Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists relating to the Abortion Act 1967 and subsequent amendments, 1964-1982, comprising the principal files of College presidents on the Abortion Act 1967 and the College's involvement in the issue of abortion, from the presidency of Sir Hector MacLennan to the first year of that of Sir Rustan Feroze, plus papers relating to a College enquiry into the first year of the 1967 Act and the College's joint study with the Royal College of General Practitioners of attitudes to pregnancy. The files contain correspondence, reports, copies of the abortion bill, legal opinions, evidence and responses of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to the Lane Committee of Inquiry, copies of Hansard, memoranda and pamphlets on abortion, press cuttings.

Papers of William Allison and William Jeremiah Allison, 1776-1812, comprising a volume titled Hunters Lectures Volume 1, containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures given by William Hunter, c 1785. Including a portrait of William Hunter; a volume titled Hunters Lectures Volume 2, containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures given by William Hunter, on topics including 'Chirurgical Operations' and 'The method given by Dr Hunter for the preservation of dead bodies called embalming', c 1775-1776; a volume titled Hunter's Lectures Volume 3, and Dr Hunter on the Gravid Uterus, containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures given by William Hunter, c 1785; a volume titled A Summary View of the Succeeding Lectures, containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures thought to be by William Hunter, on topics including midwifery and children's diseases, c 1785; a volume titled Fordyces Lectures Volume 1, containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures given by George Fordyce, on topics including blood, bile, urine, milk, anatomy and fevers; a volume titled Fordyces Lectures Volume 2 containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures given by George Fordyce, on topics including diseases; a volume titled Fordyces Lectures Volume 3, containing manuscript notes by William Allison of lectures given by George Fordyce, on topics including chronic diseases, preganancy, and children's diseases; and a volume of manuscript notes by William Jeremiah Allison titled Lectures on the Principal Operations of Surgery delivered by Sir Everard Hume Bart in the year 1812.

Papers of the RCOG Antenatal and intrapartum care working party, 1979-1982, comprising Minute book, 1979-1982; Committee meetings' papers, 1979-1982; Agenda and minutes of all meetings, 1979-1982; Committee chairman's and secretary's correspondence, 1979-1982; Pamphlets, etc, of National Childbirth Trust, Health Education Council, and Scottish Health Education Unit, and related correspondence, 1980; Health authority, hospital, and other professional bodies' documents on antenatal and perinatal care, 1979-1980; Published report, 1982; Circulation of published report, 1982; Responses to published report, 1982.

Records relating to pregnancy in a dwarf, 1963-1965, include a tape recording (subject matter unknown), glass slides, photographs, x-rays and Bender's subsequent article on the pregnancy, published in the British Medical Journal, 1965:2, p 1116.

Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences et Belles Lettres de Berlin, avec des Mémoires: Classe de Philosophie Expérimentale. Illustrated with folding and other pen and wash drawings. Produced in Berlin, 1748-1757.

Papers of Jean-Baptiste Biot, c 1800-1937, including correspondence and a translation of Biot's Memoir on the Circular Zodiac of Denderah.

Papers of Henry Gore Clough, 1779-1792, comprising a volume titled Lectures Anatomical and Chirurgical by William Hunter, Physician Extraordinary to her Majesty, Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Academy, and Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. 1779. Volume 1st, containing manuscript notes by Clough of lectures by Hunter, including a copy of a portrait of Hunter by J Thornwaite; a volume titled Lectures Anatomical and Chirurgical by William Hunter, Physician Extraordinary to her Majesty, Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Academy, and Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. 1779. Volume 2nd, containing manuscript notes by Clough of lectures by Hunter, covering topics such as embalming, c 1779. Including patient case notes, 1779-1792, and a letter from Mr Wyatt to Clough, 14 Apr 1792, regarding publishing a case; and a volume titled Lectures Anatomical and Chirurgical by William Hunter, Physician Extraordinary to her Majesty, Professor of Anatomy at the Royal Academy, and Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. 1779. Volume 3rd and sub-titled Lectures on the Gravid Uterus by William Hunter, MD and FRS, 1779, containing manuscript notes by Clough of lectures by Hunter.

Personal correspondence and papers of Baron Ernst von Feuchtersleben, mainly relating to medical topics and to the Faculty of Medicine in Vienna, 1826-1858. The papers are mainly copies of medical texts with mansuscript annotations and copies of medical essays by him - some unpublished. Also, his case book 1836-1842. The records often relate to the Viennese Medical Faculty, his interest in medical education, and addresses given by him. The correspondence is primarily from medical colleagues in Austria and Germany.

Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' External Affairs Committee, 1932-1950, comprising correspondence and related papers covering a wide variety of issues reflecting the Committee's broad terms of reference, for example: maternity hospitals, midwifery, female circumcision, pregnancy in wartime, maternal mortality and nutrition in pregnancy. It should be noted however, that much of the material included in the series appears to have been placed here in error simply because it relates to the external affairs of the College. As well as containing records of the External Affairs Committee, this fonds also has records related to the general external affairs of the college. Some of these records are concerned with obstetrics and gynaecology during the period of the Second World War.

Malcolm Flemyng's Course of Physiology. Neatly written in Latin by the same hand throughout, but there is no indication of the writer's identity. Vol. i fol. 1, has the title "Physiologia , auctore M. Fleming M.D. celeberrimo."

Correspondence, minutes and the final report, 1961-1962, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Committee on General Practitioner Maternity Units.

Manuscript notes taken from six lectures given by William Hunter entitled 'A course of lectures on the gravid uterus taken down in short hand, as delivered by Dr Hunter in 1772'. This volume was created by the student, 25 Mar-16 Apr 1776, using his original shorthand notes.

Correspondence files of the joint meetings to discuss maternity care in the new National Health Service of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Committee, including papers on the background to its establishment, from 1985-1992, including minutes of meetings and publications, particularly RCOG, RCGP & RCM, Maternity Care in the New NHS: A Joint Approach, July 1992.

Records of the Joint Steering Group of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care [FFPRHC] on teenage pregnancy, 1972-1995, comprising correspondence and reports on the remit of the Joint Steering Group (1992-1995), related press clippings and reports (1972-1995), papers on a conference on emergency hormonal contraception (1994-1995) and papers of the research and audit sub-group (1994). Also includes for 1993 to 1995: agenda and minutes; correspondence; minute book; records of expenses.

Collection of papers chiefly on gynaecology, plus file of documents relating to the surgeon, Christopher Martin (certificates, letters, biographical information), 1887-1930.

The archive consists of the organisation's archives and Maternity Alliance publications. It includes Annual Reports and Accounts, the papers for the Annual General Meetings, the Minutes of the Executive and Management Committees and the papers of the working parties and subcommittees that reported to them, a complete set of the MA monthly newsletter, MA publications (including reports, fact-sheets, training notes, booklets and books), Directors' working papers (Christine Gowdridge), press cuttings, posters, a MA clock, an award.

The records reflect the organisation's work in:

• Education (this includes educating employers and individuals of what was existing legal provision for maternity, but also education related to campaigning to reduce inequality in maternity provision, including lobbying government and trade unions for key changes in maternity provision);

• Research into and support for specific groups (ethnic minorities; travellers; teenagers; asylum seekers; disabled etc);

• Publications: Creating publications to support the above work;

• Training: Creating published training resources and providing training sessions for those who worked with target communities (i.e. those who worked with parents on rights and benefits such as the DSS; Social workers; Advice groups and charities);

• Policy and Project Work (such as a Teenage Pregnancy Project which included a resource and training pack);

• Advisory Services (through the web site; through key publications; and through the Advice Line);

• Conferences (particularly research based courses to highlight specific campaigns).

Correspondence of E A J Alment, correspondence, background papers, committee minutes and architectural plans, 1969-1971, of the RCOG Maternity hospital planning sub-committee.

Correspondence, minutes and the draft report of the Maternity Unit Planning Committee of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 1959-1960.

Samuel Merriman's annotated copy of A Synopsis of the various kinds of difficult parturition, 1814.

As at Jan 2009, The Women's Library held approximately 1050 posters in the Museum Collection, with c 100 posters identified in the archives.

The earliest posters held result from suffrage activities and can be divided into three main groups; advertisements for meetings and events, illustrated propaganda posters arguing why women should get the vote, and thirdly newspaper bills bearing suffrage related headlines, used to promote paper sales.

All other posters are arranged by subject and date from the 1970s to the present day. The collection represents a mixture of women's campaigning, campaigning by organisations to promote gender equality, and posters produced to advertise women-focused events and publications. There are a small number of posters that portray women's issues and campaign work internationally. The work of The Equal Opportunities Commission in England and Ireland is particularly well represented as a result of a large donation of their obsolete posters during the 1990s. Also well represented with almost 80 posters is the work of See Red Women's Workshop, a women's liberation screen-printing collective (1974-1984).

