Key Information
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1921-1985 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent
14 boxes, 1.4 cubic metres
Scope and content
Papers of Alice Mary Copping, 1921-1985, relating to nutrition, comprising correspondence, research papers and publications. Correspondence notably includes letters regarding Dame Harriet Chick, including a letter from P M Victory at The British Nutrition Foundation, thanking Copping for forwarding Chick's introduction to a lecture and for Copping's participation in a lecture, 1975; a letter from Dr George Pitt of The British Journal of Nutrition thanking Copping for a photograph of Chick, enclosed with the letter, 1978; correspondence also includes letters from A N Duckham of University of Reading, 1973-1978 and Sue Papworth of ASP Biological and Medical Press B V, 1976 both regarding the publication of 'Food production and consumption: The efficiency of human food chains and nutrient cycles', which contains a chapter written by Copping.The collection also includes published articles by Copping notably including 'Planning Nutrition Education in Developing Countries', 1968 and 'Nutrition and Growth', 1964; publications from institutions including Lister Institute of Preventative Medicine, including 'Monkey welfare' by E M Hume, 1956 and copies of Nutrition History Notes, 1979-1985 and other newsletters. The collection also includes glass slides labelled 'pantotheine', housed in envelopes addressed to Copping. Pantotheine is a derivative of pantothenic acid (vitamin E), these slides reflect Copping's interest and research in vitamins and nutrition.The collection also contains publications regarding nutrition worldwide including dietry surveys of Indians and Fijians and a section concerning Vienna, comprising an article entitled 'Ætiology of Rickets in infants: Prophylactic and Curative Observations at the Vienna University Kinderklinik', by Harriette Chick and others, 1922 and 'Hunger- Osteomalacia in Vienna, 1920. Its relation to diet', by Elsie J Danyell and Harriette Chick, 1921 and four black and white photographs depicting undernourished children in Vienna, [1921-1922].
System of arrangement
The collection is currently uncatalogued and remains in its original order.
General Information
Name of creator
Biographical history
Dr Alice Mary Copping, born Stratford, New Zealand 1906; was educated at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, graduating with BSc, second class honours in Chemistry, 1925 and graduated as Master of Science,1926; awarded the Sarah Ann Rhodes scholarship from University of New Zealand enabling her to work under J. C. Drummond at University College London for two years, 1927 and awarded a BSc in Biochemistry and Physiology, 1927-1929.Copping worked as temporary lecturer in nutrition at the School of Home Science, University of Otago, New Zealand, 1931; worked within Division of Nutrition at the Lister Institute of Public Health with Dame Harriett Chick, 1927-1931 continuing to work at the Lister Institute from 1932-1949 and was the editorial assistant of the periodical 'Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews', from 1931. Copping was employed by Queen Elizabeth College from 1949 as a lecturer in the Physiology Department; became a recognised teacher in physiology (nutrition), 1951; senior lecturer in Department of Nutrition, from 1958; granted a DSc for published papers in the field of nutrition; became a Reader in Nutrition, 1964; leaving the college in 1975.Copping was appointed as a member of Vitamin E Sub Committee of Medical Research Council Accessory Food Factors Committee, 1938 and appointed member of the Vitamin C Sub Committee, 1945; was a consultant on nutrition education for the Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Health Organisation symposium, 1959 and acted as chairman of programme for the Third International Congress of Dietetics in London, 1961. Copping was particularly interested in vitamins, food consumption patterns in various countries, nutrition programmes, child growth and the history of nutrition, including the Nutrition Society and died in 1996.
Repository
Custodial history
Transferred to King's College London College Archives by Professor Catherine Geissler, Head of Division of Health Sciences, in 2001.
Conditions governing access
Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only.
Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Archives.
Language of material
- English
- German
- Korean
Script of material
Finding aids
No additional finding aids exist.
Existence and location of originals
Please note: We require 7 days notice to retrieve this collection as part, or all of it, is held off-campus. Read more ›
Related materials
Alternative identifier(s)
Place access points
People and Organisations
- Chick, Dame Harriette, 1875-1977, nutritionist (Subject)
- Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine x Jenner Institute of Preventive Medicine x British Institute for Preventive Medicine x College of State Medicine (Subject)
- Queen Elizabeth College, 1953-1985 (Subject)
- King's College London Department of Physiology (Subject)
- The British Nutrition Foundation (Subject)
Genre access points
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000.
Script(s)
Archivist's note
Sources: The History of Queen Elizabeth College, Neville Marsh (King's College London, 1986). Compiled by Samantha Velumyl.