This archive consists of letters primarily by Josephine Butler, but also by key members of her family (such as her husband) and by colleagues and friends (such as Henry Wilson). Josephine Butler was a Victorian social reformer who campaigned against prostitution and the Contagious Diseases Acts (1864,1866 and 1869). In addition to the original letters held by The Women's Library, this archive includes photocopies of correspondence held at the University of Liverpool Special Collections.

At some point (probably in the 1960s) the correspondence held at The Women's Library was placed in chronological order. Prior to the collection being copied to microfiche (possibly in the 1980s), the photocopies from Liverpool were interleaved. Also interleaved and copied to microfiches were abstracts and administrative history notes made by Miss Burton, a member of the Fawcett Library.

The online catalogue includes the index of who the letters were to and from; the date of the letter; abstracts of each individual letter; and the administrative history and biographical notes made by Miss Burton.

The catalogue supercedes the original finding aid, a card index of correspondents that was available in The Women's Library Reading Room. The collection is available on microfiche in the Reading Room.

Henry J Wilson was Honorary Secretary of the Northern Counties Electoral League For The Repeal Of The Contagious Diseases Acts. There are a number of letters in the Josephine Butler Letters Collection which relate to the Northern Counties Electoral League. These letters bear Henry J Wilson's usual stamp for those files and his reference numbers (marked in blue pencil). At some stage his copies of letters were removed from his personal archive and placed in the Josephine Butler Letters Collection. Readers should also look at 3HJW for further records re the Northern Counties League.

Some of the copy letters are very faint, both on the microfiche and in the original. These are primarily letters that were copied using a 'wet' process. A thin sheet of tissue paper was damped and blotted over the original letter. This took a pale, often fuzzy copy of the letter, which was read 'through' the tissue. As well as being very faint these copies are very fragile.

ABBREVIATIONS:

CD / CDA Contagious Diseases Act

'RR' in the notes refers to 'Rough Record' a copy of which is available in the library, [search Printed Collections Catalogue for 'Keyword' for 'Rough Record'.]

Papers of or relating to Sir Benjamin Brodie comprising case notes taken by Brodie as House Surgeon at St George's Hospital, 1805-1851, and include details of experiments on guinea pigs, 1817-1826 and notes of lectures on madness delivered by Dr Sutherland at St Luke's Hospital, 1851; surgical cases and commentaries by Brodie, 1805-1807 (2 volumes); hospital notes, 1813-1816; case books, 1821-1834, including letter from Mrs Marion Warren Harries, St Thomas' Rectory, Haverfordwest, requesting new prescription for her throat, 29 Dec 1840; case notes, 1824-1827; note book containing extracts from Wallace Dublin on venereal disease, 1833, and case notes 1827-1828; case notes, 1849; case notes, 1839-1854 (3 volumes); case notes, 1829-1830, 1838-1839, 1854 (4 volumes); case notes of Hugh Rowen, 73 Henry Street, 1815; case book, 1820-1860. Lectures and related notes, comprising 'An essay on the principles of science', read to the Academical Society, 1802; 'Analysis of the principal memoirs of the French Academy of Surgery', 1808; 'An introduction to comparative anatomy and physiology', introductory lectures delivered at the Royal College of Surgeon, 1816; introductory lecture of anatomy and physiology, 1820; notes of lectures on anatomy, 1820; notes of lectures delivered by Brodie, taken by Gregory Smith, 1827 (4 volumes); notes of lectures delivered by Brodie, taken by Henry Johnson, 1830; notebook containing: 42 lectures, undated, lecturers name not given, including clinical lectures by Brodie, 1839-1840; introductory discourse to the students of St George's, 1843, including testimonial given by Brodie to Dr Morson, 12 Dec 1834; 'Psychologia', 1851; physiological experiments and observations, 1810-1817; selections from notes of Brodie's physiological experiments and observations, 1812-1826; notes of lectures on the practice of medicine, 1816; notes of symptoms, 18th-19th centuries; commonplace book, undated. Other material, comprising notes of anatomical lectures delivered by Thomas Tatum and Henry James Johnson, taken by John Morgan, School of Anatomy, Kinnerton Street, 1837-1839; notes of lectures on structural anatomy and physiology delivered at the Hunterian School of Medicine by William Vesalius Pettigrew, 1840-1846; copy of an address presented by the students of St George's to G G Babington on his retirement as Surgeon to St George's, with his reply, 1843; testimonial presented to George D Pollock, on his retirement as Consulting Surgeon to St George's, 1882; notes taken by Dr Charles Slater while attending a course in bacteriology at the Pasteur Institute, 1893; case notes of Dr Marriott Fawckner Nicholls, 1933-1934.

