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Wellcome Library

Group Analytic Society


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0120 SA/GAS

Held at: Wellcome Library

Title: Group Analytic Society

Date(s): 1948-2003

Level of description: Collection (fonds)

Extent: 43 boxes and 14 transfer boxes

Name of creator(s): Group Analytic Society
Institute of Group Analysis
Trust for Group Analysis

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Group-Analytic Society (London) (GAS) was established in 1952 by S.H. Foulkes (SHF), Elizabeth Marx (ETF), Dr. James Anthony, Dr Patrick De Mare, W. H. R. Iliffe, Mrs M. L. J. Abercrombie and Dr Norbert Elias. Its objectives were to formalise the arrangements for co-operation and discussion which already existed between them; to provide a focus for the teaching and training in group analysis which they were undertaking separately in various teaching hospitals; to stimulate research and publication; and to create a centre for scientific meetings and workshops. In 1971 the Society delegated responsibility for training and qualifications in group analysis to the Institute of Group Analysis (IGA) while the Trust for Group Analysis (TGA), a charitable body, was formed to handle the finances of GAS, IGA and the Society's journal. This was dissolved in 1981 and GAS and IGA became registered charities in their own right.

SHF was President of GAS until 1970. ETF, his wife, was Honorary Administrative Secretary of GAS from its early days, and was later Membership Secretary and Vice-President and a Trustee of the TGA.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

The collection documents the work of the Group Analytic Society, the Institute of Group Analysis and the Trust for Group Analysis, 1950-2003. It includes unsigned minutes and committee papers, details of scientific and training activities, financial and administrative papers, some correspondence and a series of taped interviews about the early history of group analysis.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English and German

System of arrangement:

It has been difficult to establish the original order of the papers. Coherent files have been treated as such but loose papers and those contained in files labelled "miscellaneous," "unsorted" etc have been arranged into files, mainly on the basis of subject. Original file titles, where given, have been indicated in inverted commas; it is difficult to tell whether these represent working titles or titles assigned by those sorting the material at a later date.

SH and Elizabeth Foulkes' papers have been catalogued separately as PP/SHF. For the sake of consistency, documents concerning GAS and IGA in PP/SHF have been added to SA/GAS and documents concerning other areas of their lives have been taken from SA/GAS and added to PP/SHF. There is much overlap between the two collections and readers are advised to consult both.

The collection is divided into sections as follows:
A. Background Information
B. Papers of SHF and ETF: B.1 Formation of Society and Minutes 1950-1970; B.2 Establishment of Trust and Institute 1967-1972; B.3 General Administration and Finance 1952-1968; B.4 Correspondence 1956-1976; B.5 GAS and IGA Activities 1951-1976; B.6 Publications.
C. Papers of Vivienne Cohen: C.1 Constitution, Rules and Membership 1965-1990; C.2 Minutes; C.3 General Correspondence and Memoranda 1972-1987; C.4 General Administration, Finance and Property; C.5 External Issues 1973-1981; C.6 GAS and IGA Activities.
D. Papers of Elizabeth Foulkes: D.1 Trust for Group Analysis 1970-1979; D.2 Group Analytic Society 1970-1992; D.3 Institute for Group Analysis 1975-1988; D.4 GAS/IGA Events and Activities 1974-1986; D.5 Publications; D.6 Miscellaneous.
E. Papers of Sabina Strich: F. Taped Interviews; F.1 Elizabeth Foulkes interviewed by Sabina Strich 1988-1990; F.2 Other interviews conducted by Sabina Strich 1989-1990; F.3 History of Group Analytic Practice 1989-1990; F.4 Other tapes 1983.

Conditions governing access:

Records in C.2/5 are subject to restricted access, as are several records in B/5, D/4 and D/6. Full details are given in the catalogue entries for relevant files. Because of the nature of Foulkes' work, attention is drawn to the Wellcome Library rule that readers shall not publish or communicate to any other person the names or other particulars of individuals named in records which contain information of a private or sensitive nature.

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.

Finding aids:

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

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Until 1987, it would appear that the Society had no record-keeping policy and records were held by individual officers and members. In 1987 the Committee of GAS decided to establish an archive which it was hoped would chronicle the development of group analysis by SHF and the history of GAS and IGA. SHF's personal papers formed the core of the early material, the honorary archivist requested and advertised for donations of further material, and recorded interviews with those whose reminiscences might throw light on developments. Material about the construction of the archive can be found in Section E of the collection. It has not always been possible to determine the exact provenance for the material donated as a result of these efforts, however two main groups have been identified.

In 1989 ETF deposited SHF's papers with the archive. These relate to both SHF's and her own role in GAS, IGA and TGA. These were sorted by Sabina Strich, GAS honorary archivist, and ETF in 1989. Any material which did not relate to SHF's involvement with GAS was amalgamated with SHF's personal papers catalogued separately as PP/SHF Foulkes, Siegmund Heinrich (1898-1976) and Elizabeth Therese Fanny (nee Marx) (1918-2004). The material given to SA/GAS fell into two distinct categories, one representing those papers generated or collected by ETF and SHF during the latter's lifetime and one representing ETF's involvement with the Society after the death of her husband. The latter material included copies of minutes, committee papers, circulars, etc which duplicated those donated by Vivienne Cohen (see below). These have been weeded from the collection, leaving only those papers which appeared to add new material.

Vivienne Cohen (VC) donated much post-1970 material to the GAS archive. She was a trustee of TGA at its establishment in 1970 and represented the trustees on the Council of the IGA, taking a particular interest in the financial affairs of the IGA through membership of the Finance Committee and involvement in fund-raising, interests which continued after the discontinuation of the TGA. She was also active on the Training Committee and Admissions Sub-committee. She was also honorary secretary of GAS until about 1974, having previously been honorary scientific secretary. She was honorary treasurer from 1977 until about 1987. Her papers were kept at her home and were sorted by Terry Lear for his article, "Twenty-five years of the Group-Analytic Society network", Group Analysis (1992).

In addition to these two major record groups, the collection includes a few files from Sabina Strich relating to her involvement with the Regional Training Courses Sub-committee, European Sub-committee and with the GAS, recorded interviews and some meetings registers and other papers from various sources. In 2004, following the death of ETF additional papers relating to GAS and IGA found in SHF and ETF's papers were added to the collection.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers of the Group Analytic Society (GAS) were deposited in the Wellcome Library by Sabina Strich, the Society's Honorary Archivist, in 1993. In 2004, following the death of ETF additional papers relating to GAS and IGA found in SHF and ETF's papers were added to the collection.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material:

In the Wellcome Library: S.H. Foulkes' personal papers are held as PP/SHF and contain material relating to GAS and IGA; readers are strongly advised to consult the catalogues of both collections.

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions: 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.

Date(s) of descriptions: Jan 2008


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Professional practice | Organization and administration | Health services administration | Public administration | Government
Psychoanalysis | Clinical psychology | Psychiatry
Psychology

Personal names

Corporate names
Group Analytic Society

Places