Archives

The British Institute of Radiology has a large and invaluable archive.

The archives of an organization should not be seen as old and dusty documents kept in a forgotten attic or a damp basement room. Archives chronicle the genius and story of a society. Archives should be magical. Archives are not, however, immediately accessible and need to be kept safely and carefully. For those with patience and care the study of archives is uniquely rewarding. The archive researcher has been likened to a pearl fisher who dives to the ocean floor and prizes open an oyster to reveal the pearl inside. The rewards of working with archives are well worth the effort expended. The archives are a window into the past and are valuable since they give us direct and unmediated evidence. The words of those who went before us can be read directly. It should be remembered that archives are a complex an organic structure. A single document can only be really understood in the context of the archive as a whole.

The British Institute is the oldest radiological society in the world. Our archive consists of a wonderful historical book collection and a collection of material related to the history of the Institute and to those associated with the Institute. The minute books are all preserved.

The Information Centre at the British Institute of Radiology is based on the books presented by the widow of the radiological pioneer James Mackenzie Davidson and this has been added to with time. The Institute has a unique collection of old radiological books and journals in a reserve collection and these may be consulted on appointment.

The prime function of the BIR archive is to record the story of the Institute and not that of radiology generally, although the two are inextricably connected. Space is very limited and it is only possible to keep material related to the Institute and to major figures involved with the Institute over the years. The Institute does not have the space for the storage of a large volume of material and we need to give thought to how our history is to be archived and recorded, particularly as we are moving to new electronic media. The British Institute of Radiology works with other groups related to history including the Radiology History and Heritage Charitable Trust, the Contemporary Medical Archives Centre and the Science Museum in London.

There are many opportunities for members of the BIR to help in the Information Centre or archives and if you have any time available then please contact the Institute. There are a number of discrete tasks that need to be undertaken and an offer to help does not mean an open ended commitment. There is already an active team of volunteers but more are always needed.

Items in the archives include: Minute books from the Röntgen Society and the British Institute of Radiology (BIR) from 1899 to 1968; handbooks, yearbooks and members lists; documents and photographs relating to BIR history and items dealing with radiological history such as trade catalogues plus some early newspaper cuttings.

To view a preliminary list please click here. A full catalogue will not be ready for some time.

Access to the archive is by appointment with the Information Centre Manager at . If you wish to view the first minute book then this is by application to the Honorary Archivist Dr Adrian Thomas.

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