K/PP178/3/1-43: Correspondence, 1948-2004, with scientific colleagues

References on this page: K/PP178/3/1-43

K/PP178/3/1

1972 Jun-Oct

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Struther Arnott relating to draft article, ‘A refined structure for B-DNA’

Correspondence chiefly between Wilkins and Prof Struther Arnott, Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, USA, relating to their draft article, ‘A refined structure for B-DNA’ (unpublished). Also typescript drafts of the text, with manuscript emendations, related manuscript notes and data. Original file title ‘B DNA Arnott et al 1972’

1 file

K/PP178/3/2/1-5

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence between Wilkins and Allen Blaurock, 1970-1971, 1993, 1996

K/PP178/3/2/1

1970 Jan-Mar

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Allen Blaurock relating to recent research on the membrane structure of optic nerves

Correspondence between Wilkins and Allen Blaurock, Cardiovascular Research Institute,San Francisco Medical Center,USA, relating to their recent research on the membrane structure of optic nerves, including reports by Blaurock on Donald Caspar’s presentations in the same subject. Original file title ‘Allen’s letter Feb 19’

1 file

K/PP178/3/2/2

1970 May-Oct

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Allen Blaurock relating to their research on the membrane structure of optic nerves

Correspondence with Allen Blaurock relating to their research on the membrane structure of optic nerves, including a copy typescript draft article, ‘Structure of the disc membrane in the visual cell’, intended for submission to Science, but apparently unpublished. Original file title ‘Allen’s letter May 70’

1 file

K/PP178/3/2/3

1970 Aug

Papers of M H F Wilkins: letters from Allen Blaurock concerning progress on a draft academic paper

Letters to Wilkins from Allen Blaurock, Cardiovascular Research Institute, San Francisco Medical Center, University of California, USA, concerning progress on a co-written academic paper (probably Allen Blaurock, Wilkins and N G Webb, ‘Molecular structure of photoreceptor membranes’, given at the 25^th International Congress of Physiological Sciences, Munich, Jul 1971, and subsequently published in Proceedings of the International Union of Physical Sciences, vol 8, 1971). Also manuscript graphs of related data

1 file

K/PP178/3/2/4

1970-1971

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Allen Blaurock relating to his draft article ‘X-ray diffraction pattern predicted for a protein-coated bilayer’

Correspondence between Wilkins and Allen Blaurock, Cardiovascular Research Institute, San Francisco Medical Center, USA, chiefly relating to Blaurock’s typescript draft article (enclosed), ‘X-ray diffraction pattern predicted for a protein-coated bilayer’, 1971 (similar but not identical to his ‘X-ray diffraction pattern from a bilayer with protein outside’, published in Biophysical Journal, Vol 13, 1973). Original file title ‘Membrane Ms with Blaurock and his letters’

1 file

K/PP178/3/2/5

1984-1993, 1996

Papers of M H F Wilkins: personal correspondence with Allen Blaurock

Personal correspondence with Allen Blaurock, including Blaurock’s CV and a references for him by Wilkins, CLOSED during Blaurock’s lifetime or for review 2073. Also offprint and copy articles by Blaurock, ‘Lipid myelin basic protein multilayers’, by J Sedzik, Blaurock and M Höchli, offprint from Journal of Molecular Biology, 1984; ‘Surprising thermal transition in fish myelin’, by Blaurock, R J Chandross and R S Bear, photocopy from Biochemica et Biophysica Acta, 1985; ‘X-ray and neutron diffraction by membranes: how great is the potential for defining the molecular interactions?’, published as a chapter in Progress in Protein-Lipid Interactions 2 (Elsevier Science, 1986); ‘Calcium ions trigger the expansion in bistable myelin’, offprint from Neuroscience Letters, 1987; A new meaning to high energy foods’, published in Inform, Mar 1993

1 file

K/PP178/3/3

1990

Papers of M H F Wilkins: obituary for Jean Brachet

Obituary for Belgian biochemist Jean Brachet (1909-1988), by Norman Wingate Pirie, offprint from Biographical memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol 36, 1990, including a microfiche copy of his bibliography

2 items

K/PP178/3/4

1988-1995

Papers of M H F Wilkins: papers relating to R E Burge’s candidacy for membership of the Royal Society

Correspondence and related papers concerning Wilkins’ nomination of Prof Ronald Edgar (‘Ron’) Burge (Head of King’s College London Department of Physics, 1984-1992), to membership of the Royal Society, including letters of support, texts of articles by Burge, ‘Scanning transmission C-ray microscopy at 10nm resolution’ and ‘X-ray microscopy: the direct observation of molecular action in living cells’, and copies of Burge’s CV. Personal data included in the file is CLOSED during Burge’s lifetime, or for review 2075.

