College History and Archives
History
The Royal College of Psychiatrists was founded in 1841 as the
Association of Medical Officers of Asylums and Hospitals for the
Insane. This Association changed its name to the
Medico-Psychological Association in 1865 and to the Medico
Psychological Association of Great Britain and Ireland in 1887. In
1926 it received a royal charter and thus became the Royal Medico
Psychological Association and in 1971 it changed its status to that
of a medical royal college.
College History Articles
College Exhibitions
Frequently Asked Questions
Further reading
Archives
The collection
The archives collection consists mainly of records created
by the College and its predecessor bodies, a small collection of
deposited archives and manuscripts, and an antiquarian book
collection. Click on the links belows for summary descriptions
of these collections, or to search the Library Catalogue for
antiquarian books using the word
antiquarian as the keyword:
The archives catalogue
Descriptions of some of these collections can now be accessed
via the Archives
Hub and AIM25 websites.
Cataloguing of the collections is ongoing. If you cannot find what
you are looking for you should contact the Archivist: archives@rcpsych.ac.uk .
Access
All archives over 30 years are open to College Fellows and
Members. They are also open to other researchers by appointment
with the Archivist. Archives less than 30 years old are normally
open only to College Fellows and Members.
The Royal College of
Psychiatrists invites you to donate towards the conservation
and repair of its antiquarian book collection.
The group was established to support the College in the
preservation, promotion and use of its archival heritage, and to
promote interest in the history of the College and of British and
Irish Psychiatry.