Archive: midwifery genealogy
Several midwifery enquiries to the UKCHNM website have recently been from members of the public interested in tracing a family member's registration as a midwife or those wishing to find out more details about their own birth. Although the website is not able to deal with enquiries of a geanelogical nature here are a few bits of advice.
Tracing a family member's registration as a midwife
Midwifery registration was introduced with the Midwives Act of 1902. The regulatory body, known as the Central Midwives Board oversaw the education of midwives and maintained the midwives roll. They also had the power to remove a name from the roll in the event of a midwife malpractising.
‘Handywomen' were untrained and unregistered helpers who attended women in childbirth. By 1936 they had been phased out.
Before 1902, some midwives held certificates from the London Obstetrical Society and various lying-in hospitals furnished midwives with certificates.
A very early certificate now resides in the archives of the Royal College of Midwives, London.
Tracing birth details / hospital records
Obtaining details about our birth or that of others is more complex than the common genealogical process of obtaining certificates of birth.
Everyone has the right to access their hospital records under the Access to Records Act 1990 & the Data Protection Act 1998. One needs to apply formally in writing to the appropriate hospital (archives or records manager). An indication for the reason for access request is usually required. The Hospital has to respond by law & there is usually a fee payable.
This information applies to the applicants own records only.
If an historian requires access to other person's records for research purposes then those records are protected and can only be accessed by obtaining special permission. This initially may require the researcher to make an application to an ethics committee and to the record keeper or gatekeeper or in the case of hospital records, perhaps to the Regional Health Authority. In essence the records are protected for 100 years, nevertheless permission is still often required depending on motive for access.
For any midwifery related enquiries, please contact Janette Allotey on:
janette.allotey@manchester.ac.uk
