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.
Despite the College's long history, the College archives are
not extensive. There are two possible reasons for this:
- The Association never had its own headquarters. From the late
19th century onwards it rented rooms with the Medical Society of
London or the BMA and in 1974 the College moved to 17 Belgrave
Square.
- The Association's journal, the Journal of Mental
Science (now the British Journal of Psychiatry) was
started in 1855 and from the first it printed the minutes of the
Association's meetings. For a while these were also copied into the
existing minute book but this practice was soon discontinued and
the printed minutes became the only record.
Access
All the archives over 30 years old are open to College Fellows
and Members. They are also open to other researchers by appointment
at the discretion of the
Archivist or College Secretary, and upon
payment of a day charge of £10. Archives less than 30 years old are
normally open only to College Fellows and Members.