Contents [ printable ]
RCM - Records of the Royal College of Midwives- RCM/A - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Council
- RCM/B - Records of the Advisory Committees of the Royal College of Midwives
-
RCM/C - Records of the Standing Committees of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C1 - Records of the Executive Council and Club Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C2 - Records of the Executive Committee (Affiliated Associations)
- RCM/C3 - Records of the Benevolent Fund of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C4 - Records of the Executive Committee (General Purposes)
- RCM/C5 - Records of the Editorial Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C6 - Records of the Education Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C7 - Records of the Library Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C8 - Records of the International Relations Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C9 - Records of Honorary Officer Committee Meetings of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/C10 - Records of the Overseas Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
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RCM/D - Records of the Working and Joint Committees of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D1 - Records of the Midwives Bill Guaranteed Fund Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D2 - Records of the Evelyn Mary Eden Memorial Benevolent Fund Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D3 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Departmental Committee on Maternal Mortality
- RCM/D4 - Records of the Subsidiary Problems Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D5 - Records of the Chairman's Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D6 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Interdepartmental Committee on Abortion
- RCM/D7 - Records of the Midwives' Salaries Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D8 - Records of the Post-War Planning Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D9 - Records of the European Commission Midwives Liaison Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/D10 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Commission on the Legislation of Midwives
- RCM/D11 - Records of the Joint Committee of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Midwives
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RCM/E - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Headquarters
- RCM/E1 - Founding of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/E2 - Legal and Constitutional Records of the Royal College of Midwives
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RCM/E3 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives General Secretary's Department
- RCM/E3/1 - Records of the President of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/E3/2 - Records of the General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/E3/3 - Records of the Honorary Treasurer of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/E3/4 - Subject files of the Royal College of Midwives General Secretary's Department
- RCM/E3/5 - Records of the General Secretary's Department Staff Meetings
- RCM/E3/6 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Annual Conference
- RCM/E4 - Records of the Education Department of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/E5 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Communications Department
- RCM/E6 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Professional Affairs Department
- RCM/E7 - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Library and Archive
- RCM/E8 - Records of the Financial Department of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/E9 - Records of the Building and Facilities Department of the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/F - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Boards
- RCM/G - Records of the Royal College of Midwives Branches
- RCM/H - Printed material published by the Royal College of Midwives
- RCM/PH - Royal College of Midwives Photographic Collection
- RCM/PO - Royal College of Midwives Poster Collection
Records of the Royal College of Midwives
| This material is held at | Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Contact Details | Location |
| Reference Number | GB 1538 RCM |
| Dates of Creation | 1878-[ongoing] |
| Name of Creator | Royal College of Midwives |
| Language of Material | English |
| Physical Description | 148 boxes |
Scope and Content
This collection comprises, council and committee minutes, agendas and reports, correspondence and papers of the College President and the General Secretary, departmental records, photographs and printed material, relating to the activities of, and prominent individuals involved in, the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute), as well as the campaign for the registration, training and education of midwives, maternity services, pregnancy, childbirth, contraception and abortion, dating from the foundation of the organisation in 1881 to the present day.
Administrative / Biographical History
The Royal College of Midwives was formally founded in 1941, receiving its Royal Charter in 1947, but its history extends back to 1881, when the Matron's Aid, or Trained Midwives' Registration Society, was set up by Zepherina Veitch, a midwife among the poor at the British Lying-In Hospital near Endell Street in London, and Louisa Hubbard, the editor of a womens journal called Work and Leisure, in a bid to 'raise the efficiency and improve the status of midwives and to petition parliament for their recognition'.
In June 1886, the name of the society was changed to the Midwives Institute, thus acknowledging that as well as campaigning to improve the statutory position of the midwifery profession, it was dedicated to promoting education and training for midwives. This was largely due to the work of Rosaline Paget, a newly qualified midwife at this time, who was responsible for organising the first series of lectures at the headquarters of the College. In addition to this she was involved in founding the library and club room as well as the journal Nursing Notes (later known as the Midwives Chronicle), which widened not only professional discussion but also membership.
By 1902 the endeavors of the Midwives Institute were realised with the passing of the first Midwives Act for England and Wales. In turn the Central Midwives Board was established as custodian of the Midwives Roll, in order to prohibit unqualified and unregistered women from practicing midwifery.
