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Papers of Geoffrey W. Harris

 Collection

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The papers cover the years, 1913-1971. The extensive laboratory notebooks cover the whole of Harris's career. Much correspondence was destroyed by Harris when he moved from the Maudsley Hospital to Oxford in 1962. Unless otherwise stated, all notebooks, lectures and working papers are manuscript.

The final section of 'Additional working papers and correspondence', were acquired from the Department of Anatomy in 1984, after sorting and appraisal by Professor Bernard Donovan and Dr. P. MacKinnon.

Dates

  • Creation: 1913-1972

Extent

24 Linear metres (24 physical shelfmarks)

Language of Materials

  • English

Preferred Citation

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio reference, if given, eg. MS. Eng. misc. b. 140, fol. 1].

Please see our help page for further guidance on citing archives and manuscripts.

Full range of shelfmarks:

MSS. Eng. misc. b. 140-60, 419-21

Collection ID (for staff)

CMD ID 6782

Abstract

The papers of Geoffrey Wingfield Harris, physiologist and endocrinologist (1913-1971).

Biographical / Historical

Geoffrey Wingfield Harris was educated first at Dulwich College (1927-1931) and then at Emmanuel College, Cambridge (1932-1939). He married Georgina Mary Birnie in 1936 (marriage dissolved 1951) and began clinical training at St. Mary's Hospital, London (1936-1940). He worked briefly at Hillingdon County Hospital (1939) and then became the Demonstrator in Anatomy at Cambridge (1940-1947), gaining his MD from Cambridge in 1944. He was Lecturer in Anatomy (1947-1948) and also Lecturer in Physiology (1947-1952), both at Cambridge. He married Margaret O'Kane in 1951. From 1952-1962 he was senior lecturer in physiology, University of London and worked in the Laboratory of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, at the Maudsley Hospital, London. In 1953 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1962 he moved to Hertford College, Oxford, becoming Dr. Lee's Professor of Anatomy, a post he held until his death in 1971. He was awarded a CBE in 1965 and the Dale Medal, Society for Endocrinology, 1971.

Arrangement

These papers were catalogued by the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre, with the catalogue reference, CSAC 4/73. Their reference numbers have been retained as 'Former ref' but Bodleian shelfmarks have been added as the main reference number and the latter should be used to order manuscripts and to quote from them.

Custodial History

Transferred to the Bodleian from the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre, 1973.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Given to the Bodleian by Mrs Peggy Harris, 3 Dec 1973.

Separated Materials

After consultation with Dr. G. L'E. Turner and Mr Jackson, the technician who made some of them, the boxes containing microscope slides of histological sections of control and experimental work on the pituitary gland and other endocrine organs were left in the Department of Anatomy.

Material relating to the running of the Department of Anatomy has been offered to the Keeper of the Archives, Oxford University.

Publications of historical interest relating to the Quatercentenary of Vesalius have been accepted by Dr. C. Webster for the Wellcome Unit of the History of Medicine.

Back issues of medical journals have been given to the Radcliffe Science Library. Professor Bernard Donovan accepted Harris's collection of reprints for the Maudsley Hospital.

Case-notes have been returned to Professor Sir John Stallworthy, John Radcliffe Hospital, and to Dr. T.D.R. Hockaday, Radcliffe Infirmary.

Harris's experimental apparatus is to be deposited in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum.

Title
Catalogue of the papers of Geoffrey W. Harris
Status
Published
Author
Jeannine Alton Harriot Weiskittel
Date
1973, EAD version 2018
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Sponsor
Conversion to EAD supported by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom