Dr Marie Stopes and the Marie Stopes Memorial Fund

  • Marie Stopes
Date:
1920-1994
Reference:
SA/EUG/K
Part of:
Eugenics Society
  • Archives and manuscripts

Collection contents

About this work

Description

K.1 appears to be the Society's file similar to those for other individuals in Section C: `People'. K.2-36 appear to be papers accumulated by Dr Stopes herself. Among her legacies to the Society were included the Mothers' Clinic at 106 and 108 Whitfield Street, London WC1 and the relevant parts of her library. It seems feasible therefore, that these papers were found either in the Clinic or among the books from her library, and thus came into the custody of the Society. Accession no. 102 was originally contained in box files of a type known to have been used by Dr Stopes for storing her papers. The original arrangement, which appears to be Dr Stopes' own has been retained as far as possible. A few further items were received in Acc 284. To deal with administering Stopes' bequest the society set up the Marie Stopes Memorial Fund. The minute books of its various committees have been placed in this section.

Publication/Creation

1920-1994

Physical description

6 boxes and 1 o/s box

Contributors

Biographical note

Summary of Life and Career of Marie Charlotte Carmichael Stopes

1880 Oct 15 Born in Edinburgh

1899-1902 Attends University College London, obtains first class honours in botany, third class honours in geology and physical chemistry

1903 Receives a scholarship to study in Munich, obtains Ph.D.

1904 Appointed lecturer and demonstrator in botany at Manchester University

Obtains D.Sc.

1907-1908 Goes to Japan on a Scientific Expedition, funded by the Royal Society

1911 Lecturer in palaeobotany, Manchester University

Marries Dr Reginald Ruggles Gates, retains maiden name

1913-1920 Lecturer in palaeobotany at University College London

1915 Meets Margaret Sanger, American birth control campaigner

Finishes manuscript of book Married Love

1916 Marriage annulled at her suit on grounds of non-consummation

1918 Married Love published - 6 editions in one year

May 16 Marries Humphrey Verdon Roe, retains her maiden name

Wise Parenthood published

1919 First child stillborn

Joins National Birth Rate Commission

Letter to Working Mothers

1920 Radiant Motherhood

1921 Mar 17 Mothers' Clinic opened in Holloway

The Truth about Venereal Disease

May 21 Great Public Meeting in Queen's Hall, London

Aug Foundation of the Society for Constructive Birth Control

Oct Travels to New York

1922 May First issue of Birth Control News

Issues writ for libel against a Roman Catholic doctor, Halliday Sutherland

A New Gospel to All Peoples

1923 Feb Libel trial: judge rules against MCS

May Film Married Love/Maisie's Marriage

Jun Contraception: Its Theory and Practice

Jul 20 Libel trial verdict reversed on appeal

Nov Our Ostriches (play) produced

1924 Mar 27 Birth of son Harry Verdon Stopes-Roe: 'The Times' refuses to publish announcement

Aylmer Maude's Life of Marie Stopes published

Nov House of Lords rules for Dr Sutherland

1925 The First Five Thousand

1926 The Human Body

Sex and the Young

1927 Caravan Clinic set up

1928 Enduring Passion

Sued for libel by H.A. Gwynne, editor of the Morning Post

Caravan Clinic burnt by a Miss Ellis in Leeds: legal action against her

1929 Sued for libel by Halliday Sutherland

Mother England

1930 National Birth Control Council set up incorporating the various bodies working in the field

Ministry of Health issues Memorandum 153/MCW allowing the giving of contraceptive information at maternity and child welfare centres

Issues of Papal Encyclical 'Casti Conubii' condemning birth control

1933 Roman Catholic Methods of Birth Control

1934 Birth Control Today

1935 Marriage in My Time

1936 Change of Life in Men and Women

1939 Baby's First Year

1958 Oct 2 Dies

For further details see the Dictionary of National Biography, Who was Who and biographies by Aylmer Maude, Keith Briant, Ruth Hall and June Rose.

Related material

Marie Stopes' collection can be found the reference PP/MCS.

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