As the twentieth century progressed, the Midwives Institute continued to provide lectures and education opportunities for midwives, and during its early days an employment register was maintained, which could be consulted by the public who were looking for recommended and trained care. The Midwives Act of 1936 provided regulations regarding return to practice following a period away from midwifery and passed control of a salaried midwifery service to local authorities. The Royal College of Midwives, as it was by then known, subsequently became the main provider of the five-yearly residential statutory refresher courses for midwives, and developed teaching and courses in clinical practice.
After the Second World War, there were major changes in the administration of health care and also in the organisation and provision of maternity services, including the move from birth at home to birth in hospital and the increased use of medical intervention. This along with the introduction of the Industrial Relations Act in 1976, led to members voting to become a trade union as well as a professional organisation, which divided the College into the Royal College of Midwives Limited and the Royal College of Midwives Trust.
As a result the Royal College of Midwives has become the voice of midwifery. The main purpose of the College, which is led by midwives for midwives and those that support them, remains to enhance the confidence, professional practice and influence of midwives for the benefit of child-bearing women and their families, nationally and internationally.
Arrangement
The original order of the material is retained, although where this is not possible the arrangement of files has been based on the functions and activities of the organisation as well as chronology, subject and the needs of users.
Conditions Governing Access
Permission is required for external access to records less than twenty years old. Also restrictions apply if material includes personal information of living individuals. All other records are open to research by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information about accessing the collection and visiting the reading room, please contact: archives@rcog.co.uk
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright belongs to the Royal College of Midwives. To reproduce this material, please apply via the College Archivist: archives@rcog.co.uk
Physical Description
The early minute books within this collection have fragile bindings and should be handled with care. In addition to this some of the material has been poorly conserved.
Appraisal Information
Duplicate and routine administrative material is removed where applicable by the College Archivist.
Acquisition Information
There is no record of the source or date of acquisition before this material was deposited under the terms of a collection care agreement at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in May 2011.
Custodial History
This collection was previously held by the Royal College of Midwives.
Accruals
The acquisition of additional material is expected.
Other Finding Aid
Further details of the contents of this collection are available on request.
Related Material
Also see the deposited papers of the Royal College of Midwives (Archives reference number: RCMS), which includes registers of cases, case books, notebooks, lecture notes, diaries, photographs and printed material, relating the experiences of midwives as well as how childbirth has changed throughout the twentieth century.
Bibliography
Cowell and Wainwright, Behind the Blue Door: The History of the Royal College of Midwives, 1881-1981 (1981)
Note
Catalogued by Clare Sexton, Project Archivist in accordance with ISAD(G).
Access Points
| Title | Records of the Royal College of Midwives |
| Creation | Created by Clare Sexton using the cheshire for archives ead creation tool 2011-07-28 |
Records of the Royal College of Midwives Council
| Reference Number | GB 1538 RCM/A |
| Dates of Creation | 31 January 1890-24 January 1949 |
| Language of Material | English |
| Physical Description | 9 boxes |
Scope and Content
This collection comprises, minutes, reports and correspondence of general, advisory, special and annual meetings of the Council of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) (1890-1949).
The early minute books within this collection also contain the minutes of following committees: the Executive Council and Club Committee (1894-1902), Midwives Bill and Guarantee Fund Committee (1896-1899) and the Sectional Committee (Midwives) (1900-1921).
Administrative / Biographical History
The first general meeting of the Council of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) took place in 1890. Before this, meetings had been conducted on a much more informal basis, and were usually held in the drawing room of one or another of the founding members.
This change was primarily brought about by the incorporation of the College under the Company's Act in 1889. At the same time the purposes of the organisation were more clearly defined as: 1) to raise the efficiency and improve the status of midwives by petitioning parliament for their recognition, 2) to establish a register of members, 3) to provide a library and a club room for members and 4) to arrange courses of lectures and afford opportunities for discussion on issues concerning the midwifery profession.
The Council became a representative body that met quarterly in January, April, July and October, while special meetings (sometimes referred to as the advisory board) were called when required in order to formulate policy and to make executive decisions regarding the work of the College. In addition to this it was involved in arranging for the representation of midwives on all appropriate external committees.
