GOS/8 - Letter Books, Correspondence and Subject Files

Identity area

Reference code

GOS/8

Title

Letter Books, Correspondence and Subject Files

Date(s)

  • 1852-2010 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

Approximately 48 metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Great Ormond Street Hospital was founded in 1852 by Charles West on its current site in Bloomsbury as the Hospital for Sick Children. It was the first children's hospital in Britain. It became part of the NHS in 1948 and took over the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Sick Children in 1968. It went through several changes of name during this period and adopted its current name in 1994.

Archival history

GOS/8 1852-2010 Sub Fonds Approximately 48 metres Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street Hospital was founded in 1852 by Charles West on its current site in Bloomsbury as the Hospital for Sick Children. It was the first children's hospital in Britain. It became part of the NHS in 1948 and took over the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Sick Children in 1968. It went through several changes of name during this period and adopted its current name in 1994.

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street letter books comprising GOS/8/1-97, Letter Books containing copy out-letters of Secretary and Assistant Secretary, 1893-1942; GOS/8/98-100 Letter-Books containing copy out-letters, alphabetical by recipient, 1910-1912; GOS/8/101-150, Incoming correspondence to Secretary (including some copy out-letters), including correspondence with Charles Barry regarding the costs of new building (1894) and the resignations of Mr Lubbock and Dr Gee from the medical staff, the 1909 "Midsummer Fair and Fete" at Olympia in aid of the Hospital, the marriage of the Princess Royal in 1922, the investigation of "pavilion" hospitals prior to purchase of Tadworth Court; (1925); GOS/8/147, 1945 attempts to get signatures for Bombing Book, GOS/8/149 Correspondence, 1947-1948 regarding arrangements for National Health Service takeover from Board of Management.

GOS/8/151-155 Letters and Press Cuttings Albums, 1852-1900; GOS/8/156-157 Volumes of reminiscences and historical memorabilia of the Hospital compiled by Dr F J Poynton, 1930-1941.

GOS/8/158-190, comprising Correspondence and Subject Files, including GOS/8/158, Box-file containing correspondence, memoranda and printed circulars and pamphlets on all aspects of the Hospital's history, 1882-1948; GOS/8/159, File entitled "Hospital History", 1891-1952; GOS/8/160, Box-file, entitled "Medical", containing miscellaneous papers concerning ward management, medical staff, types of illness and medical equipment, 1884-1958; GOS/8/161, File, entitled "Other Hospitals/General Social History", 1887-1944; GOS/8/162 File, "Patients", containing correspondence with former patients or about current patients, 1886-1984; GOS/8/163, File, "Complaints and Scandals", including complaints about the treatment and death of patients, staff rudeness and alleged incompetence. 1888-1931; GOS/8/166, Box-file, 1900-09, including fund-raising ; GOS/8/167-170 and 174, Correspondence with the King's Fund (King Edward's Hospital Fund for London, formerly the Prince of Wales' Hospital Fund), 1897-1938; GOS/8/171, Correspondence concerning Astor Gift (of new Out-Patients' Department), l902-1906; GOS/8/172/1-26 "Lady Bull" Court-Case, 1910-11; GOS/8/173, File, "World Wars I and II", including correspondence, reports, press-cuttings and published leaflets on the effects of the two World Wars on the Hospital, With regard to casualty and air-raid arrangements, ambulance supply, alternative uses for the Hospital, and its bomb damage in 1940. Also contains programme of 1923 concert in aid of WWI victims, and letters from conscripted staff-members, 1915-45; GOS/8/176-183 Medical School correspondence files, 1914-1936.

GOS/8/191, Correspondence regarding the distribution of complementary copies of Thomas Twistington-Higgins' Centenary History of the Hospital, 1952; GOS/8/192, Correspondence with the Child Welfare Society, Social Welfare Association, Surgical Aid Society and other hospitals, re proposed Child Bureau and the Special Committee for the Welfare of Poor Children, 1913-1917; GOS/8/193 Correspondence concerning Charles Dickens' support for the Hospital, 1939-1965; GOS/8/194 Correspondence concerning Centenary events at the Hospital, 1952; GOS/8/195, Correspondence concerning London County Council school pupils' education while Hospital patients, 1909-1914*; GOS/8/196 Miscellaneous papers of Arthur Lucas, Hospital Chairman, 1912-1914, including papers of sale of Cromwell House leases and draft Hospital fire regulations.

