| Description | First correspondence and meeting notes of the British Psychological Society BPS Centenary Working Party (later, Centenary Sub-Committee) documenting the initiative for working party for the Centenary, by Stephen White, Director of Information.
The file contains notes relating to the initial meetings, information gathering and brainstorming, as well as correspondence with different organisations.
21 Aug 1991: Internal memo initiative for working party, by Stephen White, followed by handwritten notes on an initial meeting, [Individuals mentioned in the notes at this point are: Mike Burton, ‘JC’, ‘JS’.]
2 September 1991: Typed notes with a memo from Stephen White, circulated to the attendees of the 21 Aug meeting: Allan Sakne, David Bird, Amanda Briggs; and also sent to F&GP [Finance and General Purposes Committee]. The notes are titled, ‘The Society’s Centenary—2001’. It includes ideas on the theme for events: ‘where we have been’; ‘where we are now’; ‘where should we be going’; and the ‘rough slogan’ of ‘Research, evidence, application’. In addition is idea for a royal presence to open the event, as well as potential royal patronage—the royal mentioned is ‘Prince (King) Charles’. The notes also include ideas for various publications, a television series, a prestige conference in January 2001 [later called ‘Psychology-A Science for Society’] and the centenary in connection to the BPS Annual Conference in the summer that year; a potential orchestral commission (with Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, if, for example, the Annual Conference in 2001 were to be held in Birmingham); Section, Division, Special Group and Branch activity in relation to the centenary; special editions for Journals; a reception in London for the actual day of the centenary in October; work with Parliamentary Groups.
15 October 1991: Memo from Stephen White to Allan Sakne, Amanda Briggs and David Bird briefly summarising the response from F&GP, including ‘Yes, keep going’; the idea about Royal Patronage is to be referred to the Information Committee; and to consider whether BPS wants the conference of the EFPPA [European Federation of Professional Psychologists' Associations] to be in London that year, scheduled ‘end on’ to the BPS Annual Conference.
29 November 1991- 12 December 1991: Correspondence with the BBC British Broadcasting Corporation including a proposal for TV series: “100 years of Psychology”, which does not appear to be taken further at this stage.
30 December 1991 : Letter from Graham Richards [Chair of the History and Philosophy of Psychology Section] in reply to Stephen Write, regarding a ‘History of the Society’.
13 January 1992: Memo from Stephen White to Allan Sakne, Amanda Briggs and David Bird, following a meeting that day including notes sent 2 September 1991 to F&GP, but with tasks assigned. Additional items in the memo are: to contact Ingrid Lunt regarding the 2001 EFPPA Conference; Invitations for the October reception; ‘How we engineer the right “Presidents” for 2000/2001/2002’; Division activity.
c January 2001: Handwritten draft letter by Stephen White to potential chairs of a planned conference to occur in January 2001, entitled, ‘100 Years of British Psychology’.
17 Feb 1992-12 Aug 1993: Letter sent from Stephen Write to Simon Rattle at the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, a response from Edward Smith, Chief Executive of the BSO on behalf of Simon Rattle, thanking Stephen White, suggesting it is quite early to be planning, but suggesting he may be able to arrange a meeting. Further response in June 1992, about the possibility of a meeting. A later letter, from 12 Aug 1993, following up on the letter of the 18th June 1992, not having pressed for a reply as there is still plenty of time until 2001, but still expressing interest in arranging a meeting.
1-8 May 1992: Correspondence between Stephen White and Robert Bud [Head of Life and Environmental Sciences at the Science Museum] regarding a potential exhibition at the Science Museum on a hundred years of psychology. Robert Bud states the idea is ‘most appealing’, but they will have to way it up against their own institutional strategy in nine years’ time and also alongside competing significances of 2001 (150th anniversary of the 1851 exhibition; the beginning of a new century). Robert Bud also states ‘meanwhile we look forward to collaborating with your archivists on the recording of the history of psychology’, on this, Stephen White replies, ‘did you have something specific in mind?’.
Initial information gathering and brainstorming including collected material on centenaries from the RSA Royal Society of Arts Text Processing 1991, American Psychological Association in 1992; Venue hires including the Science Museum; Granada Studios, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, The National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham; Celebrity presence at events; Promotion of exhibitions through the Exhibition Bulletin. |
| AdminHistory | The Psychological Society was founded on 24 October 1901 at University College London. Its aim was 'to advance scientific psychological research, and to further the co-operation of investigators in the various branches of Psychology." It changed its name to 'The British Psychological Society' in 1906, to avoid confusion with another society.
In August 1991, ten years before the centenary of BPS in 2001, Stephen White [BPS Director of Information], initiated activity among BPS staff to support the celebration centenary.
A working party was founded in August 1991 following a meeting of Stephen White, Allan Sakne [BPS Business Manager], Amanda Briggs [BPS Conference and Events Manager] and David Bird [BPS Assistant Executive Secretary].
The working party was later to be established as a formal Sub-Committee under the Finance & General Purposes Committee in 1996.
This file contains the first notes and correspondence of the Working Party formed in 1991. The activity of the working party appears to have largely dropped until it was picked up again in 1994-1995, when the first official minuted meeting of the working party was held 19 December 1995. |