develop courses and students from the colleges were able to transfer to Greenwich at the end of their courses. Looser arrangements were also put in place with several 'linked' colleges, with the development of joint courses such as the MSc course in osteopathy developed with the European School of Osteopathy, Maidstone.
In 1995 a long leasehold was secured by the University of the Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital and Devonport Nurses Home at Greenwich and the University made a bid for the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The Government accepted the University's proposals for the Royal Naval College as the preferred option and between 1998 and 2001 the University relocated five schools to make the Maritime Greenwich Campus the principal centre of the University.
In 2002 the University decided to consolidate on three campuses, Greenwich, Avery Hill and Medway and the Dartford and Woolwich campuses were closed, although Woolwich continues as an administrative centre for the University.
Woolwich Polytechnic founded a number of day schools and junior technical schools, partly in response to the fact that much of its premises was left empty during the day as much of the teaching and activities took place in the evenings. In 1895 a School of Domestic Economy for Girls was opened with a class of 45. The School closed in 1920 as the number of girls declined. In September 1897 a day school for boys was opened, Woolwich Polytechnic Boys Secondary School. It was the first secondary school in Woolwich, and started with 72 boys, rising to 102 by 1897. In September 1899 girls were admitted to the Woolwich Polytechnic Girls Secondary School and a mistress and a headmaster, T F Bowers, were appointed. At first the school was divided into two sections, technical and commercial, but the commercial side proved more popular and the Governors planned to expand this. The school was registered as a Science School so it would qualify for the Technical Education Board's grants. These two schools operated as Woolwich Polytechnic Day Secondary School Department, with one Headmaster assisted by a Senior Master and Senior Mistress. The headmaster was still responsible to the Principal of Woolwich Polytechnic, but had considerable powers, including the right to dismiss students. In 1912 the girls moved out to their own school in Plumstead, which became known as the County School, Plumstead, and subsequently Kings Warren and then Plumstead Manor School. The Boys School moved to a new building in 1928 as the Shooters Hill County Secondary School. A third secondary school, the Junior Art School, was also established in the 1920s, and transferred to London County Council in 1956.
Two technical schools were established in 1906 for 15-19 year olds to train apprentices, one of science and engineering (closed in 1908), and one of commerce. In 1913 the Commercial School stopped admitting boys, and in 1918 the school closed as the numbers of girls applying dropped. A trade school in dressmaking was also established, with 50 girls starting initially. From 1904 'trade lads' from the Arsenal were sent to the Polytechnic for an afternoon a week, as well as evenings. The scheme was the first 'day release' system in the country. A daytime Engineering Trade School, Woolwich Polytechnic Junior Technical School for Boys, was established in 1912 to train boys for jobs at engineering works. The School became the responsibility of London County Council in 1956, as Woolwich Polytechnic Boys School. Woolwich Polytechnic Junior Technical School for Girls opened in April 1906 and became part of Kidbrooke Comprehensive in 1954.
The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) was founded by Henry W Featherstone (1894-1967) of Birmingham (President of the Section of Anaesthetics of the Royal Society of Medicine, 1930-1931), who became its first President at the inaugural meeting at the premises of the Medical Society of London in 1932. It was founded at a period when specialist training in anaesthesia was virtually non-existent. One of the Association's objectives was to promote progress and safety in the practice of anaesthesia by improving the expertise, training and status of anaesthetists, so ensuring the safety and comfort of patients in the operating theatre. It now represents anaesthetists in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and some overseas members, but although it is often consulted by government bodies it has no direct statutory powers. The maintenance of academic standards is the responsibility of the Royal College of Anaesthetists. At the time of its foundation the Association was the only representative organisation, and it played an important role in developments including the introduction of the first specialist qualification, the Diploma in Anaesthetics (DA) in 1935, and the expansion of the specialty during World War Two (1939-1945). Publication of its journal Anaesthesia began in 1946. It played a part in the founding of the Faculty of Anaesthesia of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1947), which later became the Royal College of Anaesthetists. It was involved in negotiations about the status of the specialty preceding the inception of the National Health Service (1948); in the founding of the Faculty of Anaesthetists of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (1959); and establishment of the Junior Anaesthetists' Group in 1967 (renamed the Group of Anaesthetists in Training in 1991). The Association holds scientific meetings and provides a forum for clinical and academic discussion; promotes and undertakes research; and promulgates its political views both independently and through the British Medical Association. In addition to the journal Anaesthesia it produces the newsletter Anaesthesia News. The Association was granted the right to bear arms by King George VI in 1945. The Association moved from its offices in the British Medical Association House, Tavistock Square, to new headquarters at no 9 Bedford Square, London, which was acquired in 1985 and opened in 1987. In 2002 its members numbered over 8,000.
