Sources Guides list

Sources Guide: Disabilities

Societies and Associations

Wellcome archives

Other collections

Further information about the materials mentioned below can be found on the Archives and Manuscripts Online Catalogue

In some cases the full detailed catalogues of archive collections are not yet in this online database: hard copy versions are available in the Rare Materials Room of the Library and on request to archs+mss@wellcome.ac.uk

  
Societies and Associations

ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH INTO RESTRICTED GROWTH (f. 1969) SA/RRG
Small group of papers, 1969-88, of this organisation set up to deal with the problems of individuals suffering from a range of disorders leading to restricted growth

ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH (1902-1974) AND THE COUNTY MEDICAL OFFICERS GROUP OF THE SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH SA/CMO Also the successor ASSOCIATION OF AREA MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH (f.1974) SA/AMO
Files cover all aspects of work of the CMO and AMO: incomplete but include 1960s correspondence re training of staff for care of mentally subnormal, observations of Mental Health Act etc.

ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH AND RESIDENTIAL CARE OFFICERS (f.1898, diss.1984) SA/AHR
Members involved in residential care, mostly of children and aged, and hospital administration. Correspondence with outside bodies and returns from MOHs re training of staff at centres for the mentally subnormal, 1960.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS (f. 1936) SA/BAO
Records of the English Association, from 1936, and of the merged (English/Scottish Association), from 1974-97

BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SA/BMA
Files include minutes and papers of the Mental Deficiency Committee 1930-32; other mental health issues, sterilization of mentally deficient, Infantile Paralysis Fellowship, deafness, Disabled Persons Act, welfare of the blind, etc.
NB The CMAC only holds part of the BMA archive c.1915-60: the BMA retains most of it.

CHARTERED SOCIETY OF PHYSIOTHERAPISTS (f.1895) SA/CSP
Started as the Society of Trainee Masseuses, includes records of the Society of Remedial Gymnasts and East Surrey Mobile Physiotherapy Unit Ltd.

CHILD ACCIDENT PREVENTION TRUST (f.1979) SA/CAP
Correspondence, reports, newscuttings, etc. re CAPT conference 'Disability: the long term consequences of accidents' marking the International Year of Disabled People, 1979-1981

EUGENICS SOCIETY (f.1907) SA/EUG
Work covers many aspects of concern with issues relating to the mentally and physically 'unfit'. Files re the proposed Feeble-minded Control Bill, 1910-11, sterilization of the 'unfit', the Problem Families Committee 1947, family charts, pedigrees, photographs of mentally deficient children.
Access only with permission of the Galton Institute.
PLEASE NOTE: this collection is being digitised and parts of it will be unavailable during the process. Check the schedule for further information.

FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION (f.1930) SA/FPA
Records cover issues of eugenics, birth control, fertility and sterilization. Involvement with child welfare centres, Medical Officers of Health, bodies such as the National Association for Mental Health, and local health authorities.

GENETIC ALLIANCE UK (f.1989) SA/GIG
Founded to give a voice to those people affected by genetic conditions; minutes, annual reports, newsletters and other publications, 1989-2010

HEALTH VISITORS ASSOCIATION (f.1896) SA/HVA
Records cover aspects of domiciliary care of the disabled, particularly from 1948 onwards.

MEDICAL WOMEN’S FEDERATION (f.1916) SA/MWF
A few files on matters to do with disability, 1950s-1970s

MENTAL AFTERCARE ASSOCIATION (f.1879 as the Association for the After Care of Friendless and Poor Females Convalescing from Mental Illness) SA/MAC
Annual reports, 1887-1993, minutes, 1913-, correspondence about homes and administration 1940s-, plus patient case agendas, scrapbooks and photographs.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY (f.1953) SA/MSS
HQ and branch files, also files re the International Federation of Multiple Sclerosis Societies, 1953-76.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF CONSUMPTION AND OTHER FORMS OF TUBERCULOSIS (f. 1899), successor and associated bodies SA/NPT
Ran various schemes for suitable occupational training of the tuberculous, as well as providing sanatorium treatment and grants for sufferers, aftercare facilities, etc.

NATIONAL BIRTHDAY TRUST FUND (f.1928) SA/NBT
Surveys on cerebral palsy, 1940s-50s and "mongolism" 1940s-1960s and subject files on congenital malformations and similar topics 1950s-1960s

PATIENTS’ ASSOCIATION SA/PAT
Some material relating to health services for people with disabilities and people suffering from medical injury in section D, 1970s-90s

RESEARCH BOARD FOR THE CORRELATION OF MEDICAL SCIENCE AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION (f.1942, closed 1956) SA/RBC
Records of research into health in many areas, 1943-1955, include observations and recommendations re rehabilitation in industry and in the armed forces

SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH (f. 1856) SA/SMO
The sphere of activity of MosH, which changed and expanded considerably over the period of the Society’s existence, included a number of responsibilities relevant to various forms of disability, reflected in this collection, including material on employment and training schemes

STRANGEWAYS RESEARCH LABORATORY (f.1905) SA/SRL
Includes correspondence with various bodies re arthritis and rheumatism research.

