Personal papers of Dame Margaret Brain

Scope and Content

Personal papers of Dame Margaret Brain relating to her role as President of the Royal College of Midwives and to her commitments both before and after, including published maternity reports, records of the RCM, presentations given by her at professional events nationally and internationally, and some notes on her career.

Administrative / Biographical History

Margaret Brain began nursing and midwifery training at the age of 18, and in 1959 she put her early interest in developing countries to good use in North East India, teaching student midwives at the Hazaribagh Anglican Mission Hospital. As Principal Midwifery Office in Reading she represented the RCM Branch at the 1969 Chile Congress, and was elected as Treasurer of the International Confederation of Midwives in 1972. She was first elected as President of the RCM in 1987 and was re-elected unopposed for a second three year term in 1990. Margaret Brain was appointed by the Secretary of State for Health to a number of national committees, including the Maternity Services Advisory Committee (1981-1985) which produced the Maternity Care in Action Reports. She was awarded Honorary Fellowship of the RCOG in 1991, the first midwife to be honoured in this way.

Access Information

Unrestricted

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright of the Royal College of Midwives and of Dame Margaret Wheeler.

Custodial History

External deposit made to the RCM Archive by Dame Margaret Wheeler in January 2013