Note: this collection is currently on loan to the Royal College of Surgeons.

Minutes of National Council for Combatting Venereal Diseases (later the British Social Hygiene Council) including of Annual and Executive meetings, and other committees, sub-committees, standing committees and advisory boards, 1914-1957; also London and Home Counties Branch/Committee minutes, 1917-1940; a few financial records, 1942-1952; and journal Health and Empire, 1926-1940; pamphlets and similar literature of the NCCVD and related organisations, 1913-1918, n.d..

Papers of the British Medical Association compring files [1915-1960], from the following subject series: Medico-Political, Science, Groups, Ethics, Public Health, Hospitals, Organisation. Also incomplete set of copy minutes of Council, Committees and of the Annual Representatives' Meetings and Special Representatives' Meetings, [1907-1982].

Archive of the British Humanist Association, including: papers of the British Humanist Association and it's predecessors bodies, The Union of Ethical Societies, The Ethical Union and the Humanist Association,1887 - c.2001; papers of the Humanist Trust, 1958 - 1996; papers of groups affiliated to the British Humanist Association and it's predecessor bodies, The Union of Ethical Societies and The Ethical Union, 1892 - 2007; Uncatalogued material of the British Humanist Association, c.2000-2014. (1887-2014)

The archive consists of Annual Reports (1875-1880), Executive Committee (1887-1888) and British Committee (1890-1915) minutes with British Committee Chairperson's Book and Log (1897-1903), circulars (1909), pamphlet (1896), indexes to pamphlets (1874-1909) and indexes to Henry J Wilson files, an 'inwards' letter-book including an envelope containing copies of correspondence with government (1893), a letter-book of correspondence from India and a report compiled by Dr Kate Bushell and Mrs Andrews during a visit there (1891-1896).

Papers of Sir George Ballingall, 1808-1852, including correspondence and papers collected by Ballingall, used to illustrate his lectures at Edinburgh University; correspondence with David Barry (1780-1835) FRS, on colon inflammation and other matters; letters, memoranda and case studies on venereal disease, amputations and other surgical procedures, army and navy punishments, hospital conditions and tropical medicine including with Sir Andrew Halliday (1781-1839) and Joshua Brookes (1761-1833) and printed material with diagrams of litters for troops in India.

Subject files of the Association of District Councils (ADC), comprising:

• the Council of the ADC's Reviews of the Structure of the ADC, 1987-1989, 1993;
• files of the Environmental Health committee, on AIDS, 1990-1995, Nuclear Power and Nuclear Issues, 1990-1995, and Genetic Manipulation, 1990-1992;
• files of the Housing committee, on Homelessness, 1991-1995;
• files of the Planning committee, on Gypsies, 1990-1995;
• files of the Selection committee, on the Rights of Way Review Committee, 1992-1995, and Common Land, 1990-1992.

These records contain material dealing with all aspects of County Medical Officers' work. The broad categories are: minutes, 1902-1907 and 1918-1974; correspondence, 1939-1974; plus a few photographs and miscellaneous items, 1905-1972.

Among the papers are several boxes of records generated by Dr Ramage's role as Association of County Medical Officers of Health representative on the Public Health and Housing (subsequently Health and Welfare) Committee of the County Councils Association. These consist of minutes and other circulated papers and subject files of correspondence, etc. As these records are not duplicated in the holdings of the Association of County Councils (formerly the County Councils Association) they have been retained as of considerable interest on local government health matters.