Correspondence, minutes and papers relating to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Nutrition Committee, 1944-1947.

The catalogued Pamphlet Collection comprises over 12,000 titles dating from approximately 1830 to the present. The Pamphlet Collection consists of printed material less than 60 pages in length and includes government policies, reports, annual reports and campaigning material, primary law, including Bills and Acts. The subject material of the collection reflects and enriches the wide range of topics held elsewhere in the Women's Library.The topics covered include: English fiction, children's stories, poetry, women's organisations, feminism, role of women in society - UK and abroad, nursing, sex discrimination law, divorce law, employment, occupations, careers, equal opportunities, labour law, pension law, social security, taxation, housing, health, pregnancy, abortion, birth control, domestic violence, mothers, one-parent families, children, family life, housekeeping, religion, ordination, arts, costume, suffrage. Organisations include Equal Opportunities Commission, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, National Union of Suffragettes, National Society for Women's Suffrage, US Women's Bureau, American National Red Cross, Union of Jewish Women, National Union of Townswomen's Guilds, National Federation of Women's Institutes, Fawcett Society, National Council for the Unmarried Mother and Her Child, British Federation of University Women, Association of University Women Teachers, Divorce Law Reform Union. Most of the material is in English, but there are also pamphlets in other languages, such as Italian, German and French.The pamphlets are arranged in two sections - one for standard sized pamphlets and one for oversized pamphlets.

The 'UDC Pamphlet Collection' [Universal Dewey Decimal Classification]: In addition to the main Pamphlet Collection is the 'UDC Pamphlet Collection.' The UDC collection was the first pamphlet collection created by the Library and consists of approximately 10,000 pamphlets dating from mid nineteenth to mid twentieth centuries, covering all subjects. As the collection was gradually acquired during the Library's first 20 years of life, it was arranged by subject, using the Universal Decimal Classification system. The pamphlets were primarily deposited by organisations and individuals, although some purchases were made. There is a finding aid kept with the collection but the collection was never catalogued and therefore remained a hidden resource within the Library for more than 80 years. Unsurprisingly other libraries did not collect most of these pamphlets. In 2007 as part of a cataloguing funding bid preliminary sampling of the collection against Copac (the merged online catalogues of 24 university research libraries in the UK, plus the British Library and the National Library of Scotland) found that over 60% of the UDC pamphlets were not listed in these major research collections. This is a very significant level of unique printed material.Cataloguing of the UDC collection started in 2007 and as the pamphlets are catatogued, they are transferred to the main pamphlet collection described above. As at 2009 the collection was partially catalogued and The Library was seeking additional funds to complete the project.

Most although not all of the material relates to the 1950s and 1960s when the College was at its height of research activity.
Includes:
Research Committee minutes A CE G 1 - Minutes of meetings of Education and Research Committee (1952-1953), of Research Committee (1953-1975), and of Research and Practice Organisation Committee (1975-1976); Research Committee papers A CE G 2 - Supporting papers for meetings of Research Committee (1953-1969) and Research and Practice Organisation Committee (1975-1976).

Research Committee circulars A CE G 3 Progress reports, 'Blunderbus' letters, Between Ourselves, consolidated comment circulars and related material (1955-1969).

Research Committee general correspondence ACE G4 (1953-1978); Chairman's [Dr Pinsent] correspondence ACE G 5 (1952-1970).

Policy Subcommittee papers A CE G 6 Papers, including minutes of meetings, agendas, reports and correspondence, of the Policy Subcommittee of the Research Committee (1964-1965).

Research Foundation Board minutes A CE G 7 Minutes, mostly signed, of meetings of Research Foundation Committee (1960-1961), of the Research Foundation Board (1961-1974) and of the joint meetings of the Research Foundation Board and the Education Foundation Board (1960-1976); Research Foundation Board papers A CE G 8 Supporting papers for meetings of Research Foundation Board, including duplicate minutes and agendas, reports, applications and some correspondence (1960-1971).

Clinical Research Ethics Committee minutes A CE G 9 Minutes, mostly signed, of meetings of the Clinical Trials Ethical Committee (1981-1989) and of the (renamed) Clinical Trials Ethics Committee (1989-1993).

Oral Contraception Working Party papers A CE G 10 Reports and correspondence of the Oral Contraception Working Party, later called the Oral Contraception Executive Committee (1965-1970). See also papers ARE Manchester Research Unit.
Hospitals and Preventive Medicine Working Party A CE G 10 Papers of Working Party on Relationship of General Practitioners with Hospitals and Preventive Medicine. (1959-1961).

