GB 0120 SA/MWF - Medical Womens' Federation

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0120 SA/MWF

Title

Medical Womens' Federation

Date(s)

  • 1879-1988 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

126 boxes, 3 outsize items and 1 outsize folder.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Association of Medical Women was founded in 1879. In 1917 local Associations of Registered Medical Women joined together to form The Medical Women's Federation (MWF) to represent the interests of women as doctors (especially those serving in the Armed Forces) and patients. The MWF was particularly concerned with the career opportunites and medical education of women. It conducted surveys and research into topics such as the menopause, abortion, and family planning. It also held lectures and conferences, and formed committees to investigate medical issues that specifically affect women. In the late 1960s the Inter-Professional Working Party was set up at the initiative of the MWF to agitate for the amelioration of various financial injustices affecting professional women.

Archival history

After the Second World War the Federation made a concerted effort to preserve its own history and that of women doctors in general, and an Honorary Archivist was appointed. Relevant material was acquired including personal accounts, photographs, ephemera, and articles relating to the subject of women in medicine, as well as correspondence and papers accumulated by the MWF in the course of its activities.

GB 0120 SA/MWF 1879-1988 Collection (fonds) 126 boxes, 3 outsize items and 1 outsize folder. Medical Womens' Federation

The Association of Medical Women was founded in 1879. In 1917 local Associations of Registered Medical Women joined together to form The Medical Women's Federation (MWF) to represent the interests of women as doctors (especially those serving in the Armed Forces) and patients. The MWF was particularly concerned with the career opportunites and medical education of women. It conducted surveys and research into topics such as the menopause, abortion, and family planning. It also held lectures and conferences, and formed committees to investigate medical issues that specifically affect women. In the late 1960s the Inter-Professional Working Party was set up at the initiative of the MWF to agitate for the amelioration of various financial injustices affecting professional women.

After the Second World War the Federation made a concerted effort to preserve its own history and that of women doctors in general, and an Honorary Archivist was appointed. Relevant material was acquired including personal accounts, photographs, ephemera, and articles relating to the subject of women in medicine, as well as correspondence and papers accumulated by the MWF in the course of its activities.

The papers of Dr Alice Emilie Sanderson Clow were originally given to the British Medical Association by the Medical Women's Federation in 1980. They were transferred from the BMA in 1996 with the approval of the MWF. More items were received directly from the MWF in 1997.

Papers of the Medical Womens' Federation (MWF), 1879-1988, comprising minutes, 1916-1984; annual report, 1917 onwards; newsletter, bulletin and journal, 1919 onwards; editorial files, 1956-1973; general papers, 1914-1990s; lists of members, 1919-1956; historical files relating to medical education; historical files relating to hospitals founded by women;historical files relating to women in medicine; historical files relating to medical societies; historical files relating to medical women overseas; historical files relating to World Wars One and Two; historical files relating to the archives of the MWF; historical memorabilia; early committee files, 1919-1940s; records relating to general internal and organisational matters, 1940s-1980s; records of relations with other bodies, 1920s-1980s including the General Medical Council, British Medical Association, Ministry of Health, other Government Departments, European Economic Community, Women's Group on Public Welfare, Women's National Commission, Women's National Cancer Campaign, official commissions and committees, and other miscellaneous bodies; records relating to careers and medical education, 1940s-1980s, including medical education, qualification, posts, pay, conditions of service, career opportunites, postgraduate, vocational and refresher training, Career Committee papers, Careers/Liaison Officers information, and miscellaneous matters; subject files, 1950s-1980s; surveys and statistics concerning medical women's careers, 1928-1985; records relating to miscellaneous surveys; surveys and statistics concerning the menopause; surveys and statistics concerning family planning; surveys and statistics concerning old women; records relating to the Research and Scientific Committee and Cancer of the Ovary Research Project; records relating to the Medical Women's International Association, 1920s-1980s; records relating to the Inter-Professional Working Party, 1960s-1970s; personal papers of Dr Alice Emilie Sanderson Clow; publications; ephemera; press cuttings; and records relating to local associations, 1879-1989.

As outlined in Scope and Content.

Certain restrictions apply. The majority of the papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, by prior appointment with the Archivist after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking. Please note that SA/MWF/J/17/2 has restricted access up until 01/01/2079 and readers are required to complete a Restricted Access form and undertake thereby not to identify individuals who may be named in the records. The dates at which this restriction will cease to be effective are given in the records for the individual items.