Oxford Brookes University was initially commissioned jointly by the Association and the Royal College of Anaesthetists to videotape a series of interviews with eminent anaesthetists. Oxford Brookes continues to make the series commissioned by the Association on its own behalf.
Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery, 1942; MA, Oxford, 1943; Doctor of Medicine, 1955; Lecturer in Anaesthetics at the University of Oxford. Publications: with Gordon Ostlere, Anaesthetics for medical students (1976 and subsequent editions); edited, with J Alfred Lee, Practical regional analgesia (1976).
The History of Anaesthesia Society was founded in 1986. Its purpose is to promote the study of the history of anaesthesia and related disciplines and to provide a forum for discussion. It holds meetings in the summer and autumn and sometimes meetings with other organisations. It publishes its Proceedings and other works on the history of anaesthesia, and funds conservation projects such as the restoration of graves of eminent anaesthetists. For further information see its website: http://www.histansoc.org.uk
Intensive care developed rapidly in the 1960s and an increasing number of hospitals established units to care for patients requiring more detailed observation and treatment than in standard wards, with a high ratio of medical staff to patients. Anaesthetists emerged as the dominant specialty among consultants in charge of intensive care units (ICUs) in the UK, given their skills in the care of acutely ill patients, in life support and patient comfort, and in caring for other physicians' patients. The Intensive Care Society was founded in 1970 on the initiative of Alan Gilston, Consultative Anaesthetist to the National Heart Hospital, London, having a multi-disciplinary membership. The Intensive Care Society is an organisation of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom, membership of which is open to those with an interest in Intensive Care Medicine. There were over 2,000 members in 2002, largely but not exclusively anaesthetists. Through its Council (which meets six times a year) the Society provides advice to the Department of Health and NHS Executive on aspects of intensive care and to the Royal Colleges on provision of intensive care, staffing and training. Its educational activities include organising national and local meetings. It also produces guidelines on relevant topics and other publications including its Journal.
MB, BS, London, 1972; Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England; Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London, 1971; Fellow of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1976; Consultant Anaesthetist, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London; Honorary Treasurer of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland; formerly curator of the A Charles King Collection of Historical Anaesthetic Apparatus at the Association of Anaesthetists. Publications: 'A Charles King: a unique contribution to anaesthesia', Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, lxxx (Aug 1987), pp 510-14; edited, with A Marshall Barr and Thomas B Boulton, Essays on the history of anaesthesia (Royal Society of Medicine Press, 1996).
A Charles King (1888-1965) was an engineer and instrument maker who specialised in anaesthetic apparatus from the early 1920s, a period of technical development in the specialty. Following a series of financial problems King's company was taken over by Coxeter's, which subsequently became part of the British Oxygen Company (BOC). King worked with leading anaesthetists in developing instruments and amassed a collection of equipment, which he donated to the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland in 1953 and which has subsequently been augmented by further acquisitions. The artefacts date from 1774 to the 1990s. The collection was moved from King's premises in Devonshire Street to the Royal College of Surgeons in 1965 and to the new premises of the Association of Anaesthetists at no 9 Bedford Square in 1987. For further information see editorial on King in the British Journal of Anaesthesia, xxv, no 2 (Apr 1953); 'The A Charles King Collection of early anaesthetic apparatus', Anaesthesia, vol xxv, no 4 (Oct 1970).
