Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1971-2002 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 A box & 6 Albums
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Betty Jerman (fl 1950-fl 1999) was a journalist and author. She was a fashion and interior design writer on The Guardian from 1950-1956. In 1960 she sparked the correspondence that would lead to the formation of the National Women's Register (NWR) by writing an article for the Manchester Guardian on how boredom affected young mothers' creativity and opportunities for making friends. When NWR was granted charitable status in 1980, Betty was appointed one of the three trustees - a position she held for nineteen years. In 1971 she wrote a series of articles for The Guardian on the case of Pauline Jones, who was sentenced to 3 years in Holloway prison for the abduction of baby Denise Weller. Jerman's articles prompted a 'Free Pauline Jones' campaign. Jerman continued to be interested in cases of 'baby-snatching', amassing many press cuttings on the subject from 1971-2002. She is the author of various publications, including 'The Lively-Minded Women', which charts the history of the first 20 years of the NWR, and 'Kids' Britain'.
Repository
Archival history
Collection held within The Women's Library Printed Collections. Transferred to Special Collections for cataloguing and re-packaging 2007.
GB 106 7BJE 1971-2002 fonds 1 A box & 6 Albums Jerman , Betty , fl 1950-1999 , journalist and author
Betty Jerman (fl 1950-fl 1999) was a journalist and author. She was a fashion and interior design writer on The Guardian from 1950-1956. In 1960 she sparked the correspondence that would lead to the formation of the National Women's Register (NWR) by writing an article for the Manchester Guardian on how boredom affected young mothers' creativity and opportunities for making friends. When NWR was granted charitable status in 1980, Betty was appointed one of the three trustees - a position she held for nineteen years. In 1971 she wrote a series of articles for The Guardian on the case of Pauline Jones, who was sentenced to 3 years in Holloway prison for the abduction of baby Denise Weller. Jerman's articles prompted a 'Free Pauline Jones' campaign. Jerman continued to be interested in cases of 'baby-snatching', amassing many press cuttings on the subject from 1971-2002. She is the author of various publications, including 'The Lively-Minded Women', which charts the history of the first 20 years of the NWR, and 'Kids' Britain'.
Collection held within The Women's Library Printed Collections. Transferred to Special Collections for cataloguing and re-packaging 2007.
The Women's Library Printed Collections transferred to Special Collections in 2007.
The archive consists of material collected by Betty Jerman for a planned book on baby-abduction by women (never published). Jerman became interested in the subject through the case of Pauline Jones (who abducted baby Denise Weller in 1971, and was sentenced to 3 years in Holloway prison) and wrote a series of articles about the case for The Guardian that led to a 'Free Pauline Jones' campaign.
The archive is mainly comprised of press cuttings from the national media about 'baby-snatching' cases, spanning 1971-2002. It also includes Jerman's book proposal outline, research notes, correspondence, typescripts and publications. It includes papers relating to the Pauline Jones' case, the Kilroy television programme 'Snatch', the support organisation The Portia Trust, and the campaigning organisation Radical Alternatives to Prison.
This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit. One item is closed (see 7BJE/1/1) under the Data Protection Act, but is available in anonymised form. The original item will be made available in Jan 2073.
English
The Women's Library Printed Collections holds a video cassette of an episode of the Kilroy series about the abduction of Alex Griffiths, 2005 (Classmark as at Sep 2007: 364.1540924 ABD).
Also held within The Women's Library Special Collections are the Records of the National Women's Register (5NWR), of which Betty Jerman was one of the first trustees.
An interview with Betty Jerman, relating to work at The Guardian, 1950-1956 (ref: ECJ) is held at The Guardian Newsroom Archive.
Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 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.
08/02/2008 Kinship Family Parents Mothers Disadvantaged groups Prisoners Broadcasting Television Crime Abduction Health Womens health Administration of justice Women Jerman , Betty , fl 1950-1999 , journalist and author Radical Alternatives to Prison Portia Trust Sex Sex distribution
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The Women's Library Printed Collections transferred to Special Collections in 2007.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The archive consists of material collected by Betty Jerman for a planned book on baby-abduction by women (never published). Jerman became interested in the subject through the case of Pauline Jones (who abducted baby Denise Weller in 1971, and was sentenced to 3 years in Holloway prison) and wrote a series of articles about the case for The Guardian that led to a 'Free Pauline Jones' campaign.
The archive is mainly comprised of press cuttings from the national media about 'baby-snatching' cases, spanning 1971-2002. It also includes Jerman's book proposal outline, research notes, correspondence, typescripts and publications. It includes papers relating to the Pauline Jones' case, the Kilroy television programme 'Snatch', the support organisation The Portia Trust, and the campaigning organisation Radical Alternatives to Prison.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit. One item is closed (see 7BJE/1/1) under the Data Protection Act, but is available in anonymised form. The original item will be made available in Jan 2073.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The Women's Library Printed Collections holds a video cassette of an episode of the Kilroy series about the abduction of Alex Griffiths, 2005 (Classmark as at Sep 2007: 364.1540924 ABD).
Also held within The Women's Library Special Collections are the Records of the National Women's Register (5NWR), of which Betty Jerman was one of the first trustees.
An interview with Betty Jerman, relating to work at The Guardian, 1950-1956 (ref: ECJ) is held at The Guardian Newsroom Archive.
Finding aids
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
Subject access points
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