Psychiatry and the General Practitioner Working Party A CE G 12 Reports and correspondence (1956-1958).

General Practice Research Unit Advisory Panel A CE G 13 Minutes, agendas and reports of General Practice Research Unit Advisory Panel (1968-1974).

Records Unit A CE G 14 Reports and correspondence of the Records Unit (later the Records and Statistics Unit) Working Party (1954-1965).

Epidemic Observation Unit A CE G 15 Reports and correspondence of the Epidemic Observation Unit, based in Dr. G. Watson's Surrey practice (1954-1963) See also papers ARE Research Units.

Research Symposium papers A CE G 16 Reports and correspondence concerning College research symposia (1955-1968).

Diagnostic indices A CE G 17 Diagnostic indices developed by Research Committee (c.1962-1968).

Research Registers A CE G 18 Register of members' interests and participation in research, and central register of faculty research. (c.1953-1970); Research Register papers A CE G 19 Reports and correspondence concerning research register (c1953-1969).

Measles investigation papers A CE G 20 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into the complications of Measles (1953-1958).

Respiratory disease investigation papers A CE G 21 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into respiratory tract disease and acute chest infection, including chronic bronchitis (1953-1960).

Tonsillectomy Study A CE G 22 Reports and correspondence of tonsillectomy study carried out by the North Midland (Sheffield) Faculty (1953-1961).

Morbidity Survey A CE G 23 Reports and correspondence concerning first national survey of morbidity (1953-1965). [See ARE A5-7 Papers of Birmingham Research Unit for later Morbidity Surveys].

Congenital Deafness Investigation A CE G 24 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into congenital deafness (1954-1955).

Obstetric Card A CE G 25 Reports and correspondence concerning development of obstetric diagnostic record card (1954-1964).

Prescribing Habits Study A CE G 26 Reports and correspondence concerning prescribing (or therapeutic) habits (1954-1960).

Pink Disease Investigation A CE G 27 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into Pink Disease [babyhood mercury poisoning] conducted by the South-West England Faculty (1955-1956).

Asthma Investigation A CE G 28 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into asthma in childhood conducted by Welsh Faculty (1955-1959).

Farmer's Lung ACE G 29 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into Farmer's Lung conducted by Dr F Staines (1955-1961).

Pernicious Anaemia ACE G 30 Reports and correspondence concerning study of pernicious Anaemia (1955-1960).

Epilepsy Investigation ACE G 31 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation into epilepsy and convulsive disorders of children under five years old (1955-1968).

Virus Disease A CE G 32 Reports and correspondence concerning Dr. R. Pinsent's paper on virus disease (1955-1956).

Headache investigation A CE G 33 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation conducted by the Hull and East Riding Subfaculty into headache (1955-1956).

Research Techniques A CE G 34 Reports and correspondence concerning study of research techniques, including the 'Family Folder' and the 'Portfolio Plan' (1956-1957).

Herpes Zoster Investigation A CE G 35 1956 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation conducted by Midland Faculty into the use of Vitamin B12 in the treatment of herpes zoster (1956).

Diabetes Survey A CE G 36 Reports and correspondence concerning a proposed survey conducted by the Hull and East Riding Subfaculty on diabetes (1957).

Daffodil Dermatitis Investigation A CE G 37 Reports and correspondence concerning investigation conducted by South-West England Faculty into daffodil dermatitis (1956-1957).

Hypertension study A CE G 38 Reports and correspondence concerning studies ofhypertension variously conducted by Dr. A. de la Mallett, Dr. D. Wheatley, the Northern Home Counties Faculty, and the New South Wales Faculty (1957-1960).

Pharmacopoeia Revision A CE G 39 Reports and correspondence concerning revision of the British Pharmacopoeia (1953-1962).

Intercontinental Medical Statistics ACE G40 Reports and correspondence concerning Intercontinental Medical Statistics (1958-1961).

Operational Research survey A CE G 41Reports and correspondence concerning survey of operational (or organisational) research in general practice (1959-1963).

Persantin trial A CE G 42 Reports and correspondence concerning trial of 'Persantin' by Dr. L. Hunt of Pfizer Ltd. (1959-1960).

Drug Addiction Working Party A CE G 43 Reports, correspondence, and minutes of meetings of the Drug Addiction Working Party (1959).

Alcoholism study A CE G 44 Correspondence concerning proposed study group on alcoholism, including material regarding the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust's Steering Group on Alcoholism (1959-1960).