GOS/8/198, Typescript draft History of the Hospital for Sick Children, 'On the Street Where We Live', by Gordon Piller (former House Governor), circa 1986-1987; GOS/8/200 Typescript history of the Hospital Almoner's Department to 1936 by Janet Salmon, updated to 1955 by Margaret Mayfield; GOS/8/202 Matron's Diary, 1939, with entries to circa 1970; GOS/8/203, Reminiscences of Richard Payne (patient, 1950) by his mother. Written in 1985. (First page missing); GOS/8/204, Piece on Brian Jones, (patient, 1936-1938), including extract from Queen Mary of the Iron Road by Fred Bishop (see also photograph catalogue); GOS/8/205, Letter from Miss Helen Dennis of South Africa re her brother's admission to HSC circa 1898; GOS/8/206, Reminiscences by Mr. J. Tatam of his treatment for pleurisy at the Hospital by Dr Donald Paterson in 1931, 2003.

GOS/8/207, Miscellaneous administrative correspondence, 1966, including on bequest arrangements; GOS/8/208, Correspondence concerning the commemoration of the Hospital's 125th Anniversary, 1977, and the publication for it of a facsimile edition of Dr West's book How to Nurse Sick Children; GOS/8/209, Album of letters and cards received by the Hospital following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, 1997; GOS/8/210, File of press-cuttings and reminiscences from former patient David Eaton, treated at GOSH in 1939 for Pyloric Stenosis; GOS/8/211, File of reminiscences (with digital photograph copies) of John Colley, patient at Tadworth Court, 1934.

101 Letter books arranged chronologically, 11 albums of correspondence, and 47 archive boxes of loose correspondence and subject files arranged numerically.

All material open, except for those marked with an asterisk, which are closed for 100 years.

Open material permitted to be photocopied and photographed at the archivist's discretion.

English

Loose correspondence is kept in folders within archive boxes, the albums have bene reconstituted using conservation materials, and the registered correspondence is bound in volumes, out-letters being in a fragile state with much of it virtually unreadable.

Typescript catalogue and a master catalogue are available for consultation in the Archives. A more detailed catalogue for Gos/8 is available on the Archive computer.

GOS/6, Fund-raising material.

Compiled by Andrea Tanner

December 2010 Hospitals Hospital administration Budget contributions Medical history Great Ormond Street Hospital x Hospital for Sick Children , Great Ormond Street x Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust x The Hospital for Sick Children x The Hospital for Children Personal history Medical institutions Financing Health services History Finance

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Great Ormond Street letter books comprising GOS/8/1-97, Letter Books containing copy out-letters of Secretary and Assistant Secretary, 1893-1942; GOS/8/98-100 Letter-Books containing copy out-letters, alphabetical by recipient, 1910-1912; GOS/8/101-150, Incoming correspondence to Secretary (including some copy out-letters), including correspondence with Charles Barry regarding the costs of new building (1894) and the resignations of Mr Lubbock and Dr Gee from the medical staff, the 1909 "Midsummer Fair and Fete" at Olympia in aid of the Hospital, the marriage of the Princess Royal in 1922, the investigation of "pavilion" hospitals prior to purchase of Tadworth Court; (1925); GOS/8/147, 1945 attempts to get signatures for Bombing Book, GOS/8/149 Correspondence, 1947-1948 regarding arrangements for National Health Service takeover from Board of Management.

GOS/8/151-155 Letters and Press Cuttings Albums, 1852-1900; GOS/8/156-157 Volumes of reminiscences and historical memorabilia of the Hospital compiled by Dr F J Poynton, 1930-1941.