Charles William Krohne was born in Prussia in 1823. He founded a business making surgical equipment in Blackfriars, London, at an unknown date. He was joined by his half-brother Henry Frederick Sesemann in 1860, when the partnership Krohne and Sesemann was formed. Krohne became a naturalised British subject in 1871. The business's premises were close to the London Hospital in Whitechapel, with which business was conducted. Further premises were opened in the West End of London, probably at the suggestion of Harley Street specialists who were consultants to the London Hospital. The West End premises became the head office and factory, although the workshops and fitting rooms were maintained at Whitechapel to serve patients at the London Hospital. The West End premises, at Duke Street, were rebuilt c1908, but later demolished by a bomb. Both partners were interested in anaesthetics: Krohne invented an inhaler for chloroform, and Sesemann invented the double spray bellows and other apparatus. Both administered chloroform to patients of Harley Street doctors. The business also acted as distributor for oxygen for medical purposes for the Brin's Oxygen Co (later the British Oxygen Co Ltd), supplying cylinders all over the country. In the 1890s Krohne wrote articles and letters concerning deaths under anaesthetics in the medical press under the nom-de-plume 'Pro Bono Publico'. Details of deaths under anaesthesia reported in the press in 1903-1904 were passed to him by a Fleet Street press association. Krohne died in 1904. The business was succeeded by Alfred Cox (Surgical) Ltd (later Cox Surgical).
Born in Liverpool, 1906; educated at Taunton School, Somerset; studied at the University of Durham College of Medicine in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; qualified as a doctor, 1927; Resident Medical Officer at the Princess Mary Maternity Hospital and subsequently at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle; purchased a share of a partnership in Southend-on-Sea; appointed general practitioner anaesthetist at Southend Victoria Hospital, 1931; appointed general practitioner anaesthetist at Southend General Hospital, 1932; became a whole-time anaesthetist in the Emergency Medical Service during World War Two (1939-1945), serving for five years at Runwell Emergency Hospital, Essex; Consultant Anaesthetist at Southend General Hospital, 1947; began at Southend the first Anaesthetic Outpatient Department in any British hospital, 1948; organised the first postoperative observation ward (recovery ward) in any British general hospital, 1955; President of the Royal Society of Medicine Section of Anaesthetics, 1959; Joseph Clover Lecturer of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, 1960; Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, 1970; Assistant Editor of the journal Anaesthesia, and Chairman of its Editorial Board, 1970-1972; retired from his NHS post at Southend, 1971; continued to teach in Britain, Holland and Baghdad after his retirement; Clinical Tutor at Southend, 1972-1976; elected President of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, 1972-1973; Honorary Member of the Association of Anaesthetists; received the Royal Society of Medicine Henry Hill Hickman Medal, 1976; Medallist of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, 1976; received the Carl Koller Gold Medal of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia, 1984; delivered the Gaston Labat Lecture, American Society of Regional Anaesthesia, 1985; delivered the Stanley Rowbotham Lecture, Royal Free Hospital, London, 1985; delivered the T H Seldon Lecture, International Anesthesia Research Society, 1986; died, 1989. J Alfred Lee edited A Synopsis of Anaesthesia, a reference work on the history and techniques of anaesthesia, anaesthetic drugs, and professional practice, from its first edition (published by John Wright & Sons, Bristol, 1947) through subsequent editions (2nd edition, 1950; 3rd edition, 1953; 4th edition, 1959), jointly edited with R S Atkinson (5th edition, 1964; 6th edition, 1968; 7th edition, 1973); as contributing editor, with Atkinson and G B Rusham (8th edition, 1977; 9th edition, 1982; 10th edition, 1987). Subsequent editions were published after his death as Lee's Synopsis of Anaesthesia (11th edition, 1993; 12th edition, 1999). Other publications: with Sir Robert Reynolds Macintosh, Lumbar puncture and spinal analgesia: intradural and extradural (3rd edition, 1973, and subsequent editions); with C L Hewer, Recent Advances in Anaesthesia and Analgesia (8th edition, 1957); as editor, with Roger Bryce-Smith, Practical regional analgesia (1976); with Malcolm Jefferies, The hospitals of Southend (1986).
MB, BS, London, 1972; Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England; Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London, 1971; Fellow of the Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1976; Consultant Anaesthetist, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London; Honorary Treasurer of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland; formerly curator of the A Charles King Collection of Historical Anaesthetic Apparatus at the Association of Anaesthetists. Publications: 'A Charles King: a unique contribution to anaesthesia', Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, lxxx (Aug 1987), pp 510-14; edited, with A Marshall Barr and Thomas B Boulton, Essays on the history of anaesthesia (Royal Society of Medicine Press, 1996).