Papers, 1937-c1990, of Alex Comfort.

The first deposit (6 boxes) comprises letters received, 1937-1964, on his literary and other interests, with the letters of 1937-1945 focussing particularly on literary subjects, including poetry in the 1940s, but latterly more varied, including ideas and activism in anarchism, pacifism, and nuclear disarmament, as public speaker, broadcaster and pamphleteer, including for example letters from Bertrand Russell, 1960-1962; copies of letters from Herbert Read, 1941-1964; a few personal papers, 1936-1946, including The Times announcement of the birth of Comfort's son, 1946; papers relating to peace campaigns in which Comfort was involved, 1944-1961; lecture notes and poetry, stories, and articles by Comfort on pacifism, politics, and science, 1941-1960 and undated; printed papers relating to Comfort's interests, 1945-1962.The second deposit (46 boxes, 4 files) comprises 14 boxes of correspondence relating to Comfort's work, publications, and other interests, some dating back to 1949 but largely dating from the 1960s to 1980s; manuscripts and, particularly, typescripts of both published and unpublished verse and prose, both scientific and non-scientific, including for example 'I and That', 'The facts of love', 'A practice of geriatric psychiatry', 'Reality and empathy', 'The Power House', 'More joy', 'A giants strength', 'Darwin and the naked lady', 'Come out to play', 'The Almond Tree', and 'Letters from an outpost'; printed articles by Comfort, the topics including old age and some sexual subjects; scripts for talks and broadcasts; press cuttings, dating largely from the 1950s and 1960s, relating to Comfort and his work; a file of slides of India, 1962, and two files of scientific slides; printed papers by other authors on various scientific topics.

Papers, [1964-1975], collated by Cecil Rolph Hewitt relating to the campaign of Aid for the Elderly in Government Institutions (AEGIS), including correspondence with its founder, Barbara Robb, and other members, 1965-1969.

Papers of the pressure group AEGIS (Aid to the Elderly in Government Institutions), 1946-1976, comprising the following.
Group of material arranged by Barbara Robb and entitled 'Record of a Campaign', 1964-1975, notably a narrative by Robb illustrating the key events in the AEGIS campaign, including detailed accounts of meetings with ministers, care workers, journalists, members of hospital management committees, complainants and others, with leaflets, press cuttings, and correspondence from members, press and supporters, 1964-1966; material relating to AEGIS' activities, 1966-1973, notably a memorandum outlining the aims, methods and organisation of AEGIS; material relating to AEGIS' advisors, 1967-1972, and organisations in contact with AEGIS, 1965-1971; papers related to articles written for the AEGIS campaign, 1973-1975; files of documents relating to general events of the AEGIS campaign, 1967-1975; background material for public talks by Robb, [1962-1975]; material relating to patient and community care, and nurses' campaigns inspired by AEGIS, [1967-1972], including articles, press cuttings, extracts from official publications, and Nursing Times Occasional Papers; accounts of various hospital inquiries, 1964-1968; press cuttings, correspondence and memoranda related to Project 70, AEGIS' housing scheme for the elderly, 1966-1971.
Group of material arranged by Barbara Robb and entitled 'Sans Everything', 1964-1975, including documents related to the publication of her book Sans Everything: a case to answer (Nelson, London, 1967), 1966-1967, such as an original manuscript of the work, and correspondence with publishers, agents, lawyers, the media, and various MPs and government officials; material relating to a proposed book entitled 'That which should accompany old age', [1966-1967]; background material on the subjects discussed in Sans Everything, 1966-1974, including press articles, cuttings, interview transcripts and correspondence relating to Parliamentary debates on the care of the elderly, the Health Ombudsman, and the NHS Reorganisation Bill, with a narrative by Robb concerning the 'Sans Everything' Government White Paper.
Group of material arranged by Barbara Robb and entitled 'No Serious Deficiencies', [1967-1975], comprising a large collection of press cuttings relating to the AEGIS campaign, conditions in various hospitals across Great Britain, geriatric and psychiatric nursing, Government debates on health, the Ministry of Health, inadequacies in medical funding and training, reviews of Sans Everything, the National Health Service, and nursing shortages; notes and summaries by Robb on the collated press cuttings.
Research material collected for AEGIS' campaigns, 1964-1975, arranged by Barbara Robb, mainly relating to hospital inquiries and comprising correspondence, press cuttings, memoranda, transcripts of interviews and evidence, reports and cassettes.
Complainants' letters, 1965-1974, written to Barbara Robb and David Montague de Burgh Kenworthy, 11th Baron Strabolgi, regarding the abuse of geriatric and mental health patients in NHS hospitals and homes, from friends and relatives, doctors, hospital staff, and patients themselves, often containing lengthy reports on individual cases, press cuttings and copies of correspondence with hospitals, local and regional health authorities and the Ministry of Health.
Research material gathered by Barbara Robb and other members of the AEGIS organisation, 1966-1974, notably on attitudes of healthcare professionals and the public to geriatric nursing, the Hospitals Advisory Service, the Briggs Committee, Richard Crossman and the NHS Reorganisation Bill, euthanasia, the Davies Committee and complaints procedures, the NHS under the Conservative government, the National Association for Mental Health, care of the elderly in other countries, and the Ministry of Health.
Publications, 1946-1975, including official publications relating to parliamentary debates on matters of concern to AEGIS, particularly the NHS Reorganisation Act (1973); reports and memoranda produced by the Ministry of Health and Regional Health Boards, Committees of Inquiry and others; and papers, articles and books relating to the care of the elderly.
Administrative material of AEGIS, [1965-1975], including office diaries, notebooks and contact details for the various bodies contacted by the organisation.
Additional material relating to the AEGIS campaign compiled by Robb for Cecil Hewitt Rolph, editor of the New Statesman, 1964-1976, including papers relating to individual cases, correspondence and press cuttings.