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CHILDREN 1st (RSSPCC) Archive
Reference codes, titles and dates of Archive
Reference Code: GB 1847 RSSPCC
Title:
Children 1st (RSSPCC) Archive
Date of creation of material: 1884-2003
Level of description: Fonds
Extent: 60 metres (approx 20,000 records +
associated materials)
Administrative history
Name of Creator: The Scottish National
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (SNSPCC),
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Children, Scottish Branch, The Royal Scottish
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC),
and Children 1st.
Administrative history: The Royal Scottish
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children (RSSPCC)
grew out of a series of earlier organisations, the
first of which was the Glasgow Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children (GSPCC) founded by
James Grahame in July 1884.
 In
1889, the GSPCC joined with two Edinburgh based
societies to form the Scottish National Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (SNSPCC).
Following the passing of the Children Act in 1894
the Society in Scotland affiliated with the Society
in England, and, in 1895, changed it's name to the
National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to
Children, Scottish Branch. However, problems with
the affiliation led to the Society in Scotland
resuming its independent status, and in 1907 it
reverted to its former SNSPCC title. The Society
continued to develop into a nationwide organisation
and in 1922 it was granted a Royal Charter and
became the Royal Scottish Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children.
The charity was originally set up to rescue
children living rough and begging on the streets but
it became better known for its investigation into
cruelty and neglect. In the past the Society's
Inspectors, often referred to as the 'Cruelty Man',
investigated cases of abuse and neglect reported by
the general public. In 1968, new legislation gave
responsibility for investigating child abuse to
local authority social work departments. The 1970s
saw the Society adapt to take account of the
increasing professionalisation of the social care
and welfare sector; the accelerating change of
emphasis from direct involvement to a role including
research and lobbying intensified throughout the
1980s, culminating in the change of the working name
of the organisation to Children 1st in September
1995.
Presently (2005), Children 1st’s aims are to
support families under stress, protect children fro m
harm and neglect, help children recover from abuse
and promote children's rights and interests. As well
as children’s services, the charity also offers a
parent’s support line, produces publications, runs a
resource centre and awareness and fundraising
campaigns. In September 2005 Children 1st
launched the first television and cinema advertising
campaign in the organisation's history. Through this
initiative, Children 1st hopes to increase awareness
regarding the needs of children, and encourage the
public to get involved in their protection.
Archival History: Retained by organisation
over the years.
Immediate source of acquisition: Transferred
from RSSPCC Offices, Annfield Place, Glasgow in
1995, plus additional transfers from RSSPCC offices
in 2001 and 2003.
What is in the Archive
Scope and Content Abstract:
The majority of material in the collection relates
to the Glasgow branch of the RSSPCC, including the
predecessor organisation, the Glasgow Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Publications
produced by the RSSPCC head office and the Scottish
Children's League of Pity (junior branch of the
RSSPCC) are also included, as well as a small
assortment of records from other branches throughout
Scotland.
- Referrals, Case Records, Prosecutions and
Petitions for Glasgow, Dunbartonshire,
Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire (all variable
coverage) 1943-1976
-
Financial records of the Glasgow branch,
1906-1972
-
Legacy Papers, 1950-1978
-
Complaint books, Glasgow, 1953-1965
-
Glasgow branch minutes, 1889-1963
-
Glasgow District Finance
Committee minutes, 1903-1971
-
Records of the Ladies Auxiliary Committee,
Glasgow, 1888-1971
-
Annual reports of the head office, 1896-1982;
annual reports of the branches, 1896-1967; plus
additional Glasgow branch annual reports, 1889-
1985
-
Records of the Scottish Children’s League of
Pity, including: Annual reports, 1904-1993; City
Sparrows, 1899-1979; minutes of the Glasgow
branch, 1898-1978; and ephemera
-
Legislative Acts and reports on subjects
affecting children, 1885-1938
-
Papers
relating to the Non-Accidental Injury to
Children committees for Strathkelvin, Lanark and
Dumbarton, 1975-1981
-
Institutional records including printed copies
of the Royal Charter and the Constitution,
1920-1975
-
Staff records, Dunbartonshire and Glasgow,
1964-1971
-
Records relating to staff training and
development, 1898; 1936; 1970-1978
-
Assorted promotional material, newsletters, and
other publications, 1984-2003
-
Glasgow building fund appeal records, 1965-1967,
and annual appeal records, 1975
-
Glasgow property records, including
architectural plans, 1963-1965
-
Crookston Home records including minute books,
cash books and visitor books, 1903-1925
-
Organisational histories, including a recorded
reminiscence of a former RSSPCC Inspector, 1990
Appraisal, Destruction and Scheduling
Information: This material has been appraised in
line with GB1847 procedures.
Accrual: Not known.
System of Arrangement: The material is arranged
chronologically by record type.
Getting & using the Archive
Conditions Governing Access: Owned by
Children 1st. Written research proposals
should be submitted for consideration by the
Children 1st Archive Access Committee.
Copyright/Conditions Governing Reproduction:
Applications for permission to quote should be sent
to University Archivist. Reproduction subject to
usual conditions: educational use and condition of
documents.
Language of Material: English.
Physical Characteristics: None that affect the
use of this material.
Finding Aids: PC database (Microsoft Access)
allowing a wide range of subject and descriptive
access points for all records. Handlist of
associated and ephemeral materials.
Other collections of similar subject matter
Location of Originals: This material is
original.
Existence of Copies: No known copies, apart from
duplication of published materials held at NAS (see
link below).
Related units of description: Part of Glasgow
Caledonian University Research Collections -
See also National Archives Scotland, GD409: Royal
Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Children.
For collection listings search the
NAS
Catalogue.
Further details of related material can be found on
the appropriate
links page.
Publication note: Ashley, Brian.
A Stone on the Mantelpiece (Edinburgh, 1985).
Abram, Lynn. The Orphan Country (Edinburgh,
1998).
Archive contact
Carole McCallum
Telephone - +44 (0)141 273 1188
Email -
C.McCallum@gcal.ac.uk
Notes relating to the preparation of this
description
Description Compilation Details: Compiled by Research Collections Manager, August 2002.
Description Alterations: Revised by David
Powell, HUB Project Archivist, 10 October 2002,
Carole McCallum, University Archivist, 1 April 2003,
and Meghan Cote, Assistant Archivist, Children 1st
Archive, 1 December 2005.
Rules or Conventions: Description compiled in
line with the following international standards:
International Council on Archives AD Hoc Commission
on Descriptive Standards, and ISAD(G) General
International Standard Archival Description Notes.
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Last Updated: 10 April, 2010
Edited by:
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