Colección GB 0074 H72 - LONDON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FOR WOMEN AND RELATED COLLECTIONS

Área de identidad

Código de referencia

GB 0074 H72

Título

LONDON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FOR WOMEN AND RELATED COLLECTIONS

Fecha(s)

  • 1874-2001 (Creación)

Nivel de descripción

Colección

Volumen y soporte

42.5 linear metres

Área de contexto

Nombre del productor

Historia biográfica

The London School of Medicine for Women was the first medical school in Britain to allow women to train to become fully qualified doctors. Many pioneering women doctors trained and worked at the School, including Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Louisa Aldrich-Blake, and Mary Scharlieb.

Until 1874 it was almost impossible for women to train as doctors in Britain. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who was Dean of the School from 1883-1903, was actually the first woman to qualify in Medicine, but as soon as she had done so, in 1865, the loophole which allowed her to do so was closed, preventing others from following in her footsteps.

The London School of Medicine for Women was set up by a group of pioneering women physicians, led by Sophia Jex-Blake, who had been expelled from Edinburgh University after beginning their medical training, together with some male doctors who supported women's entry into the medical profession. It was the first medical school in Britain to admit women, and the only school to do so until 1886.

The School opened in 1874, in a small house in Henrietta Street, off Brunswick Square. At first, students were taught in laboratories and classrooms at the School by a group of male lecturers. Then in 1877, an agreement was reached with the Royal Free Hospital which allowed students at the London School of Medicine for Women to complete their clinical studies on its wards. The Royal Free Hospital was the first teaching hospital in London to admit women for training. In recognition of this relationship, in 1898 the School changed its name to The London (Royal Free Hospital) School of Medicine for Women.

The School building was rebuilt and enlarged in 1898. The main entrance was moved to the Hunter Street side of the building, and the address changed to reflect this. The School was further enlarged in 1914, when the number of women wishing to study medicine made it necessary to practically double the number of laboratories and lecture rooms. At this time the school had over 300 students, making it the largest of the women's university colleges in Britain. In just 40 years the number of women on the medical register had increased from two to 1000, 600 of whom were graduates of the School.

The School was noted for its strong links with other countries, beginning in 1890 when the first Indian female student enrolled. Many students went abroad to help train female doctors in cultures where women could not be seen by male doctors. This part of the School's mission was encouraged by Queen Victoria, who felt very strongly that all her subjects in the Empire should have access to proper medical treatment.

Increasing numbers of students were admitted, particularly when the First World War took many male medical students overseas. Past students of the School did valiant work for the war effort at this time, voluntarily staffing all-female medical units across Europe, and female medical students who were refugees from European universities also joined the School temporarily.

The School remained women-only until 1948, when all medical schools became co-educational under the newly inaugurated National Health Service (NHS). This necessitated another change of name for the School, to the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine.

By the 1950s, the School was pre-eminent in medical research, known particularly for its Medical Unit, renal unit and haemophilia centre.

When the Royal Free Hospital moved to Hampstead in 1974, the school followed, finally moving all its activities from Hunter Street by 1983.

After World War Two the School was threatened by three successive government reports (in 1946, 1968 and 1980), either with closure or with merger with another school. Each time the School rejected the proposals. In 1998 however, the School finally merged with University College London to form a new school, the Royal Free and University College Medical School. In October 2008 it was officially renamed UCL Medical School.

Institución archivística

Historia archivística

The records of the school and its related collections were transferred from the Royal Free Hospital Archives Centre to London Metropolitan Archives in 2013.

GB 0074 H72 1874-2001 Collection 42.5 linear metres Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine xx London School of Medicine for Women

The London School of Medicine for Women was the first medical school in Britain to allow women to train to become fully qualified doctors. Many pioneering women doctors trained and worked at the School, including Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Louisa Aldrich-Blake, and Mary Scharlieb.

Until 1874 it was almost impossible for women to train as doctors in Britain. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, who was Dean of the School from 1883-1903, was actually the first woman to qualify in Medicine, but as soon as she had done so, in 1865, the loophole which allowed her to do so was closed, preventing others from following in her footsteps.

The London School of Medicine for Women was set up by a group of pioneering women physicians, led by Sophia Jex-Blake, who had been expelled from Edinburgh University after beginning their medical training, together with some male doctors who supported women's entry into the medical profession. It was the first medical school in Britain to admit women, and the only school to do so until 1886.

The School opened in 1874, in a small house in Henrietta Street, off Brunswick Square. At first, students were taught in laboratories and classrooms at the School by a group of male lecturers. Then in 1877, an agreement was reached with the Royal Free Hospital which allowed students at the London School of Medicine for Women to complete their clinical studies on its wards. The Royal Free Hospital was the first teaching hospital in London to admit women for training. In recognition of this relationship, in 1898 the School changed its name to The London (Royal Free Hospital) School of Medicine for Women.