Archive, 1932-2002, of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI), also including some material relating to the history of anaesthesia dating back to 1848:

Council minutes, 1932-1995; Annual General Meeting minutes, 1932-1988, 1997, and various other papers, 1934-1995 (with gaps); Advisory Committee minutes, 1978-1984, and papers, 1987; papers of various other committees, including the Safety Committee, Education and Research Committee, Archives, Library and Museum Committee, International Relations Committee, and Finance Committee.

Records of the Group of Anaesthetists in Training (GAT), including yearbook, 1993, 1995, 1997; GAT committee election papers, 1998-1999; circulated papers concerning 'New Deal Working Patterns', 1997.

List of Linkmen, 1995-1997; Linkmen's newsletter, 1995-1997, 1999.

Papers on constitutional matters, including transcript of grant of arms, 1945; constitution, 1962; amendments to rules, 1971 and undated; report on the constitution of the Council, 1974; printed Memorandum of Association [after 1981] and Memorandum and Articles of Association, 1985; copy of coat of arms, 1991; papers on composition of Council, its sub-committees and working parties, 1992-1993; Standing Committee in the Republic of Ireland constitution, 1997.

Album containing photographs and obituaries of Presidents, 1932-2002; Presidents' newsletters, 1970-1971, 1978; miscellaneous Presidential correspondence, including letters from HRH Princess Margaret (Patron of AAGBI), 1990-1998; list of Presidents (1932-1992), 1993; undated album containing photographs and biographies of officers; papers relating to elections, 1984-1998.

Annual reports, 1933-1999 (with gaps), including lists of members to 1969.

Papers relating to membership, including material on Fellowships, 1946-1949, 1953, honorary membership, 1987-1996, and subscription rates, [1991]-1995; lists of members, 1976-1995 (with gaps).

Accounts, 1983; directors' report and accounts, 1987-1995 (with gaps); financial papers, including charitable donations, 1991, 1995-1996.

Printed or typescript reports of the AAGBI, its Working Parties, or Irish Standing Committee, 1963-1997, on subjects including staffing and manpower, anaesthetists' workload, stress, the Lewin Report (1970) on the organisation and staffing of operating departments, provision of anaesthetic services and accommodation, private fees, dental anaesthetics and anaesthesia in general practice, day case anaesthesia, paediatric anaesthetic practice, management of trauma, intensive care, management of pain, use of drugs, anaphylactic shock, HIV and other viruses, anaesthetic equipment, recovery facilities, standards of monitoring, and other professional techniques and practices.

Publications of AAGBI, comprising guidelines, booklets and leaflets (largely aimed at Anaesthetists), 1975-1998, on subjects including anaesthetists' workloads, career appointments, professional references, fees for and conduct of private anaesthetic practice, anaphylaxis under general anaesthesia, prescription of Noscapine, consent forms, checklist for anaesthetic machines, standards of monitoring, obstetrics, intensive care, AIDS and Hepatitis B, and other professional matters; also including some information leaflets on anaesthesia aimed at the general public.

Programme of the first Scientific Meeting, 1957; papers on the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM), 1991-1997; papers on the Winter Scientific Meeting (WSM), 1992-1997; papers, including programmes and minutes, relating to various other AAGBI meetings, seminars, training events, lectures, dinners and other events, 1958-1998, including some joint events with other bodies, and some events relating to the history of anaesthesia rather than its current practice. Papers of the GAT ASM and annual Linkman Conference, 1995-1998, including some sound and video recordings, 1997. Ephemera and other material relating to events, including congratulatory address on the silver jubilee from the Finnish Society of Anaesthetists, 1957; historical note on AAGBI for the golden jubilee, 1982; diamond jubilee flag, 1992; ephemera relating to various social events, 1967-1998; menus for AAGBI Ancient Brethren Luncheon, 1995-1997; visitors' books, 1951-1972, 1984.

Various papers relating to honours and prizes awarded by the AAGBI, 1946-1998, including the Sir Ivan Magill Gold Medal and John Snow Silver Medal, John Snow lecture, and Pask Certificate of Honour; undergraduate prize essays, 1987-1997 (with gaps); entries for the AAGBI Safety Prize, 1995, 1997; reports and papers of recipients of travel grants and scholarships, 1997-1998.