GOS/8/158-190, comprising Correspondence and Subject Files, including GOS/8/158, Box-file containing correspondence, memoranda and printed circulars and pamphlets on all aspects of the Hospital's history, 1882-1948; GOS/8/159, File entitled "Hospital History", 1891-1952; GOS/8/160, Box-file, entitled "Medical", containing miscellaneous papers concerning ward management, medical staff, types of illness and medical equipment, 1884-1958; GOS/8/161, File, entitled "Other Hospitals/General Social History", 1887-1944; GOS/8/162 File, "Patients", containing correspondence with former patients or about current patients, 1886-1984; GOS/8/163, File, "Complaints and Scandals", including complaints about the treatment and death of patients, staff rudeness and alleged incompetence. 1888-1931; GOS/8/166, Box-file, 1900-09, including fund-raising ; GOS/8/167-170 and 174, Correspondence with the King's Fund (King Edward's Hospital Fund for London, formerly the Prince of Wales' Hospital Fund), 1897-1938; GOS/8/171, Correspondence concerning Astor Gift (of new Out-Patients' Department), l902-1906; GOS/8/172/1-26 "Lady Bull" Court-Case, 1910-11; GOS/8/173, File, "World Wars I and II", including correspondence, reports, press-cuttings and published leaflets on the effects of the two World Wars on the Hospital, With regard to casualty and air-raid arrangements, ambulance supply, alternative uses for the Hospital, and its bomb damage in 1940. Also contains programme of 1923 concert in aid of WWI victims, and letters from conscripted staff-members, 1915-45; GOS/8/176-183 Medical School correspondence files, 1914-1936.

GOS/8/191, Correspondence regarding the distribution of complementary copies of Thomas Twistington-Higgins' Centenary History of the Hospital, 1952; GOS/8/192, Correspondence with the Child Welfare Society, Social Welfare Association, Surgical Aid Society and other hospitals, re proposed Child Bureau and the Special Committee for the Welfare of Poor Children, 1913-1917; GOS/8/193 Correspondence concerning Charles Dickens' support for the Hospital, 1939-1965; GOS/8/194 Correspondence concerning Centenary events at the Hospital, 1952; GOS/8/195, Correspondence concerning London County Council school pupils' education while Hospital patients, 1909-1914*; GOS/8/196 Miscellaneous papers of Arthur Lucas, Hospital Chairman, 1912-1914, including papers of sale of Cromwell House leases and draft Hospital fire regulations.

GOS/8/198, Typescript draft History of the Hospital for Sick Children, 'On the Street Where We Live', by Gordon Piller (former House Governor), circa 1986-1987; GOS/8/200 Typescript history of the Hospital Almoner's Department to 1936 by Janet Salmon, updated to 1955 by Margaret Mayfield; GOS/8/202 Matron's Diary, 1939, with entries to circa 1970; GOS/8/203, Reminiscences of Richard Payne (patient, 1950) by his mother. Written in 1985. (First page missing); GOS/8/204, Piece on Brian Jones, (patient, 1936-1938), including extract from Queen Mary of the Iron Road by Fred Bishop (see also photograph catalogue); GOS/8/205, Letter from Miss Helen Dennis of South Africa re her brother's admission to HSC circa 1898; GOS/8/206, Reminiscences by Mr. J. Tatam of his treatment for pleurisy at the Hospital by Dr Donald Paterson in 1931, 2003.

GOS/8/207, Miscellaneous administrative correspondence, 1966, including on bequest arrangements; GOS/8/208, Correspondence concerning the commemoration of the Hospital's 125th Anniversary, 1977, and the publication for it of a facsimile edition of Dr West's book How to Nurse Sick Children; GOS/8/209, Album of letters and cards received by the Hospital following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, 1997; GOS/8/210, File of press-cuttings and reminiscences from former patient David Eaton, treated at GOSH in 1939 for Pyloric Stenosis; GOS/8/211, File of reminiscences (with digital photograph copies) of John Colley, patient at Tadworth Court, 1934.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

101 Letter books arranged chronologically, 11 albums of correspondence, and 47 archive boxes of loose correspondence and subject files arranged numerically.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

All material open, except for those marked with an asterisk, which are closed for 100 years.

Conditions governing reproduction

Open material permitted to be photocopied and photographed at the archivist's discretion.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

GOS/6, Fund-raising material.

Finding aids

Typescript catalogue and a master catalogue are available for consultation in the Archives. A more detailed catalogue for Gos/8 is available on the Archive computer.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Great Ormond Street Hospital Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area