From 1902, the Council was also responsible for appointing one medical practitioner and two midwives as representatives on the Central Midwives Board, the statutory authority constituted by the first Midwives Act, as well as being the governing body of all midwives in England and Wales.
The Royal College of Midwives now has an elected Board of practising midwives, which is responsible for settings the strategic direction of the organisation and ensuring it is viable, properly managed and governed. It also acts to support the RCM senior management in their running of the headquarters of the College.
Arrangement
The original order of the material is retained, although where this is not possible the arrangement of files has been based on the functions and activities of the organisation as well as chronology, subject and the needs of users.
Conditions Governing Access
Permission is required for external access to records less than twenty years old. Also restrictions apply if material includes personal information of living individuals. All other records are open to research by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information about accessing the collection and visiting the reading room, please contact: archives@rcog.co.uk
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright belongs to the Royal College of Midwives. To reproduce this material, please apply via the College Archivist: archives@rcog.co.uk
Physical Description
The bindings of some of the early minute books within this collection are fragile and should be handled with care.
Acquisition Information
There is no record of the source or date of acquisition before this material was deposited under the terms of a collection care agreement at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in May 2011.
Custodial History
The collection was previously held by the Royal College of Midwives.
Other Finding Aid
Further details of the contents of this collection are available on request.
Note
Catalogued by Clare Sexton, Project Archivist in accordance with ISAD(G).
Access Points
Records of the Advisory Committees of the Royal College of Midwives
| Reference Number | GB 1538 RCM/B |
| Dates of Creation | 10 November 1899-3 October 1949 |
| Language of Material | English |
| Physical Description | 3 boxes |
Scope and Content
This collection comprises minutes and reports of the following advisory committees of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) (1899-1949):
- RCM/B1 - Sectional Committee (Nursing) (1899-1916)
- RCM/B2 - Teachers Executive Committee (1916-1949)
- RCM/B3 - Advisory Committee on Domiciliary Midwives (1941-1942)
Administrative / Biographical History
The advisory committees of the Royal College of Midwives usually meet two to three times a year at the organisational headquarters, in order to discuss problems relating to the different fields of the midwifery profession that they represented, providing an opportunity for the exchange of expertise and information needed to inform the policy and work of the Council.
Arrangement
The original order of material is retained, although where this is not possible the arrangement of files has been based on the functions and activities of the organisation as well as chronology, subject and the needs of users.
Conditions Governing Access
Permission is required for external access to records less than twenty years old. Also restrictions apply if material includes personal information of living individuals. All other records are open to research by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information about accessing the collection and visiting the reading room, please contact: archives@rcog.co.uk
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright belongs to the Royal College of Midwives. To reproduce this material, please apply via the College Archivist: archives@rcog.co.uk
Physical Description
The bindings of some of the early minute books within this collection are fragile and should be handled with care.
Acquisition Information
There is no record of the source or date of acquisition before this material was deposited under the terms of a collection care agreement at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in May 2011.
Custodial History
This collection was previously held at the Royal College of Midwives.
Other Finding Aid
Further details of the contents of this collection are available on request.
Note
Catalogued by Clare Sexton, Project Archivist in accordance with ISAD(G).
Access Points
Records of the Royal College of Midwives Sectional Committee (Nursing)
| Reference Number | GB 1538 RCM/B1 |
| Dates of Creation | 10 November 1899-22 November 1919 |
| Language of Material | English |
| Physical Description | 1 bound volume; 2 folders |
Scope and Content
This collection comprises minutes and correspondence of the Sectional Committee (Nursing) of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) (1899-1901), relating to the statutory position of the nursing profession, as well as the working conditions and training of nurses, with particular references to hospital economics, examinations, schemes for the higher education of nurses and the status of nurses of the Voluntary Aid Detachment during the First World War.
Administrative / Biographical History
The Sectional Committee (Nursing) of the Royal College of Midwives (formally the Midwives Institute) was formed on 10 November 1899 as a consultative body that addressed the statutory interests of nurses and matters concerning the nursing profession.
