Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1885-1987 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
5 boxes, 1 o/s folder
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Letitia Fairfield (eldest sister of the novelist Rebecca West) qualified in medicine in 1907. She had a distinguished career in public health, as Senior Medical Officer to the London County Council, 1911-1948, and as a medical officer during both world wars, in the Queen Mary's Auxiliary Army Corps and the RAF in World War I, and the RAMC in the Second World War, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Obituaries may be found in the British Medical Journal and the Lancet for 1978 and an Appreciation in Women in Medicine: the newsletter of the Medical Women's Federation no. 10, Apr 1978. Obituaries and memoirs of Dr Fairfield may be found in GC/193/A.19
Repository
Archival history
GB 0120 GC/193 1885-1987 Collection (fonds) 5 boxes, 1 o/s folder Fairfield , Josephine Letitia Denny , 1885-1978 , doctor x Fairfield , Letitia
Letitia Fairfield (eldest sister of the novelist Rebecca West) qualified in medicine in 1907. She had a distinguished career in public health, as Senior Medical Officer to the London County Council, 1911-1948, and as a medical officer during both world wars, in the Queen Mary's Auxiliary Army Corps and the RAF in World War I, and the RAMC in the Second World War, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Obituaries may be found in the British Medical Journal and the Lancet for 1978 and an Appreciation in Women in Medicine: the newsletter of the Medical Women's Federation no. 10, Apr 1978. Obituaries and memoirs of Dr Fairfield may be found in GC/193/A.19
This collection was received by the Wellcome Library as a gift from Dr Fairfield's niece, Mrs Alison Selford, between March 1996 and March 1997. An additional few files were received in November 1999 from the Imperial War Museum, comprising items amongst the Museum's Fairfield papers that were not relevant to her war work.
Papers of Dr. Letitia Fairfield, reflecting her interests in social hygiene, in mental health, in medico-legal matters and criminology, mother and child health and welfare, and as a Roman Catholic convert, as well as her broader political and feminist convictions. There is also some biographical material.
The collection is divided into sections as follows: A. Personal and family B. General correspondence C. Causes and campaigns D. Criminology and medico-legal matters E. Writings and broadcasts.
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
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:
There is some additional material concerning Dr Fairfield among the archives of the Medical Women's Federation (reference: SA/MWF), and some correspondence between her and C P Blacker among Blacker's papers (PP/CPB).
At other repositories:
Further papers of Dr Fairfield, predominantly concerning her service in both World Wars and related topics, are held at the Imperial War Museum (reference: JLDF). The list of these papers may be consulted on application to the Archives and Manuscripts department. Some files for 1911-1948 relating to her work as a Medical Officer for the London County Council may be found among the Public Health Department records now in the London Metropolitan Archives (reference LCC/PH/GEN/3/6-28). Her materials relating to sterilisation under the Third Reich can be found in the Wiener 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.
Feb 2009 Child welfare Child Health Hygiene Social welfare Maternal Welfare World War One (1914-1918) People People by occupation Personnel Human rights Civil and political rights Right to life Euthanasia Religions Ancient religions Christianity Catholicism Migrants Refugees Genetics Heredity Eugenics Medical sciences Surgery Surgical procedures, operative Obstetric surgical procedures Abortion, induced Abortion, legal Political science Politics Sex distribution Sex Wars (events) World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Disadvantaged groups Disabled persons Pathology Diseases Infectious diseases Venereal diseases Age distribution Age groups Adolescence Health policy Women physicians Physicians Medical personnel Medical profession Health services administration Public administration Government Womens liberation movement Feminism Criminology Family planning Fairfield , Josephine Letitia Denny , 1885-1978 , doctor x Fairfield , Letitia Middle East Liberation movements Political movements
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
This collection was received by the Wellcome Library as a gift from Dr Fairfield's niece, Mrs Alison Selford, between March 1996 and March 1997. An additional few files were received in November 1999 from the Imperial War Museum, comprising items amongst the Museum's Fairfield papers that were not relevant to her war work.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Dr. Letitia Fairfield, reflecting her interests in social hygiene, in mental health, in medico-legal matters and criminology, mother and child health and welfare, and as a Roman Catholic convert, as well as her broader political and feminist convictions. There is also some biographical material.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The collection is divided into sections as follows: A. Personal and family B. General correspondence C. Causes and campaigns D. Criminology and medico-legal matters E. Writings and broadcasts.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
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:
There is some additional material concerning Dr Fairfield among the archives of the Medical Women's Federation (reference: SA/MWF), and some correspondence between her and C P Blacker among Blacker's papers (PP/CPB).
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
At other repositories:
Further papers of Dr Fairfield, predominantly concerning her service in both World Wars and related topics, are held at the Imperial War Museum (reference: JLDF). The list of these papers may be consulted on application to the Archives and Manuscripts department. Some files for 1911-1948 relating to her work as a Medical Officer for the London County Council may be found among the Public Health Department records now in the London Metropolitan Archives (reference LCC/PH/GEN/3/6-28). Her materials relating to sterilisation under the Third Reich can be found in the Wiener Library.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Social welfare » Child welfare
- Health
- Health » Hygiene
- Social welfare
- Social welfare » Maternal welfare
- Personnel
- Human rights
- Civil and political rights
- Civil and political rights » Right to life
- Civil and political rights » Right to life » Euthanasia
- Religions
- Religions » Ancient religions
- Religions » Ancient religions » Christianity
- Religions » Ancient religions » Christianity » Catholicism
- Migrants
- Migrants » Refugees
- Genetics
- Genetics » Heredity
- Genetics » Heredity » Eugenics
- Medical sciences
- Medical sciences » Surgery
- Political science
- Political science » Politics
- Sex distribution
- Sex distribution » Sex
- Disadvantaged groups
- Disadvantaged groups » Disabled persons
- Pathology
- Pathology » Diseases
- Pathology » Diseases » Infectious diseases
- Pathology » Diseases » Infectious diseases » Venereal diseases
- Age distribution
- Age distribution » Age groups
- Age distribution » Age groups » Adolescence
- Health » Health policy
- Medical profession » Medical personnel » Physicians
- Medical profession » Medical personnel
- Medical profession
- Government » Public administration
- Government
- Social welfare » Maternal welfare
- Political movements » Liberation movements » Womens liberation movement
- Criminology
- Family planning
- Political movements » Liberation movements
- Political movements
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