Ruth Thomson: Have you Started Yet?

The following is an interim description which may be altered when detailed cataloguing takes place in future.

Material relating to research and publication of Ruth Thomson’s book Have You Started Yet?, an educational guide book for young people starting their periods (first published 1980, revised 1987, 1995 and 2010).

Folder 1: “Answers to a questionnaire (for the original 1980 book) Folder 2: “Transcripts of taped interviews” Folder 3: “Correspondence with publishers and consultants about updating the book” Folder 4: “VD and other leaflets late 1970s / 1980s” Folder 5: “Women’s health leaflets, 1992-1993” Folder 6: “Sanitary protection company leaflets”. Folder 7: Two copies of Have You Started Yet? from 1987 and 2010. 1987 edition contains handwritten annotations and mark up for third revised edition, 2010. Third revised edition (2010) includes new illustrations.

1970s-2010

7 folders

Ruth Thomson is an author and published the book Have You Started Yet? for young people about menstruation. The educational book was first published in 1980, and revised in 1987, 1995 and 2010. Thomson sent out questionnaires, made school visits and conducted interviews to gather first-hand material relating to experiences of periods. In Ruth Thomson's words: "It is a snapshot in time of available material, attitudes and advice. When my book was published, there were no other books devoted to this single topic in England. My brief was to write a book for 9-11 years without mnetioning sex! as it was felt that dealing with the arrival of periods was in itself a momentous enough experience for that age group. It remained in print for 30 plus years - perhaps a testament to its needs; its sales waning only in the past ten years when information can be more readily available online."

Copyright in material created by Ruth Thomson has been transferred to Wellcome Collection: this material can be used under the conditions of a CC BY 4.0 licence. The copyright in all other material is held by a range of rights holders. You are free to use the material in any way that is permitted by copyright exceptions and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights holder.

This collection is currently uncatalogued and cannot be ordered online. Requests to view uncatalogued material are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact collections@wellcomecollection.org for more details.