Papers of Richard F Russell

The archive consists of papers relating to Richard Russell's and his wife's work for the organisation 'Aid to Displaced Persons: Great Britain', later the 'Aid to European Refugees'. Containing correspondence with the Garbagnate Committee (1957); correspondence, financial details, reports and publicity material on aims and patrons of Aid to Displaced Persons (1957); accounts of various funds administers by Aid to Displaced Persons (1956-1957).

Richard F Russell (fl 1951-1972) was General Secretary of the British Vigilance Association and the International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons from 1957 to 1971, when he retired from ill-health. He was also active in other humanitarian organisations, including the charity Aid to Displaced Persons: Great Britain, which later became Aid to European Refugees.

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

All the archives in Strand 4 came to The Fawcett Library from the offices of the British Vigilance Association and International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons, some directly in 1972 and the remainder in 1973 via the Anti-Slavery Society, who had been given the more recent records to use in their own work.

Fawcett Library Catalogue

The papers in this collection were found within the records of the International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons when they were being catalogued in 1996.

The Women's Library holds the archives of 6 organisations in Strand 4 all of which are closely related. By the end of their existence the organisations operated from the same address, often by the same people. The organisations aimed to aid and protect women, minors (including young men) and children in the areas of sexual and social morality. They operated on a regional, national and international basis, finally ceasing activities in the early 1970s when the British Vigilance Association and the Anti-Slavery Society passed the archives to The Fawcett Library. National activity is also represented by the National Vigilance Association archive, whilst the International Bureau for Suppression of Traffic in Persons tells the international story. Strand 4 is particularly closely related to the Strand 3, also held at The Women's Library, because the issues of prostitution and trafficking of women are so closely interrelated. Many of the activists and organisations have integral links and together they form a history of a subject that even now is rarely discussed.

Strand 4 comprises the following archives:

*4BNC International Bureau for the Suppression of Traffic in Persons: British National Committee

*4BVA British Vigilance Association

*4IBS International Bureau for Suppression of Traffic in Persons

*4NVA National Vigilance Association

*4RFR Richard F Russell

*4TAS Travellers' Aid Society

Please note that Richard F Russell was the general secretary of the International Bureau from 1957-1971 (4IBS).

Strand 3 comprises the following related archives:

*3AMS Association for Moral and Social Hygiene

*3BGF British Committee of the Continental & General Federation for Abolition of Government Regulation of Prostitution

*3HJW Henry Joseph Wilson

*3JBL Josephine Butler Letters Collection

*3JSM James Stansfeld Memorial Trust

*3LCA Lancashire & Cheshire Association for the Abolition of the State Regulation of Vice

*3LNA Ladies National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts

*3NAR National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts

The British Library of Political and Economic Science holds British and Foreign Anti Slavery Society records c1873-c1900 (ref. COLL MISC 0101) whilst Oxford University: Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House holds the records of Anti Slavery International records dating from 1957-1972 (ref. MSS Brit Emp s 16-24 ). As at 2008 a large number of books and archives were still held by the organisation Anti-Slavery International (HQ).