The School building was rebuilt and enlarged in 1898. The main entrance was moved to the Hunter Street side of the building, and the address changed to reflect this. The School was further enlarged in 1914, when the number of women wishing to study medicine made it necessary to practically double the number of laboratories and lecture rooms. At this time the school had over 300 students, making it the largest of the women's university colleges in Britain. In just 40 years the number of women on the medical register had increased from two to 1000, 600 of whom were graduates of the School.

The School was noted for its strong links with other countries, beginning in 1890 when the first Indian female student enrolled. Many students went abroad to help train female doctors in cultures where women could not be seen by male doctors. This part of the School's mission was encouraged by Queen Victoria, who felt very strongly that all her subjects in the Empire should have access to proper medical treatment.

Increasing numbers of students were admitted, particularly when the First World War took many male medical students overseas. Past students of the School did valiant work for the war effort at this time, voluntarily staffing all-female medical units across Europe, and female medical students who were refugees from European universities also joined the School temporarily.

The School remained women-only until 1948, when all medical schools became co-educational under the newly inaugurated National Health Service (NHS). This necessitated another change of name for the School, to the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine.

By the 1950s, the School was pre-eminent in medical research, known particularly for its Medical Unit, renal unit and haemophilia centre.

When the Royal Free Hospital moved to Hampstead in 1974, the school followed, finally moving all its activities from Hunter Street by 1983.

After World War Two the School was threatened by three successive government reports (in 1946, 1968 and 1980), either with closure or with merger with another school. Each time the School rejected the proposals. In 1998 however, the School finally merged with University College London to form a new school, the Royal Free and University College Medical School. In October 2008 it was officially renamed UCL Medical School.

The records of the school and its related collections were transferred from the Royal Free Hospital Archives Centre to London Metropolitan Archives in 2013.

Deposited in December 2013.

Records of the London School of Medicine for Women and related collections including the official corporate records of the London School of Medicine for Women (later the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine), from its foundation in 1874 to its merger with University College London In 1998.

It also contains a number of smaller collections relating to individuals associated with the London School of Medicine for Women, women's entry into the medical profession in Britain, and early women's medical training in India. These are:

Louisa Aldrich-Blake

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Sophia Jex-Blake

Countess of Dufferin Fund

Administrative records are open for public inspection. Student files have a general closure period of 100 years from date of birth.

H72/CDF Countess Dufferin Fund
H72/EGA Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Collection
H72/LAB Louisa Aldrich-Blake Collection
H72/SJB Sophia Jex-Blake Collection
H72/London School of Medicine for Women

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright is held by the depositor.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Papers relating to the merger of the school with University College London can be found under reference LMA/4068.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Added May 2014 Women Hospitals Hospital administration Women physicians Medical sciences Patients Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine x London School of Medicine for Women Countess of Dufferin Fund Medical institutions Physicians Health services Sex Sex distribution Medical personnel Personnel People by occupation People

Origen del ingreso o transferencia

Deposited in December 2013.

Área de contenido y estructura

Alcance y contenido

Records of the London School of Medicine for Women and related collections including the official corporate records of the London School of Medicine for Women (later the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine), from its foundation in 1874 to its merger with University College London In 1998.

It also contains a number of smaller collections relating to individuals associated with the London School of Medicine for Women, women's entry into the medical profession in Britain, and early women's medical training in India. These are:

Louisa Aldrich-Blake

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

Sophia Jex-Blake

Countess of Dufferin Fund

Administrative records are open for public inspection. Student files have a general closure period of 100 years from date of birth.

Valorización, destrucción y programación

Acumulaciones

Sistema de arreglo

H72/CDF Countess Dufferin Fund
H72/EGA Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Collection
H72/LAB Louisa Aldrich-Blake Collection
H72/SJB Sophia Jex-Blake Collection
H72/London School of Medicine for Women

Área de condiciones de acceso y uso

Condiciones de acceso

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Condiciones

Copyright is held by the depositor.

Idioma del material

  • inglés

Escritura del material

  • latín

Notas sobre las lenguas y escrituras

English

Características físicas y requisitos técnicos

Papers relating to the merger of the school with University College London can be found under reference LMA/4068.

Instrumentos de descripción

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Área de materiales relacionados

Existencia y localización de originales

Existencia y localización de copias

Unidades de descripción relacionadas

Descripciones relacionadas

Área de notas

Identificador/es alternativo(os)

Puntos de acceso

Puntos de acceso por lugar

Puntos de acceso por autoridad

Tipo de puntos de acceso

Área de control de la descripción

Identificador de la descripción

Identificador de la institución

London Metropolitan Archives

Reglas y/o convenciones usadas

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Estado de elaboración

Nivel de detalle

Fechas de creación revisión eliminación

Idioma(s)

  • inglés

Escritura(s)

    Fuentes

    Área de Ingreso