At first, meetings took place regularly but as soon as the committee was thoroughly organised on a representative basis, it was only summoned when there were definite issues to discuss. Between 1899 and 1906, the Sectional Committee (Nursing) met eighteen times and was primarily concerned with the registration of trained nurses, the organisation of the nursing profession and the training of nurses.
After 1906, the Sectional Committee (Nursing) was not called again, until 19 May 1916. It was decided that meetings should resume as at this time there was no other body actively seeking to protect the interests of the nursing profession, or to voice the views of independent nurses, as well as the many nurses who are also trained midwives.
Arrangement
The original order of material is retained, although where this is not possible the arrangement of files has been based on the functions and activities of the organisation as well as chronology, subject and the needs of users.
Conditions Governing Access
Permission is required for external access to records less than twenty years old. Also restrictions apply if material includes personal information of living individuals. All other records are open to research by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information about accessing the collection and visiting the reading room, please contact: archives@rcog.co.uk
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright belongs to the Royal College of Midwives. To reproduce this material, please apply via the College Archivist: archives@rcog.co.uk
Acquisition Information
There is no record of the source or date of acquisition before this material was deposited under the terms of a collection care agreement at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in May 2011.
Custodial History
This collection was previously held at the Royal College of Midwives.
Other Finding Aid
Further details of the contents of this collection are available on request.
Note
Catalogued by Clare Sexton, Project Archivist in accordance with ISAD(G).
Access Points
Records of the Teachers Executive Committee of the Royal College of Midwives
| Reference Number | GB 1538 RCM/B2 |
| Dates of Creation | 11 February 1916-3 October 1949 |
| Language of Material | English |
| Physical Description | 2 boxes |
Scope and Content
This collection comprises minutes, correspondence and reports of the Teachers Executive Committee (previously the Approved Teachers of Practice Midwifery Committee and often referred to as simply the Teachers Committee) of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) (1916-1949), relating to the education of pupil midwives and the training of midwife teachers, with particular references to lecture fees, course syllabus, textbooks and examinations, the rules and regulations of the Central Midwives Board, training schools, the supervision and responsibilities of student midwives, the teaching of birth control, working conditions in hospitals and the future of midwifery profession.
Administrative / Biographical History
The Approved Teachers of Practical Midwifery Committee of the Royal College of Midwives (formally known as the Midwives Institute) was established on 11 February 1916 in order to 'watch over the interests of the trainers of midwives with regards to the local supervising authority and the Central Midwives Board, to furnish opportunities for these trainers and to deliberate on all matters concerning the training of pupils as well as the question of fees for extended training'.
At first, meetings took place on a monthly basis, while general or sub-committee meetings were called when required, to discuss and then make recommendations to the Council on matters, such as examinations and course syllabus.
It was decided on the 29 June 1923 that the Approved Teachers Committee should also oversee the activities of regional associations of midwifery teachers, in order to raise standards of teaching, to safeguard the interests of teachers and widen channels of communication.
From 1933 onwards, the Executive Teachers Committee, as it became known, was called quarterly or as necessary, and was increasingly involved in the organisation of lectures, conferences and intensive courses for midwife teachers that were held at the headquarters of the College.
The Royal College of Midwives continues to arrange training and professional courses for midwife teachers, with a view to promote clinical excellence and develop the midwifery leaders of tomorrow.
Arrangement
The original order of material is retained, although where this is not possible the arrangement of files has been based on the functions and activities of the organisation as well as chronology, subject and the needs of users.
Conditions Governing Access
Permission is required for external access to records less than twenty years old. Also restrictions apply if material includes personal information of living individuals. All other records are open to research by appointment, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information about accessing the collection and visiting the reading room, please contact: archives@rcog.co.uk
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright belongs to the Royal College of Midwives. To reproduce this material, please apply via the College Archivist: archives@rcog.co.uk
Acquisition Information
There is no record of the source or date of acquisition before this material was deposited under the terms of a collection care agreement at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in May 2011.
Custodial History
This collection was previously held at the Royal College of Midwives.
Other Finding Aid
Further details of the contents of this collection are available on request.
Note
Catalogued by Clare Sexton, Project Archivist in accordance with ISAD(G).
Access Points
