Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1920-1931 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
4 folders
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
William Blair-Bell (1871-1936) was co-founder (with William Fletcher Shaw) of the College and its first President. The second son of William and Helen Bell, he was born in Wallasey in 1871 and educated at Rossall School, King's College London and King's College Hospital. In 1905 he left general practice in Wallasey and was appointed to the post of Assistant Consultant Gynaecologist to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary. In 1918 he became senior surgeon and in 1921 was appointed to the Chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Liverpool University, a position he held until 1931. In 1929 he married his cousin, Florence.
Blair-Bell was President of the Obstetric Section of the Royal Society of Medicine and of the North of England Gynaecological Society and the Liverpool Medical Institution. In 1911 he founded the Gynaecological Visiting Society (GVS). He was co-founder of the College in 1929 and presented the College with its first headquarters at 58 Queen Anne Street. He established the money for the William Blair-Bell memorial lectures and for other research projects. He was President of the College from its inception until 1935, the year before his death.
Archival history
Five photocopies of documents relating to William Blair-Bell's private practice and to his personal dress etc (see S14/1) were deposited by Stanley Shoop, a collector of medical ephemera, in 1989. He later offered his entire collection of Blair-Bell papers to the College. The collection filled two 4" boxes and consisted mainly of bills and receipts purchased at auction. It does not appear to have included any personal correspondence, research, or clinical notes, and the College declined to purchase it. Mr Shoop made further deposits of papers, mostly correspondence, in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1997.
GB 1538 S14 1920-1931 Collection (fonds) 4 folders Bell , William Blair- , 1871-1936 , President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
William Blair-Bell (1871-1936) was co-founder (with William Fletcher Shaw) of the College and its first President. The second son of William and Helen Bell, he was born in Wallasey in 1871 and educated at Rossall School, King's College London and King's College Hospital. In 1905 he left general practice in Wallasey and was appointed to the post of Assistant Consultant Gynaecologist to the Liverpool Royal Infirmary. In 1918 he became senior surgeon and in 1921 was appointed to the Chair of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Liverpool University, a position he held until 1931. In 1929 he married his cousin, Florence.
Blair-Bell was President of the Obstetric Section of the Royal Society of Medicine and of the North of England Gynaecological Society and the Liverpool Medical Institution. In 1911 he founded the Gynaecological Visiting Society (GVS). He was co-founder of the College in 1929 and presented the College with its first headquarters at 58 Queen Anne Street. He established the money for the William Blair-Bell memorial lectures and for other research projects. He was President of the College from its inception until 1935, the year before his death.
Five photocopies of documents relating to William Blair-Bell's private practice and to his personal dress etc (see S14/1) were deposited by Stanley Shoop, a collector of medical ephemera, in 1989. He later offered his entire collection of Blair-Bell papers to the College. The collection filled two 4" boxes and consisted mainly of bills and receipts purchased at auction. It does not appear to have included any personal correspondence, research, or clinical notes, and the College declined to purchase it. Mr Shoop made further deposits of papers, mostly correspondence, in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1997.
Personal correspondence of William Blair-Bell, 1920-1931, including 5 photocopies of documents relating to William Blair-Bell's private practice and to his personal dress etc, 1923-1928; page of a letter sent to Blair-Bell by a firm of monumental masons relating to the churchyard memorial to his mother and brother, 1931; copy letter of Blair-Bell to the Secretary of the Royal Automobile Club complaining of treatment he had received at a hotel recommended by the RAC; letter of thanks to Blair-Bell from Dorothy Leith. Murray, wife of Herbert Leith Murray, FRCOG, and Blair-Bell's successor as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Liverpool University; photocopy of a letter of congratulations from J M Munro Kerr to Blair-Bell, almost certainly on the latter's appointment as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Liverpool University; photocopies of two letters to Blair-Bell from solicitors and insurers relating to a verdict of negligence against Blair-Bell in a motor accident; letter of thanks to Blair-Bell for a donation to a fund for the medical care of an individual; two letters regarding references for chauffeurs, 1924; letter from an antiquarian bookdealer, 1921; copy letter to a travel agent, 1925; letter from Sir Ewen J Maclean thanking him for a testimonial; 1921; letter relating to rental of shooting rights, 1924; correspondence with American Hospital suppliers, 1926.
No further accruals are expected.
Open.
Copyright: vested in the estate of William Blair-Bell. Copyright expires in 2007.
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.
RCOG Archives holds other collections of Blair-Bell papers (Refs: S1, S10 and S18); Blair-Bell's papers as College President (Ref: A4/1); his history of the College (Ref: S33); photographs of Blair-Bell (Refs: PH1/1, PH7/4, PH7/9, PH7/13/1-2, PH7/16/5, PH7/18/1, PH7/18/15 and PH7/19/2).
Sources: Biographical details of the individuals who have presented material to the College and/or comprise the subject of the records, have been compiled using information in administrative files and, where relevant, consulting Sir John Peel's book The Lives of the Fellows of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 1929-1969, Whitefriars Press Ltd, 1975. Compiled by Clare Cowling, Archivist, RCOG. National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997; ISAD(G), Second Edition, 2000. September 2000 Obstetrics Physicians Medical profession Medical personnel Surgeons Gynaecology Vehicles Transport Motor vehicles Medical sciences Surgery People People by occupation Personnel Bell , William , Blair- , 1871-1936 , gynaecologist and obstetrician x Blair-Bell , William Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists x British College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Personal correspondence of William Blair-Bell, 1920-1931, including 5 photocopies of documents relating to William Blair-Bell's private practice and to his personal dress etc, 1923-1928; page of a letter sent to Blair-Bell by a firm of monumental masons relating to the churchyard memorial to his mother and brother, 1931; copy letter of Blair-Bell to the Secretary of the Royal Automobile Club complaining of treatment he had received at a hotel recommended by the RAC; letter of thanks to Blair-Bell from Dorothy Leith. Murray, wife of Herbert Leith Murray, FRCOG, and Blair-Bell's successor as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Liverpool University; photocopy of a letter of congratulations from J M Munro Kerr to Blair-Bell, almost certainly on the latter's appointment as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Liverpool University; photocopies of two letters to Blair-Bell from solicitors and insurers relating to a verdict of negligence against Blair-Bell in a motor accident; letter of thanks to Blair-Bell for a donation to a fund for the medical care of an individual; two letters regarding references for chauffeurs, 1924; letter from an antiquarian bookdealer, 1921; copy letter to a travel agent, 1925; letter from Sir Ewen J Maclean thanking him for a testimonial; 1921; letter relating to rental of shooting rights, 1924; correspondence with American Hospital suppliers, 1926.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: vested in the estate of William Blair-Bell. Copyright expires in 2007.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
RCOG Archives holds other collections of Blair-Bell papers (Refs: S1, S10 and S18); Blair-Bell's papers as College President (Ref: A4/1); his history of the College (Ref: S33); photographs of Blair-Bell (Refs: PH1/1, PH7/4, PH7/9, PH7/13/1-2, PH7/16/5, PH7/18/1, PH7/18/15 and PH7/19/2).
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
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
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