Graphical version

Women's Library

NUTTING, Lady Helen (1890-1973)


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 106 7LHN

Held at: Women's Library

Title: NUTTING, Lady Helen (1890-1973)

Date(s): 1938-1969

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 0.5 A box

Name of creator(s): Nutting | Lady | Helen Alice Wyllington | 1890-1973 | Chair of the Council for Married Women

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Lady Helen Nutting (1890-1973) was born Helen Ogilvy in 1890, the daughter of the sixth Earl of Airlie. In 1909 she married the Hon. Clement Bertram Ogilvy Mitford-Freeman DSO 10th Hussars, who was killed in action in 1915. (He was a son of the first Baron Redesdale). In 1918 she married Lt-Col. Henry Courtney Brocklehurst, 10th Hussars. The marriage was troubled and they divorced in 1931. He was later killed in action in Burma 1942. In 1933 she finally married Lt-Col. Harold Bligh Nutting. She had, by this time, become involved with issues concerning women's status and rights, especially economic equality between husband and wife. She became a member of the Married Women's Association in 1945 and was appointed its deputy Chair in 1947. In 1952 certain members of the Married Women's Association opposed the President's draft evidence to the Royal Commission on Marriage and Divorce. The President (Helena Normanton), Chair (Doreen Gorsky), Deputy Chair (Nutting) and the Hon. Secretary (Evelyn Hamilton) left the Association. They went on to occupy identical positions in a new organisation called the Council of Married Women. Gorsky resigned as Chair in 1953 due to her new appointment at the BBC and Lady Nutting became Chair until its dissolution. Through the 1960s the Council encountered financial difficulties and the organisation's work largely devolved upon Lady Nutting alone. The organisation was wound up in 1969. She died in Dec 1973.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

The archive consists of press cuttings concerning marriage in the UK (1961-1968); correspondence, press cuttings, articles and official publications on marriage law and the status of women in various countries (1938-1967); correspondence, parliamentary papers and press cuttings on divorce law reform (1960-1969); copy of report on Homosexual Offences and prostitution (1957).

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Arranged as they were originally deposited: LHN1; LHN2.

Conditions governing access:

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Physical characteristics:

Finding aids:

Fawcett Library Catalogue

Detailed catalogue

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

In 1971-1972 Lady Helen deposited her papers relating to the Married Women's Association with the Fawcett Library (7LHN/01-03). On 10 Sep 1974 (after her death in Dec 1973) the Executor Branch of Coutts Bank deposited the official records of the Council of Married Women that were with the Library (7LHN/04-07). These had been held at her flat at 50 Carlisle Mansions. The Secretary, Mrs Evelyn Hamilton had resigned in 1969 and Lady Helen had carried on the Council virtually alone.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Existence and location of originals:

Existence and location of copies:

Related material:

The Women's Library also holds the papers of the Council of Married Women (5CMW) and of the Married Women's Association (5MWA).

Publication note:

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Note:

Archivist's note: Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.

Rules or conventions: In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: 28/02/2008


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Family law | Civil law | Legal systems | Law
Married women | Marital status | Marriage
Women | Sex | Sex distribution
Womens status | Womens rights | Rights of special groups

Personal names
Nutting | Lady | Helen Alice Wyllington | 1890-1973 | Chair of the Council for Married Women

Corporate names
Council of Married Women
Married Women's Association

Places