Queen Square Archives

Gowers’ diaries
We are delighted to have received a transcription of Gowers’ shorthand diaries which has been diligently transcribed by Ann Scott. Two hard copies are available in the Library.
PDF version
Interactive version
This includes two diaries kept while he was a medical apprentice and a great deal of detail about daily life in Coggeshall, Essex, in the 1860s. The most interesting of the entries were incorporated into the following book: William Richard Gowers 1845-1915, Exploring the Victorian Brain Ann Scott, Mervyn Eadie, and Andrew Lees. OUP, 2012.

Gowers’ sketchbooks
We have recently digitisedseveral Gowers’ sketchbooks from the late 19th century, many of which are now available online. The sketchbooks include detailed drawings of St Ives, Dover, and Southwold, as well as collections of drawings of figures, and some watercolour landscapes. With many thanks to Rebecca Gowers for loaning these to the Archives.

New exhibition
NHS at 70: Celebrating the achievements of Queen Square
The exhibition which includes photographs, objects and documents from Queen Square Archives will run in Queen Square Library, 23 Queen Square from August – December 2018. This exhibition is dedicated to Annie Lindsay, UCLH Archivist (2004-2018).
Please see exhibition handout and selected image compilation for further information.

Previous exhibitions

Queen Square Library visit to the Chalfont Centre and its Archives
As part of our regular programme of CPD activities, Queen Square Library arranged a team visit on 19th January to the Epilepsy Society's Chalfont Centre, which none of us had visited before, despite a combined total of over 25 years working in Queen Square Library!
 
We were welcomed by our host Nicola Swanborough – the Society’s publications editor – in one of the oldest buildings - Passmore Edwards House  (the main reception/admin building, named after Passmore Edwards, a noted philanthropist in the 1890s and the principal benefactor of the original centre). One of the newest buildings is the Research Centre, where we met Professor Ley Sander, who was a mine of information about the 130 year history of the Society and the Centre – from the earliest days as an epileptic “colony”( inspired by similar centres in Germany) when it also served as a working farm providing employment for people with epilepsy (the Epilepsy Society’s original name was “National Society for the Employment of Epileptics (NSEE)”).
 
We learnt that the reason the Centre is at Chalfont was that one of the founding physicians from the National Hospital (Dr Ferrier) wanted to build a country home there – and the first residents could therefore help to build the house (as part of their “work experience”). We also discovered how early National Hospital consultants inspired Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde!
 
Nicola then showed us their Archive room, which includes many photographs and plans, and events ephemera, as well as staff records, and other administrative material. There are patient records, with basic details of name, admission etc.
 
Further information on the Epilepsy Society history 

Events

David Marsden Movement Disorders Symposium   1pm to 6pm, 19 November 2018