WORLD FEDERATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS: institutional records, 1950-2007 SA/WFO

 
Wellcome archives

Archives of the Historical Medical Museum, 1899-1985, WA/HMM, include material on various disabling conditions and correspondence with philanthropic bodies.

 
Other collections

Robina Scott ADDIS (1900-1986), social worker PP/ADD
Papers covering aspects of the domiciliary care of those with physical and mental problems

Sir Francis AVERY–JONES (1910–1998) GC/198
Correspondence re the use of the ‘Thumb Stick’ as a walking aid, 1990-1

Arthur Sydney Blundell BANKART MA, MCh, FRCS (1879-1951) Orthopaedic Surgeon PP/ABB
Material relating to the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions and orthopaedic surgery 1911-40s

William Henry BRADLEY (1898-1975) PP/JRH
Material acquired as Principal Medical Officer, MOH, on polio, 1940s-50s

Allan BROMAN (1861-1947) GC/6
'Notes on medical gymnastics' including case histories 1885-1901 for rehabilitation treatment following illness or accident and for postural defects.

Sir Richard CAVE (1912-1988) GC/220
Files on his philanthropic activities include Disabled Christians Fellowship, International Holiday Camp & Rally for the Disabled, and Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for the Disabled

CHARTERHOUSE RHEUMATISM CLINIC GC/47
Miscellaneous items relating to the clinic, established in Southwark in 1928.

Sir Weldon DALRYMPLE-CHAMPNEYS (1892-1980) GC/139
Material re Haemophilia Society, 1957-67.

Grantley DICK READ (1890-1959) PP/GDR
Notes, correspondence, cuttings, pamphlets, etc, re cerebral palsy, 1952-8

‘THE EXPANDING FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH’ MS.7913
58 papers and associated material on mental health development, collected and edited by Dr Doris Odlum and Alexander Walk, 1960-8

George Robert FRASER (1932-) PP/GRF
Papers of this geneticist include material relating to his research on severe deafness and visual defect in childhood and on ‘cretinism’ as well as other genetic conditions, 1861-2007

Rudolph Karl FREUDENBERG (1908–1983): Materials relating to the introduction of occupational and art therapy into Netherne Hospital, and the preparation of long-stay mental patients for living in the community; and work with organisations dealing with care in the community and various issues to do with mental patients, 1950s–70s PP/RKF

Sir Ludwig GUTTMAN (1899-1980) PP/GUT
Papers, including numerous photographs, relating to his pioneering work at Stoke Mandeville, and its international impact, in the treatment and rehabilitation of paraplegics and the development of sport for the disabled, 1940s-70s

Noel Gordon HARRIS (1897-1963) PP/NGH
Psychiatrist involved in policy-making in psychiatry, c.1943-1963, in particular Royal Medico-Psychological Association and Joint Liaison Committee on Mental Health Legislation 1958. Plus notes on treatment of mental diseases, writings, and material from mental patients.

Sir Henry HEAD, FRS (1861-1940) PP/HEA
Self-observation of Parkinson's disease, and reports on examination of Lourdes pilgrims in 1895.

HOLMLEIGH AUXILIARY MILITARY HOSPITAL GC/20
WWI admission and discharge registers, and narratives of wounded patients.

Donald HUNTER CBE,FRCP (1898-1978) PP/HUN
Author of Diseases of Occupation, his papers include case records and photographs of patients at the London Hospital, 1905-68.

Sir Thomas LEWIS (1881-1945) PP/LEW
WWI research on `soldier's heart', and corresp with Ministry of Pensions and Disabilities Cttee, 1920; WWII research on vascular injuries.

Ronald MACKEITH (1908-1977) PP/MKH/D
Papers relating to his work (and some material of his successor), as director of the Medical Education and Information Unit (MEIU) at The Spastics Society, 1959-98

Sir Peter MEDAWAR FRS,OM (1915-87) PP/PBM
Research work, including multiple sclerosis, and personal papers as a paraplegic from 1969 when he suffered a stroke.

NAPSBURY MENTAL HOSPITAL GC/135
Studies of cases of cerebral tumour 1935, and a number of papers on the psychiatric repercussions, questions of rehabilation, etc, for various war-related disabilites 1927-56

Frederick PARKES-WEBER (1863-1962) PP/FPW
Specialist in rare diseases whose detailed notes and photographs include various mental and physical disorders.

THE ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS MUNIMENT COLLECTION RAMC
Diaries, memoirs, correspondence and photographs of officers and men of the Army Medical Services, 19th-20th centuries; also some unit records and photo albums, including Army Medical Rehabilitation Centre, 1956-68. See under `Military medicine' in RAMC index.

Robert Henry Stewart THOMPSON (1912-1998) PP/RHT/D
Material relating to his research on multiple sclerosis, 1969-91

THE HOSPITAL RECORDS DATABASE
A database maintained by the Wellcome and The National Archives, searchable by name of hospital or town. Currently has information on location and main series of records held by c. 3000 hospitals in UK. Searches on type of hospital e.g. pre or post 1948 mental/psychiatry, can be undertaken by Archives and Manuscripts ( archs+mss@wellcome.ac.uk).