National Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease

These papers date from the mid-1930s (the whereabouts of the Society's earlier records not being known) and consist mainly of correspondence but include publications, newspaper cuttings, lecture notes, and ephemera. The correspondence seems to be that of the Secretary of the Society (Ivor Lewis until c.1942, P. Herbert Jones from c.1943), with the officers and members of the Society (especially Dr R.A. Lyster, Chairman of the executive committee), local authorities and government departments, individuals seeking advice, printers, film companies and other bodies of a related nature. Incoming letters greatly outnumber carbons of letters sent out. There is also a little correspondence of other officers of the Society given to the Secretary for reference.

1937-1945

2 boxes

This collection appears to have been presented to the library at Wellcome Collection in 1973 but details of its provenance are not known and it was not formally accessioned at that time. The account book SA/PVD/17 was discovered in the Library strongroom in August 1987.

The National Society for the Prevention of Venereal Diseases was founded in 1919 with the principal aim of preventing the spread of venereal diseases by encouraging the use of preventive prophylactic measures (as opposed to concentrating on the provision of facilities for treatment of those who had already contracted the disease). It was particularly active in 1939 and afterwards with the outbreak of World War II and the consequent increased risk of the spread of VD.

The collection was in a very confused state when received by the Wellcome Library department handling twentieth century archive material. The papers are now arranged in what was probably an original chronological order with some exceptions and anomalies (some letters cannot be dated with accuracy). Publications which do not seem to be associated with correspondence have been filed separately.