Papers of Barton, William

Papers of Dr William Barton, 1960s-1970s, contain Barton's collection of reel to reel audio tapes and reflect his professional interest in the work of Professor George MacDonald. Tapes notably include recordings of lectures made by MacDonald on subjects including yellow fever, malaria and health services, 1960s; broadcast series of lectures 'The Road to Hell', featuring Barton speaking on bilharzia and schistomiasis, 1960s, and an interview with a Mrs Barton on Girl Guides, in the Government Information Studio in St Vincents, 1970s.

William Barton was born in 1923; educated in Nakuru, Kenya, 1929-1931; attended George Watson's Boys' College, Edinburgh, from 1931 and Edinburgh University Medical School. Barton qualified as a doctor in 1945 and worked as houseman at Surgical Out-patients Department in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 1945.

Barton was employed by the Colonial Service to practice medicine, 1946-1964, which included postings in Kenya, 1946-1956 and Zanzibar, 1956-1964; became senior lecturer at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 1964, under Professor George MacDonald, malariologist, and was appointed Deputy Director of the Ross Institute, 1968, which was incorporated in the Department of Tropical Hygiene. Barton was employed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1967-1987; he worked as consultant at WHO Head Quarters in Geneva, 1967-1971; was appointed as WHO Senior Medical Officer in Division of Family Health, 1972, and later as Programme Manager of Staff Development and Training, 1975. On retirement, Barton worked as Personal Advisor to the Director General of the Department of Health and Medical Services in Dubai.

Publications: In and Out of Africa (Blaisdon Publishing, 2000).

Arranged in original order.

This collection is open for consultation. Please contact the Archivist to arrange an appointment. All researchers must complete and sign a user registration form which signifies their agreement to abide by the archive rules. All researchers are required to provide proof of identity bearing your signature (for example, a passport or debit card) when registering. Please see website for further information at www.lshtm.ac.uk/library/archives

A detailed catalogue is available online.

The reel to reel tapes can be played with the machine originally used to make the recordings, this recording equipment was transferred to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Archives with this collection. Please contact the archivist for further information.

Sources: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online and In and Out of Africa Bill Barton (Blaisdon Publishing, 2000). Compiled by Samantha Velumyl, AIM25 cataloguer.

Photocopies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archivist.

Transferred to London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine archive by Barton's son in 2004.