Records of the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

This material is held atRoyal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Archives

Scope and Content

Records of the management and editorial boards and predecessor bodies of the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG), including agenda and papers from meetings of the editorial boards, a complete run of the journal from 1902, early financial records of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Empire Publishing Company Limited, 1902-1954, agreements with publishers and contributors, and other related papers.

Administrative / Biographical History

'The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Empire' was first published in 1902. It was owned by the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Empire Publishing Company Limited. From 1933 the meetings of the board of directors of the Company took place in the College's premises. In 1950 the ownership of the Journal was acquired by the College and the Company was wound up. The Journal Committee was set up by the College following its acquisition of the Journal in 1950. In 1980 the Committee was reconstituted as a separate Journal Business Committee (renamed the Journal Management Board in 1988) to run the organisational and business aspects of the Journal, and an Editorial Committee to decide editorial policy and function. In 1992 these bodies were renamed the Journal Management Committee and Journal Editorial Board respectively and in 2000 they became BJOG Management Board and BJOG Editorial Board.

The Journal has changed its name on several occasions since it was founded. It became 'The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Commonwealth', from 1975 it was published as 'British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology' and, in January 2002 'BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology'.

Arrangement

Chronological

Access Information

Permission is required for external access to unpublished College records less than twenty years old. Archive copies of the journal are held in external storage: access copies are available from the College Library.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is vested in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the first instance; photocopies are available at the discretion of the College Archivist.

Accruals

A copy of the current journal is transferred to the Archive at the time of publication.

Related Material

References to collections held by the RCOG with related material include:

S1 and S10 Papers of Professor William Blair-Bell relating to his role as director of BJOG, 1920-1931

RCOG/H9 Deeds of agreements concerning the journal, 1950 and 1981

RCOG/M48 Independent committee of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the publication of two articles in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1995

Papers of the RCOG President and Honorary President include references to the journal