Flumidin trial A CE G 45 Reports and correspondence concerning trial of 'Flumidin' organised by Bayer Products Ltd. (1959-1960).

Cancer Study Group A CE G 46 Reports and correspondence of Cancer Study Group (1960-1967).

Glaucoma survey A CE G 47 Correspondence concerning glaucoma survey (1960).

Tamar Valley Soil study papers A CE G 48 Reports and correspondence concerning study of the consequences for human health of the mineral composition (particularly lead concentrations) of soil in the Tamar Valley (1963-1964).

Hernia study A CE G 49 Reports and correspondence concerning study of hernia conducted by Dr. E. Gancz of the South-East England Faculty (1963-1966).

Roadside Lead survey A CE G 50 Reports and correspondence concerning comparative study of levels of lead concentration in roadside privets near Newcastle, Falmouth and Tavistock (1963-1966).

Multiple Sclerosis study A CE G 51 Reports and correspondence concerning study of multiple Sclerosis.

Air Pollution study A CE G 52 Reports and correspondence concerning a study of air pollution in London and Sheffield (1964-1966).

Linkage study A CE G 53 Correspondence concerning studies of linkage of medical records conducted by the College Records Unit (in North Staffordshire) and the Northern Ireland Faculty (1964-1966).

Mental Illness survey A CE G 54 Reports and correspondence concerning survey of mental illness (1964-1965).

Nurse referral study A CE G 55 Reports and correspondence concerning study of general practitioners' patterns of nurse referral (1964-1967).

Nutrition in Pregnancy survey A CE G 56 Reports and correspondence concerning survey of nutrition in pregnancy conducted by the College in conjunction with the Ministry of Health (1964-1966).

Records Summary Card A CE G 57 Reports and correspondence concerning development of a records summary card ('S' card) by the College Records and Statistical Unit (1956-1968).

Diabetes Survey Working Party A CE G 58 Reports and correspondence of Diabetes Study Working Party (1962-1968).

Congenital Abnormalities survey A CE G 59 Reports and correspondence concerning a survey of congenital abnormalities (1960-1966).

Epsom College survey A CE G 60 Papers concerning health survey of Epsom College schoolchildren (1965).

Nutrition and Disease study A CE G 61 Reports and correspondence concerning a 'longitudinal' study of nutrition and disease, particularly dietary sugar, conducted by Prof. J. Yudkin (1965).

.Trace Element Uptake study A CE G 62 Reports and correspondence concerning study of mineral trace element uptake in vegetation conducted by the College in conjunction with the Chester Beatty Research Institute (1965-1966).

Schizophrenia study A CE G 63 Reports and correspondence concerning study of schizophrenia (1966-1970).

Welsh Soils Discussion Group A CE G 64 Reports and correspondence of Welsh Soils Discussion Group of University College of North Wales (1967-1971).

Urban Mineralization Study A CE G 65 Reports and correspondence concerning study of mineral composition of the soil in the Birmingham urban area (1972).

Viral Diseases in Pregnancy study A CE G 66 Reports and correspondence concerning a study of viral diseases in pregnancy (1972).

Meldon Reservoir study A CE G 67 Reports and correspondence concerning mineral trace elements in the Meldon Reservoir (formerly West Okemont Valley) (1968-1972).

Scientific Foundation Board A CE G 68 Records relating to the Scientific Foundation Board. (1976-1993).

Register of midwifery cases, 1847-1873, comprising a printed introduction to the layout of the volume; a periodoscope, a circular disc used to calculate the period of pregnancy and date of conception; and detailed midwifery case notes.

Presidents' correspondence and copy papers, and final report of the RCOG working party on screening for neural tube defects, 1977-1981.

Papers of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' Stillbirth and neonatal death/management of perinatal deaths working party, comprising background papers and correspondence, 1983-1984; President's background papers and correspondence, 1978-1985; Committee chairman's correspondence and papers on publication of report, 1984-1986; background literature and chairman's papers, 1983-1984; Chairman's correspondence and papers, 1984-1985; Report of the RCOG Working Party on the Management of Perinatal Deaths, with circulation list, 1985; minute book of the working party, 1984.

Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality in England, Scotland and Wales: report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists working party, Jan 1996.

Correspondence, papers and final report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists working party on ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities, 1994-1997, and of the supplementary working group, 1998-2000.

Correspondence, minutes and final report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) working party on unplanned pregnancy, 1970-1972.

Minutes, papers and correspondence relating to the RCOG working party on unplanned pregnancy, drafts and comments on the report and the report itself, 1988-1992.