Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- c 1920-1974 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
26 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Carlos Paton Blacker (1895-1975), MC, GM, MA, MD, FRCP, was a psychiatrist, and served as Secretary of the Eugenics Society 1931-1961. Born, 1895; Educated at Eton; Officer in Coldstream Guards, decorated with MC, twice wounded, 1915-1919; Balliol College Oxford, 1919-1922; Medical training, Guy's Hospital, 1923; MA, BM, BCh, MRCP, 1927; Registrar, Department of Psychological Medicine, Guy's Hospital, 1927-1936; DM, 1931; General Secretary, Eugenics Society, 1931-1952; Joins staff of Maudsley Hospital, 1936-1960; Regimental Medical Officer to 2nd Battalion, 1940-1942; Seconded to Ministry of Health as Adviser on Population and Medico-Social Problems, 1944; Honorary Secretary, Eugenics Society, 1952-1961; Consultant to Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society, 1962-1972; died, 1975.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0120 PP/CPB c 1920-1974 Collection (fonds) 26 boxes Blacker , Carlos Paton , 1895-1975 , psychiatrist
Carlos Paton Blacker (1895-1975), MC, GM, MA, MD, FRCP, was a psychiatrist, and served as Secretary of the Eugenics Society 1931-1961. Born, 1895; Educated at Eton; Officer in Coldstream Guards, decorated with MC, twice wounded, 1915-1919; Balliol College Oxford, 1919-1922; Medical training, Guy's Hospital, 1923; MA, BM, BCh, MRCP, 1927; Registrar, Department of Psychological Medicine, Guy's Hospital, 1927-1936; DM, 1931; General Secretary, Eugenics Society, 1931-1952; Joins staff of Maudsley Hospital, 1936-1960; Regimental Medical Officer to 2nd Battalion, 1940-1942; Seconded to Ministry of Health as Adviser on Population and Medico-Social Problems, 1944; Honorary Secretary, Eugenics Society, 1952-1961; Consultant to Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society, 1962-1972; died, 1975.
This collection was received in two accessions. The first came in July 1996 along with several other collections transferred from the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, Oxford. The Unit received a group of C.P. Blacker's papers, largely relating to his activities with the Eugenics Society and allied organisations, in 1983, from his son, Dr John Blacker, through the auspices of Dr Joan Austoker, then a Fellow at the Unit. A number of significant gaps were identified in these papers during detailed sorting and listing, and Dr John Blacker was contacted, with the result that additional material still in family hands was given to the Library in August 1997.
Papers of Carlos Paton Blacker, 1920-1974, reflecting his long and active career in psychiatry (including as including as psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital and as an Adviser to the Ministry of Health), and his activities as Secretary to the Eugenics Society and with a number of organisations interested in population and birth control, including the Birth Control Investigation Committee, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the Simon Population Trust. There is also some material relating to his return to military duty in the Second World War as a Regimental Medical Officer. The collection also includes correspondence (both personal and professional), which sheds light on his interests in ornithology and nature conservation, and other writings both published and unpublished.
Some family and personal correspondence has been returned to the Blacker family, and duplicates have been disposed of.
The collection is divided into sections as follows:
A. Personal correspondence and memorabilia, 1920s-1960s [8 boxes]
B. Eugenics Society (including Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation, 1930s), 1929-1966 [3 boxes]
C. Birth Control Organisations, 1928-1934, 1955-1960 [2 boxes]
D. Mental Health and Psychiatry, 1929-1960s [3 boxes]
E. World War II: Military Service, 1940-1944 [1/2 box]
F. Other organisations, 1950s-1970s [11/2 boxes]
G. Simon Population Trust and Voluntary Sterilisation, 1960s-1970s [4 boxes]
H. Unpublished writings, 1928-1970 [11/2 boxes]
J. Published writings, 1922-1973 [2 boxes]
K. Reference materials, 1920s-1970s [1/2 box]
The majority of the papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Several files contain case notes and correspondence and are subject to closure periods:
A.8/1: closed until 1st January 2026.
D.9/1-4: closed until 1st January 2048.
D.13: closed until 1st January 2054.
Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
English
In the Wellcome Library:
Other relevant archive collections are the papers of the Eugenics Society, SA/EUG (available with the permission of the Galton Institute), the Family Planning Association (SA/FPA), and the papers of E.M. 'Max' Nicholson (GC/142), a colleague and friend of Blacker.
In other repositories:
Blacker's correspondence with Marie Stopes is among her papers in the Department of Manuscripts, British Library.
Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Jan 2009 Pharmaceutical preparations Psychology Therapy Therapeutics Complementary therapies Psychiatry Clinical psychology Psychoanalysis Health Health policy Genetics Heredity Eugenics Agricultural products Plant products Tobacco International conflicts War World War Two (1939-1945) Zoology Ornithology Chemicals Organic chemicals Alcohols Alcohol Medical sciences Military medicine Wars (events) World wars (events) Organizations International agencies Demography Family planning Euthanasia Right to life Civil and political rights Human rights Blacker , Carlos Paton , 1895-1975 , psychiatrist Simon Population Trust International Planned Parenthood Federation Birth Control Investigation Committee Eugenics Society Ministry of Health Maudsley Hospital East Asia Far East South Asia
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
This collection was received in two accessions. The first came in July 1996 along with several other collections transferred from the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, Oxford. The Unit received a group of C.P. Blacker's papers, largely relating to his activities with the Eugenics Society and allied organisations, in 1983, from his son, Dr John Blacker, through the auspices of Dr Joan Austoker, then a Fellow at the Unit. A number of significant gaps were identified in these papers during detailed sorting and listing, and Dr John Blacker was contacted, with the result that additional material still in family hands was given to the Library in August 1997.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Carlos Paton Blacker, 1920-1974, reflecting his long and active career in psychiatry (including as including as psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital and as an Adviser to the Ministry of Health), and his activities as Secretary to the Eugenics Society and with a number of organisations interested in population and birth control, including the Birth Control Investigation Committee, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and the Simon Population Trust. There is also some material relating to his return to military duty in the Second World War as a Regimental Medical Officer. The collection also includes correspondence (both personal and professional), which sheds light on his interests in ornithology and nature conservation, and other writings both published and unpublished.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Some family and personal correspondence has been returned to the Blacker family, and duplicates have been disposed of.
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection is divided into sections as follows:
A. Personal correspondence and memorabilia, 1920s-1960s [8 boxes]
B. Eugenics Society (including Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation, 1930s), 1929-1966 [3 boxes]
C. Birth Control Organisations, 1928-1934, 1955-1960 [2 boxes]
D. Mental Health and Psychiatry, 1929-1960s [3 boxes]
E. World War II: Military Service, 1940-1944 [1/2 box]
F. Other organisations, 1950s-1970s [11/2 boxes]
G. Simon Population Trust and Voluntary Sterilisation, 1960s-1970s [4 boxes]
H. Unpublished writings, 1928-1970 [11/2 boxes]
J. Published writings, 1922-1973 [2 boxes]
K. Reference materials, 1920s-1970s [1/2 box]
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The majority of the papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Several files contain case notes and correspondence and are subject to closure periods:
A.8/1: closed until 1st January 2026.
D.9/1-4: closed until 1st January 2048.
D.13: closed until 1st January 2054.
Conditions governing reproduction
Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
In the Wellcome Library:
Other relevant archive collections are the papers of the Eugenics Society, SA/EUG (available with the permission of the Galton Institute), the Family Planning Association (SA/FPA), and the papers of E.M. 'Max' Nicholson (GC/142), a colleague and friend of Blacker.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
In other repositories:
Blacker's correspondence with Marie Stopes is among her papers in the Department of Manuscripts, British Library.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Psychology
- Therapy
- Psychiatry
- Psychiatry » Clinical psychology
- Psychiatry » Clinical psychology » Psychoanalysis
- Health
- Health » Health policy
- Genetics
- Genetics » Heredity
- Genetics » Heredity » Eugenics
- Agricultural products
- Agricultural products » Plant products
- Agricultural products » Plant products » Tobacco
- International conflicts
- International conflicts » War
- Zoology
- Zoology » Ornithology
- Chemicals
- Medical sciences
- Organizations
- Demography
- Family planning
- Civil and political rights » Right to life » Euthanasia
- Civil and political rights » Right to life
- Civil and political rights
- Human rights
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English