Rare Books and Archives on Eugenics at UCL What archive materials related to Eugenics does UCL hold? Where can these be found? What is open for inspection? Which parts of UCL collections are digitised? How does UCL’s ‘Galton Papers’ differ from the digitised Galton material available online through the Wellcome Collection? I’ve spent the past two years researching… Read More »
The 1884 International Health Exhibition provided for Francis Galton the opportunity to set up an Anthropometric Laboratory for the first time. Taking place in South Kensington between Exhibition Road and Queen’s Gate, next to the South Kensington Museum, the exhibition was an opportunity for four million visitors to understand the importance of the ‘science of sanitation,’ which ‘affects… Read More »
Francis Galton has been the subject of several major biographies (Cowan 1984; Gillham 2001; Waller 2001), and much historical study. Karl Pearson asserted his own primacy as Galton’s disciple with his Life, Letters, and Labours of Francis Galton (Pearson 1914, 1924, 1930a, 1930b). Vague references to a Galton biography by “Coleridge” set me on the task of locating what… Read More »
These are recommendations from members of the Commission of Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL, convened at the request of UCL Provost Michael Arthur in December 2018. The Commission was comprised of members of the UCL community from different professions, faculties and disciplinary traditions. We came together with different understandings of the role of eugenics at… Read More »
The second International Eugenics Congress was held at the American Museum of Natural History, 22-28 September 1921. Preparatory material included a programme (1921) and abstracts (1921), distributed in advance of the meeting. Afterwards, the Congress published papers in two volumes (1923) and one exhibition catalogue (1923). The most complete archives for the second Congress are held at the… Read More »
The First International Eugenics Congress was held at the University of London, July 24th to 30th, 1912, and was organised by the Eugenics Education Society. Major Leonard Darwin was the president of the society and chair of the organising committee. The Congress published its proceedings. Volume 1 published papers communicated at the Congress. Volume 2 was a record of proceedings, including notes on… Read More »
The First International Eugenics Congress was held at the University of London, July 24th to 30th, 1912, and was organised by the Eugenics Education Society. Major Leonard Darwin was the president of the society and chair of the organising committee. The Congress published its proceedings. Volume 1 published papers communicated at the Congress. Volume 2 was a record of proceedings, including notes on… Read More »
Karl Pearson retired in 1933, aged 76. To honour his career, colleagues and former students gathered for a dinner in April 1934. On this occasion, Professor LNG Filon, Vice-Chancellor of University of London, gave a tribute to Pearson. This was followed by recollections from several long-time colleagues and the presentation of various gifts. Pearson gave a “reply” to… Read More »
The history of eugenics in Britain is far from hidden or forgotten. Many excellent papers and books explore the role of individuals (e.g., Francis Galton, Karl Pearson, Ronald Fisher, and Leonard Darwin to name only a few of the men involved) and the role of organisations (e.g., Eugenics Education Society). Eugenics in Britain has been studied in depth… Read More »
