College records relating to the foundation of 'Birthright' (later 'Wellbeing') and its relationship to the College

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 1538 RCOG/D5
Held at	: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/library-services/archives-and-heritage/archives/ ›
Full title	: College records relating to the foundation of 'Birthright' (later 'Wellbeing') and its relationship to the College
Date(s)	: 1969-1979
Level of description	: fonds
Extent	: 2 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

In 1964, obstetrician Professor Will Nixon set up the 'Childbirth Research Centre', after witnessing the grief of a young man whose wife had died during childbirth. Professor Nixon was director of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at University College Hospital, London for over twenty years. Leading members of the medical profession including Lord Brain, Sir John Peel, Professor Dugald Baird and Sir George Pinker founded CRC as a registered charity in October 1964. They were very disturbed by the lack of scientific and medical research into the causes and prevention of abnormalities in pregnancy, childbirth and infancy. In 1972, the name was changed to 'Birthright' 'The National Fund for Childbirth Research' in order to reflect the national activities of the charity both in terms of fundraising and research. In April 1975 Birthright agreed to work with The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) to improve women's health. Birthright worked in partnership with the RCOG as a fundraising and research organisation to promote research in obstetrics and gynaecology and related subjects, particularly research into the prevention of birth defects.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists relating to the foundation of 'Birthright' (later 'Wellbeing') and its relationship to the College, 1969-1979, comprising the Presidents' collection of correspondence and papers as President of Birthright, the Honorary Treasurers' papers, agenda and minutes of meetings, accounts and publicity material.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Open, although restrictions apply for items containing personal information.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Finding aids:

RCOG/B3/2 have been indexed and the names of successful candidates will be found in the Index to the Guide to the College Archives.

Archival Information

Archival history:

An artificial series of records which was originally catalogued as RCOG/K; the records were removed from the papers of College Presidents and grouped because of their subject matter, prior to transfer to the Archives.

Immediate source of acquisition:

It is probable that C7/1-3 were removed from President's correspondence files. The records at C7/4-5 were transferred to the Archives by the Committee Secretary, Administration Department. The 1993 report on GP vocational training in obstetrics and gynaecology (C7/5) was found amongst President's papers for that year.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Imported from the RCOG catalogue and edited by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions:
General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal Place and Corporate Names 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
Import: Oct 2008; edit: Feb 2009.