SWHN Seminar: Social Work Biographies held on 16th November 2007,
1.30pm – 4.30pm at the Franklin Wilkins Building, King’s College London.
Present:
40 members
Introduction:
KB welcomed members, guests and speakers to the
meeting.
Grateful thanks were expressed to Professor Jill Manthorpe
for making the meetings at KCL possible.
Presentations
1)
Social Workers in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Alex
May, Research Editor of the 20th Century.
AM explained that he specialised in British Foreign Policy but also held a wider
brief. He handed out a list of social workers included in the DNB and would be
interested to receive the names of notable omissions.
Founded by George Murray Smith – the Victorian Dictionary was first published
at the end of the 19th century in 63 volumes with 29,000 biographies. The
Dictionary’s scope was originally universal but it was later restricted to the British
Isles. 1917 the Oxford University Press (OUP) acquired the copyright and has
since then published all the supplements, first at 10 yearly, and more recently
five yearly intervals. In the 1940s it was becoming clear that the dictionary
needed revising in terms of content and new areas of interest, e.g. social work. In
the 1980s this debate gathered momentum and in 1992 the British academy and
OUP agreed a new product costing £22m. The main changes involved the reorganisation of the dictionary into chronological and topical areas, including
occupations and social work.
The social work category is a very broad area and may also include charity
workers, philanthropists, administrators and people working in cognate areas, as
well as existing and extinct social work groups. All entries are accordingly tagged
to assist text searches. It is also possible to conduct a search for the names of
entry contributors. The biography is constantly being revised when new
information comes to light and is a useful means of pursuing the changing social
attitudes in social welfare.
Free on-line access to the DNB is via the local public library. About 80% of
libraries now allow online access to the dictionary from people’s homes. The
DNB website [www.oxforddnb.com] has a list of public library websites. Click to
find out if your library is one that allows home access. Then follow the
instructions. You must first be validated by your local library before you access
the DNB site.
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Discussion

In 1998 social work was treated as a separate category. Therefore the
previous years are less well covered. People who were doing types of
social work and reform work from the late 19th century would be included.
In respect of social workers dying now, the term social work would be
used in its strictest sense. Margaret Ashdown, PSW trainer and LSE tutor
was identified as a possible omission.

Do all the members of social work groups have to be dead? No information is included on notable social work groups where some people
are still alive.

Criteria for entry – will people want to find out about these people in 50 or
100 years’ time? People must have been notable in some way.

Obituaries in Broadsheets and science and medical journals are examined
every day with a view to possible inclusion. Likely contenders are sent to a
group of advisors to guide decision-making.

Quality control – there are 450 associate editors and 450 advisers to
scrutinise entries. Five people vet the entries before these are published.

No one has ever been dropped – relates to an early agreement. Some
people have been downgraded e.g. Queen Victoria, whilst others like
William Shakespeare have been increased. Photos are included
depending on prominence and availability. Contenders must have a clear
link with the UK.
2) The Life and Work of Elizabeth (Betty) Irvine: Alice Sluckin, Psychiatric
Social Worker (‘retired’) and Secretary of the Leicester Branch
Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (ACAMH).
AS explained that she was a former student of John Bowlby. Her talk is
summarised in a Memoir of Elizabeth (Betty) Irvine, (ACAMH summer 2006),
circulated at the meeting.
Discussion

From her Child Guidance Clinic base, Betty was influential in defining the
role of the PSW. She wrote at length on the topic of respect for the
psychiatrist and respect for the PSW. She believed that the whole concept
of transference was very important and wrote many articles on the
professional relationship. She was also an active BASW member and
chaired the working party which wrote the original version of BASW’s
Code of Ethics.
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
Betty Irvine’s work is timely given an emergence of articles calling for a
rejection of managerialism in social work and a return to a more
psychodynamic approach.

Sir Richard Bowlby, son of John is promoting his father’s work – a video
now exists.

PSW has been ambivalent about publishing obituaries and this needs to
be addressed to ensure social workers achieve due recognition. Another
avenue for social work entries is the Guardian’s Obituary page and ‘Other
Lives’ column.
3)
The Life and Work of Baroness Lucy Faithfull: Judith Niechcial
JN explained that her book is almost finished but not yet published.
Extensive notes are forthcoming.
Discussion

Tensions between Barbara Kahan (Oxford County) and Lucy (Oxford City)
were attributed to many reasons. They were different personalities,
Barbara was task focused whilst Lucy was more of a people person and
the issues they were tackling were inevitably intertwined because the City
was an enclave within the County. Lucy’s committee was well informed
largely because of the city’s university base, whilst Barbara struggled with
a more difficult membership.

Lucy’s Tory allegiance is explained by her belief in individual effort.
However, this did not preclude the need for support and strategic thinking,
at which she excelled, to promote sound social services policy.

Jon Glasby (University of Birmingham) has written a History of the
Summertown Settlement where Lucy worked in her very early social work
days.

Lucy’s archives at St Hilda’s Oxford are in terrible disarray. St Hilda’s has
agreed to support an archivist to sort the papers. However, more money is
needed. Contributions have been made but a further £3,000 is needed.

It had been decided that there would be no fee for attending this meeting,
and KB invited those present to make donations instead to the Lucy
Faithfull Archive Fund. Any future donations to Judith please.
4) Provisional Date and Programme of Next Meeting: 4th April 2008 –
Mental Health Social Work.
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