British Medical Association: Local branches

Substantial documentation of the Lancashire and Cheshire Branch 1843-1965, but sparse documentation for the Manchester and Salford divisions in the first thirty years of the twentieth century.

The British Medical Association was founded by Sir Charles Hastings in 1832 as the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association. The objectives of the Association were to promote the medical and allied sciences and to maintain the honour and interests of the medical profession. A number of local medical associations became branches of the larger Association, which became the BMA in 1856 when London members were admitted. In 1837, the Lancashire and Cheshire Branch (see below) was one of the earliest branches of the Association to be recognised. In 1903, the administrative structure of the BMA was overhauled and divisions were established within local branches, there were 30 divisions within the Lancashire and Cheshire Branch. In the Manchester area there were five divisions, Manchester North, Central, South, West, and Salford. Some joint meetings were held, and there were attempts to formalise coordination. The four Manchester Divisions unified in 1915 to form the Manchester Division, although the Salford remained separate.

8 sections:

• /1 Lancashire and Cheshire Branch
• /2 Manchester and Salford Divisions (joint meetings)
• /3 Manchester North Division
• /4 Manchester Central Division
• /5 Manchester South Division
• /6 Manchester West Division
• /7 Manchester Division (unified)
• /8 Salford Division

Records of the Lancashire and Cheshire Branch and of the Manchester Division (unified) are held at the British Medical Association archive (reference D/7-8).