Papers, 1984-1987, including correspondence, plans, press cuttings and other printed material, relating to the appeal for funds, acquisition and opening of the new AAGBI headquarters at no 9 Bedford Square, London, including material relating to the earlier history of the premises.

Papers, 1953-1995, relating to the King collection of historic apparatus, including its acquisition, and to the administration of the AAGBI museum, archives and library, including advertisements for museum exhibitions on the history of anaesthesia, 1991-1997 (with gaps), and offprint of K Bryn Thomas's 'The A Charles King collection of early anaesthetic apparatus', Anaesthesia, vol 25 no 4, October 1970.

Papers, 1947-1999, on professional issues accumulated by the AAGBI, relating to anaesthetics but also touching on wider medical issues, including papers of AAGBI working parties on professional topics, and also papers and publications, for instance reports and discussion documents, produced by government bodies (e.g. NHS Executive and Audit Commission) and by other medical organisations, including other professional bodies representing anaesthetists in the UK and overseas, among them papers relating to the implications of the creation of a College of Anaesthetists and the structure of anaesthetic organisation, 1974-1979.

Various papers relating to international conferences, 1978-1999, including joint meetings of the AAGBI.

Papers, 1857-1998, relating to the history of anaesthetics, including material on eminent anaesthetists, such as Sir Ivan Magill, John Snow and Sir Robert Macintosh, and the restoration of graves of some eminent anaesthetists; anniversaries in the history of anaesthesia including the 150th anniversary of the first public administration of ether at Massachusetts General Hospital (1846); the history of anaesthetic apparatus; a letter written at Lucknow, India, concerning an amputation, 1857; memoirs including Vernon Hall's Reminiscences and Anaesthesia in India 1939-1946 (privately published, 1997); published items including copies of articles on chloroform and vinic ether, 1875, and vapour of aether, 1933, and a facsimile edition, 1996, of Allen & Hanburys Ltd catalogue of anaesthetic and oxygen apparatus (1938); material relating to the history of the AAGBI, including its coat of arms.

Miscellaneous printed items relating to other organisations, 1987-1997, including the Pain Society.

The archive consists of:

GB 160 AMS/A - Administrative records (1897-2006): Executive Committee minutes; Minutes of Sub-committees; Minutes of Annual General Meetings; Financial records; Constitutional and organisational papers; Correspondence; Papers relating to the Josephine Butler Collection.

GB 160 AMS/B - Enquiries and Campaigns (1824-1999): Memorial of the Contagious Diseases Acts; Canvassing Parliamentary candidates regarding solicitation laws; Ten Towns Enquiry; Solicitation (papers and publications on amending solicitation laws eg Street Offences Act 1959); Venereal diseases; Procuration; Armed Forces; Seamen in ports; Sexual morality; Women in the Colonial Office / Colonies Service Committee; Traffic in Women; Employment of Women Police; Russian Women's Hostel in Shanghai; Executive Committee Correspondence; Sexual offences and age of consent; Prostitution; Mrs Bligh Scrutton's papers; Female circumcision; Human rights (majority of papers relate to Human Rights Year 1968); Women's Action Group; Correspondence and reports of W Moody; Press cuttings

GB 160 AMS/C - International work : India (1867-1979): Acts, Regulations and Parliamentary Papers; Correspondence and papers of Henry J Wilson; 1893 Cantonments enquiry; Secretary's India files 1913-1925; Meliscent Shephard: correspondence 1928-1946; Organisation of the work in India 1929-1937; Papers relating to work in Bombay (1878-1934), Ceylon (1899-1955), Madras, Mysore, Delhi, Calcutta (1929-1939); Association for Moral and Social Hygiene in India (1943-1979)

GB 160 AMS/D - International work : other countries (1869-1970): Papers concern the international work of the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene in opposing the state regulation of prostitution (apart from India). Material consists of fact-finding (reports, enactments and press cuttings) and action (memoranda, articles and correspondence). Countries: Africa, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, British Guyana, Canada, China, Colonies, Congo, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Ireland, Ethiopia, Germany, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Mui Tsai in Hong Kong and Malaya, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel [Palestine], Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Rangoon (Burma), Romania, Seychelles, Singapore and Malaya, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tangier, Turkey, Uganda, USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), United States of America, Uruguay, West Indies