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

3 outsize items and 1 outsize folder.

The catalogue is available on microfiche via the National Inventory of Documentary Sources (NIDS).

Duplicate volumes of the MWF journal have been placed in the Wellcome Institute Library.

A scrapbook of the MWF is held in the Greater Manchester County Record Office (ref Q217). A detailed list of the contents (which date from 1910 to 1970) is held by the Wellcome Library and can be consulted on request.

'Eighty Years of the Medical Women's Federation: the MWF archive in the Contemporary Medical Archives Centre at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine' by Lesley Hall, Medical Woman, 16/2, Summer 1997.

Compiled by Anya Turner.

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.

June 2008 Female genital diseases Pathology Diseases Surveys Female genital cancers Research work Field work Questionnaires Career development Occupational choice Medical institutions Abortion Higher science education Medical education World War One (1914-1918) Reproductive cycle Health services Hospitals Medical profession Medical ethics Family planning Birth control Contraception Employment Womens employment Health Health policy Maternal and child health International conflicts War Personnel management Wages Wage policy Equal pay Physiology Human reproduction Pregnancy Wars (events) World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945) Medical sciences Therapy Medical treatment Educational guidance Vocational guidance Scientific methods Research methods Research Women Sex Sex distribution Associations Organizations Clow , Alice Emilie Sanderson , fl 1920-1922 , doctor British Medical Association European Economic Community General Medical Council Inter-Professional Working Party Medical Women's Federation Medical Women's International Association Ministry of Health Women's Group on Public Welfare Women's National Cancer Campaign Women's National Commission Organization and administration Health services administration Public administration Government

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The papers of Dr Alice Emilie Sanderson Clow were originally given to the British Medical Association by the Medical Women's Federation in 1980. They were transferred from the BMA in 1996 with the approval of the MWF. More items were received directly from the MWF in 1997.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of the Medical Womens' Federation (MWF), 1879-1988, comprising minutes, 1916-1984; annual report, 1917 onwards; newsletter, bulletin and journal, 1919 onwards; editorial files, 1956-1973; general papers, 1914-1990s; lists of members, 1919-1956; historical files relating to medical education; historical files relating to hospitals founded by women;historical files relating to women in medicine; historical files relating to medical societies; historical files relating to medical women overseas; historical files relating to World Wars One and Two; historical files relating to the archives of the MWF; historical memorabilia; early committee files, 1919-1940s; records relating to general internal and organisational matters, 1940s-1980s; records of relations with other bodies, 1920s-1980s including the General Medical Council, British Medical Association, Ministry of Health, other Government Departments, European Economic Community, Women's Group on Public Welfare, Women's National Commission, Women's National Cancer Campaign, official commissions and committees, and other miscellaneous bodies; records relating to careers and medical education, 1940s-1980s, including medical education, qualification, posts, pay, conditions of service, career opportunites, postgraduate, vocational and refresher training, Career Committee papers, Careers/Liaison Officers information, and miscellaneous matters; subject files, 1950s-1980s; surveys and statistics concerning medical women's careers, 1928-1985; records relating to miscellaneous surveys; surveys and statistics concerning the menopause; surveys and statistics concerning family planning; surveys and statistics concerning old women; records relating to the Research and Scientific Committee and Cancer of the Ovary Research Project; records relating to the Medical Women's International Association, 1920s-1980s; records relating to the Inter-Professional Working Party, 1960s-1970s; personal papers of Dr Alice Emilie Sanderson Clow; publications; ephemera; press cuttings; and records relating to local associations, 1879-1989.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As outlined in Scope and Content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Certain restrictions apply. The majority of the papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, by prior appointment with the Archivist after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking. Please note that SA/MWF/J/17/2 has restricted access up until 01/01/2079 and readers are required to complete a Restricted Access form and undertake thereby not to identify individuals who may be named in the records. The dates at which this restriction will cease to be effective are given in the records for the individual items.

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

Finding aids

The catalogue is available on microfiche via the National Inventory of Documentary Sources (NIDS).

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Duplicate volumes of the MWF journal have been placed in the Wellcome Institute Library.

Related units of description

A scrapbook of the MWF is held in the Greater Manchester County Record Office (ref Q217). A detailed list of the contents (which date from 1910 to 1970) is held by the Wellcome Library and can be consulted on request.

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Wellcome Library

Rules and/or conventions used

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.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area