Sources Guides list

Sources Guide: Pressure Groups

aiming at changing the law and/or influencing public opinion

Pressure Groups

Societies and Associations which sometimes acted as pressure groups

Other Collections of Relevance

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

Pressure Groups

ABORTION LAW REFORM ASSOCIATION (f. 1936) SA/ALR
Set up to obtain legalised abortion under hygienic surgical conditions; after 1967 Abortion Act, to defend the terms of this Act and make sure that women have access to safe abortion; records 1930s-80s

ACTION ON SMOKING AND HEALTH (ASH) SA/ASH
Set up in 1971 to education public about the dangers of smoking and to support legislation restricting the marketing of tobacco products: records 1970s-90s

ANIMAL DEFENCE AND ANTI-VIVISECTION SOCIETY GC/52
Minute book of Executive Council, 1911-6 only

BIRTH CONTROL CAMPAIGN (f. 1971) SA/BCC
To obtain free family planning services under the National Health Services and ensure availability of birth control; records 1970s

CHILD ACCIDENT PREVENTION TRUST (f.1979) V
Records include material on its endeavours to bring about environmental changes and better practices to lessen the likelihood of accidents to children, 1977–91

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

HEALTH CONCERN (f.1984/1985) SA/HCN
Small collection of papers relating to this organisation, a pressure group established due to concerns about the future of the NHS as "a non-party organisation to act as an NHS 'watchdog' and to promote the principles on which the NHS was founded" , 1984-1989

NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF VENEREAL DISEASES (f. 1919) SA/PVD
Set up to encourage the use of preventive prophylaxis (rather than treatment subsequent to infection) against venereal diseases, and obtain legislation making this more readily available: records 1930s-40s only

PATIENTS’ ASSOCIATION (f. 1963) SA/PAT
Set up as an independent national voluntary body to protect and develop the interests, rights and well-being of users and potential users of the health services in the UK. In the 1990s became a powerful lobbying group with a corporate affiliate membership scheme. Records, 1960s–90s

POLITICS OF HEALTH GROUP (f. 1977) SA/PHG
Concerned with the effects on health of the 'unequal distribution of resources and power in our society' and ways to improve the situation. Small group of papers and publications, 1970s-80s

RESEARCH DEFENCE SOCIETY SA/RDS
Founded 1882 as the Association for the Advancement of Medicine by Research, in order to promote a positive image of science and resist harassment over animal experimentation. It advises on the grant of licenses for animal experimentation, holds a watching brief on legislation affecting this, and informs the medical profession and the public about the benefits. Records 1870s-1980s.
30 year closure period applies

VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA SOCIETY (formerly EXIT) (f. 1935) SA/VES
Set up to obtain legislation to enable doctors to provide voluntary euthanasia, and allow the incurably ill to die with dignity; also to influence public opinion on the subject. Records 1930s-90s

Societies and Associations which sometimes acted as pressure groups

BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SA/BMA
Besides representing the professional interests of doctors and involvement in the internal policing of the medical profession, was active in campaigning against 'quack' practice and advertising, by various means including producing the publication Secret Remedies: files c. 1900s-60s

BRITISH SOCIAL HYGIENE COUNCIL (formerly NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR COMBATTING VENEREAL DISEASES) (f.1916) SA/BSH
Set up to encourage the government to introduce measures to combat the prevalence of venereal diseases and to educate the public about their extent, inculcating a high standard of personal morality as a long-term solution. Records 1914-50s

EUGENICS SOCIETY (f. 1907) SA/EUG
Though this body largely aimed at promoting public awareness of eugenics, it also engaged in some campaigns to advance relevant legislation , e.g. voluntary sterilisation in the 1930s; the archive includes records of the Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation, 1928-38
Access only with permission of 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 SA/FPA
(f. 1930 as National Birth Control Council, 1931 National Birth Control Association; present name from 1939)
Records of predecessor bodies' campaign for birth control advice in local government clinics; continued to campaign for better and more widespread birth control services and the dissemination of knowledge of contraception. Records 1920s-70s

MEDICAL WOMEN'S FEDERATION (f. 1916) SA/MWF
Campaigned for various issues concerning women in medicine, including status in armed services, access to medical education and appointments, professional opportunities, the abolition of the 'marriage bar' on employment. Records 1879-1990s. Includes records of the Inter-Professional Working Party, 1964-76, set up to represent concerns of women in the professions, in particular taxation questions.

NATIONAL BIRTHDAY TRUST FUND (f. 1928) SA/NBT
Includes records of Joint Council on Midwifery, 1933-40, whose work on the remuneration and distribution of midwives led to the 1936 Midwives Act

PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY (f. 1876) SA/PHY
Includes material relating to the Society's involvement with legislation to do with animal experimentation, 1940s-90s
Some material restricted access

Other collections of relevance

Robina ADDIS PP/ADD
Files relating to her work with the National Association for Mental Health (MIND), 1940s-80s, and other bodies involved with mental health and child guidance policy issues, in Britain and internationally

Carlos Paton BLACKER PP/CPB
General Secretary of the Eugenics Society 1930-52; includes material re Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation, Simon Population Trust, and other birth control and population organisations 1920s-1970s.

Leonard COLEBROOK PP/COL
Material on campaign leading to the Fireguards Act 1952, 1940s-60s

Grantly DICK READ PP/GDR
Files relating to the setting up of the National Childbirth Trust in the UK (and similar organisations in other countries), promoting the practice of 'natural childbirth', 1950s-60s

Charles Montague FLETCHER (1911-1995) PP/CMF
Fletcher was instrumental in founding ASH and was their first chairman and later their president. Collection includes administrative material and lobbying for restriction on tobacco advertising, 1983-95

Thomas HODGKIN (1798-1866) PP/HO
His papers include a significant amount of material relating to anti-slavery, colonisation schemes, and the protection of aboriginal populations, working with several societies active in these issues, including West India Association, Aborigines’ Protection Society, British African Colonization Society, 1817-64, also some material on activism around social conditions and public health in the UK

James Randal HUTCHINSON PP/JRH
Files accumulated as Senior Medical Officer, Ministry of Health, include material relating to the movement against compulsory vaccination, 1930s-40s

Tim LANG (b.1948) PP/TLA
Material relating to the London Food Commission, a non-governmental organisation formed Dec 1984 to campaign for improvements in standards of food production, safety, health and nutrition, to influence governmental food policy and to provide education and training in this area. Also papers of Parents for Safe Food, and the Food Additives Campaign Team

Frederick LE GROS CLARK GC/145
Papers relating to Committee against malnutrition, 1930s, and Children's Nutrition Council, 1940s

Sir Peter MEDAWAR PP/PBM
Correspondence and papers relating to his work with the Runnymede Trust (anti-racist body), 1970s-80s

EM ('Max') NICHOLSON GC/142
Papers relating to population questions include material on various pressure groups, 1940-80s

Alice Mary STEWART PP/AMS
Papers include substantial amount of material on her involvement, on account of her work on the effects of lose-dose radiation, with anti-nuclear and other environmental groups or concerned organisations, local, national and international, 1970s-90s

Cicely WILLIAMS PP/CDW
Papers include material on activities with Medical Association for the Prevention of War, 1960s-80s, and correspondence with Anti-Slavery Society, 1970s-80s, on female circumcision