GB 160 AMS/E - Papers relating to the International Abolitionist Federation (1876-1999): Minutes of meetings of the International Committee and of the Executive Bureau of the International Abolitionist Federation; Reports; Papers relating to Congresses of the Federation and other related conferences; Correspondence concerning the publication of Congress proceedings; Papers relating to Constitutional reform; Publications

GB 160 AMS/F - Other organisations (1948-1997): Papers relating to: Anti-Slavery Society for the Protection of Human Rights and their relations with Minority Rights Group, Interights, Liberty, Human Rights Network; British Council of Churches; British Federation against the Venereal Diseases; British Social Biology Council and British Social Hygiene Council (both formally the National Council for Combatting Venereal Diseases); Commonwealth Countries' League; Commonwealth Secretariat; European Parliament; International Council of Women; Mothers' Union; National Council for Voluntary Organisations; National Council of Women; Status of Women Committee; United Nations including the United Nations Status of Women Commission and United Nations Association (UNA) Women's Advisory Council (WAC); Wel-Care; The Women's Council (co-operating with Women of Asia); Women's Freedom League; Women's National Commission; Papers relating to French organisations; publications

GB 160 AMS/G - Photographs (c 1850-1997): Portraits of Josephine Butler; Representations of Josephine Butler; Photographs of the Butler family; Individual portraits; Group portraits; Photographs of buildings associated with Josephine Butler

GB 160 AMS/H - Memorials and centenaries (1882-1983): Josephine Butler Centenary Memorial at Westminster Abbey in 1928; Josephine Butler Memorial Appeal and setting up the Josephine Butler Fellowship; post-centenary memorials (Chrystal MacMillan Memorial, Centenary Dinner of Association for Moral and Social Hygiene, 150th anniversary of birth of Josephine Butler in 1978); Alison Neilans's anniversary and memorials

GB 160 AMS/I - Publicity (1947-2006): Papers relating to the Josephine Butler Society publications 'Newsletter' and 'News and Views'; papers relating to articles written about the Josephine Butler Society in journals or newspapers; material concerning radio and television broadcasts about the Josephine Butler Society or film proposals about the life of Josephine Butler

GB 160 AMS/J - Josephine Butler miscellanea (1873-1993): Manuscript material by Josephine Butler; Printed material by Josephine Butler; Material relating to death of Josephine Butler; Articles about Josephine Butler; Material about the Grey Family; Representations of Josephine Butler; Play and screenplay about Josephine Butler; Audio cassette

GB 160 AMS/K-L Objects and Paintings are uncatalogued

GB 160 AMS/M - Publications (1847-1960) (Please note that publications can be found throughout this collection): Acts and statutory instruments; various pages from House of Commons Parliamentary Debates: Hansard; 3 volumes 'Social Evil Extracts'; 3 volumes of reports, press cuttings, flyers and posters

GB 160 AMS/N - Press cuttings (1950-1970) (Please note that press cuttings can be found throughout this collection): These press cuttings are uncatalogued

This catalogue includes material previously referenced as 3/AMS2 and 3/JBS/2.

This archive contains many publications. Any duplicates have been removed and can be consulted in The Women's Library Printed Collection. A note to this effect is made in the archive description.

Papers of Thomas Anwyl-Davies, comprising photograph albums of exterior and interior scenes of St Thomas's Hospital, 1910-1917, compiled whilst a student and House Surgeon at St Thomas's, including photographs of staff, sports teams and surgical operations; albums of press cuttings, [1918-1965], relating to venereal disease, his work at St Thomas's Hospital Department of Venereal Diseases and London Hospital (Whitechapel) Clinic for Venereal Diseases, copies of some of his articles and lectures on venereal disease, press cuttings relating to the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund.

Files produced by, and sent to, the AIDS and Social Policy Group of the Family Planning Association in the 1980s and early 1990s. The collection contains correspondence, press releases, minutes of meetings and studies on AIDS.