GB 0120 PP/CCM - Murrell, Dr Christine Mary (1874-1933)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0120 PP/CCM

Title

Murrell, Dr Christine Mary (1874-1933)

Date(s)

  • 1849-1935 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 box

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Christine Mary Murrell was born in 1874 and was given educational and other encouragement by her family to seek a public and professional career. She went to the London Medical School for Women in 1894, graduating MB BS in 1899, and was the second women to be appointed a house physician at the Royal Free Hospital. She also held an appointment at the Northumberland County Asylum which stimulated an interest in early mental disorder leading to an MD on that subject in 1905. She set up in general practice in Bayswater with Honor Bone, whom she had met at the London School, and developed a large and successful practice in this residential area, something still unusual for women in the early twentieth century. She also found time and energy to preside over one of the Infant Welfare Clinics established under the auspices of the St Marylebone Health Society, and to undertake lectures for the London County Council and other bodies on health and related subjects. Her 1923 book Womanhood and Health contains material which had formed part of her lectures. It embodied not only her medical knowledge but her feminist beliefs, arguing against received assumptions about the physiological disabilities of women. Besides leading an active professional life she took a considerable interest in public matters. She supported the militant suffrage movement as well as other campaigns for the benefit of women. She was active in the Medical Women's Federation, serving as its President 1926-1928, and founded its loan fund for junior medical women. She also took part in the wider field of medical politics as represented by the British Medical Association, and was the first woman appointed to its Central Council, in 1924, as well as serving on numerous other BMA committees. She was the first woman to be appointed to the General Medical Council, in 1933, although her premature death occurred before she was able to take her seat.

Archival history

GB 0120 PP/CCM 1849-1935 Collection (fonds) 1 box Murrell , Christine Mary , 1874-1933 , physician

Christine Mary Murrell was born in 1874 and was given educational and other encouragement by her family to seek a public and professional career. She went to the London Medical School for Women in 1894, graduating MB BS in 1899, and was the second women to be appointed a house physician at the Royal Free Hospital. She also held an appointment at the Northumberland County Asylum which stimulated an interest in early mental disorder leading to an MD on that subject in 1905. She set up in general practice in Bayswater with Honor Bone, whom she had met at the London School, and developed a large and successful practice in this residential area, something still unusual for women in the early twentieth century. She also found time and energy to preside over one of the Infant Welfare Clinics established under the auspices of the St Marylebone Health Society, and to undertake lectures for the London County Council and other bodies on health and related subjects. Her 1923 book Womanhood and Health contains material which had formed part of her lectures. It embodied not only her medical knowledge but her feminist beliefs, arguing against received assumptions about the physiological disabilities of women. Besides leading an active professional life she took a considerable interest in public matters. She supported the militant suffrage movement as well as other campaigns for the benefit of women. She was active in the Medical Women's Federation, serving as its President 1926-1928, and founded its loan fund for junior medical women. She also took part in the wider field of medical politics as represented by the British Medical Association, and was the first woman appointed to its Central Council, in 1924, as well as serving on numerous other BMA committees. She was the first woman to be appointed to the General Medical Council, in 1933, although her premature death occurred before she was able to take her seat.

These papers were received in January 2001 as a gift from Dr Martin Francis, the great-nephew of Dr Murrell's partner in practice, Dr E. Honor Bone.

Papers of Christine Murrell, mainly family, estate and personal, c 1849-1935, including wills of Dr Murrell's relatives, professional testimonials, papers about her book , Womanhood and Health. The bulk consists of family papers - as an only child and grandchild Dr Murrell had a perhaps unusual amount to do with family wills and estates, but there is a little material which reflects her distinguished medical career. Also the family and legal material includes some correspondence with, and reference to, medical colleagues.

A. Family papers 1849-1931 B. Personal papers and biographical items 1894-1935.

Open

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

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.

Jan 2009 Medical profession Medical personnel Physicians Women physicians People People by occupation Personnel Government Public administration Health services administration Organization and administration Professional practice Medical sciences Family practice Specialties, medical Women's health Health Murrell , Christine Mary , 1874-1933 , physician

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

These papers were received in January 2001 as a gift from Dr Martin Francis, the great-nephew of Dr Murrell's partner in practice, Dr E. Honor Bone.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Christine Murrell, mainly family, estate and personal, c 1849-1935, including wills of Dr Murrell's relatives, professional testimonials, papers about her book , Womanhood and Health. The bulk consists of family papers - as an only child and grandchild Dr Murrell had a perhaps unusual amount to do with family wills and estates, but there is a little material which reflects her distinguished medical career. Also the family and legal material includes some correspondence with, and reference to, medical colleagues.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

A. Family papers 1849-1931 B. Personal papers and biographical items 1894-1935.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open

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

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Wellcome Library

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area