1 file

K/PP178/3/5/1-20

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Francis Harry Compton Crick (1916-2004), biophysicist and co-winner of the 1961 Nobel prize for Physiology or Medicine, including photocopies of Wilkins’ original letters to Crick, supplied to Wilkins by scientific historian Robert Olby, 1948-2004

K/PP178/3/5/1

1948 Feb 3, 1952 Aug 21

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter and postcard from Wilkins to Francis Crick, with reference to Wilkins’ research

Photocopies of a personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, with condolences on the death of Crick’s father and an invitation to dinner, 3 Feb 1948. Also (on same sheet as one copy) photocopy postcard, written from Brazil, with brief reference to Wilkins’ research on Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), 21 Aug 1952

3 items

K/PP178/3/5/2

[1948]

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, inviting Crick to dinner

Photocopies of a personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, enquiring about the Cambridge weather and inviting him to dinner (subsequently dated by Wilkins ‘1948-49?’)

2 items

K/PP178/3/5/3

1950

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, relating to DNA research at King’s College London

Photocopies of a personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick (subsequently dated by Wilkins ‘early 1950?’ ‘Spring 1950’ and ‘mid June 1950), including an invitation to the King’s College London Biophysics Unit laboratory, reference to the A and B forms of DNA, the long hours worked by the staff of the King’s College London Biophysics Unit, and a request that Crick keep the King’s College London research confidential at present

4 items

K/PP178/3/5/4

1951 Dec 11

Papers of M H F Wilkins: draft request to Francis Crick that he and James Watson stop their DNA research

Original typescript draft letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, 11 Dec 1951, requesting that Crick and James Watson do not continue their DNA research, as an unnecessary duplication of the work already in progress at King’s College London, suggesting that Crick show the letter to Max [Perutz], and reporting that Wilkins has sent a copy to John Randall, Director of the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London. Also two photocopies of the letter, with later annotations by Wilkins, and brief related manuscript notes

4 items

K/PP178/3/5/5

1952

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, on Wilkins’ DNA research

Photocopies of a personal letter from Wilkins on holiday in Switzerland to Francis Crick (one copy subsequently dated by Wilkins ‘Spring 52’, the other dated ‘May June 1952 before nonhelical talk’), detailing Wilkins’ research to date, including a rough sketch of the x-ray diffraction image suggesting the existence of helical layer lines that Wilkins had recently obtained from a DNA sample made from squid sperm. Also reference to strained working relations with Rosalind Franklin, to Crick and James Watson’s difficulties constructing a DNA model, and to rivalry between theCambridgeand King’s College London research teams

4 items

K/PP178/3/5/6

1953 Feb

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick with reference to a recent research presentation by Rosalind Franklin

Photocopies of a personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick (subsequently dated by Wilkins ‘Feb 1953’), including reference to Wilkins’ recent ill health, his opinion of Rosalind Franklin’s presentation on her research (28 Jan 1953), and a promise to Crick to note down what Wilkins could recall of the talk

2 items

K/PP178/3/5/7

1953 Mar

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick on the progress of DNA research at King’s College London

Photocopies of a personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick (subsequently dated by Wilkins ‘March 1953’), including reference to Rosalind Franklin’s imminent departure from King’s College London and how close the King’s team are to drawing a conclusion from their DNA research. One photocopy stapled to a photocopy of Wilkins’ letter suggesting changes to Crick and Francis Watson’s draft Nature article, later in Mar 1953 (see also K/PP178/3/5/8), a photocopy of Wilkins’ postcard to Crick from Brazil, 1952 (see also K/PP178/3/5/1), and photocopy sketches of DNA base pairings, with related calculations, [1953]

2 items

K/PP178/3/5/8

1953 Mar 18

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick giving Wilkins’ reaction to Crick and Watson’s DNA model

Photocopy personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick, with rueful congratulations to Crick and James Watson on their breakthrough model of the structure of DNA, a request that Bruce Fraser should have an opportunity to publish his earlier, incorrect, model, notification that Wilkins and his colleagues intend to publish an article on their research in the same edition of Nature as Watson and Crick’s article, and that Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling are also to publish an article, in the same edition (Nature, Vol 171 No 4356, 25 Apr 1953: James Watson and Francis Crick, ‘Molecular structure of nucleic acids: a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid’; Wilkins, Alec Stokes and Herbert Wilson, ‘Molecular structure of nucleic acids: molecular structure of deoxypentose nucleic acids’; Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling, ‘Molecular configuration in sodium thymonucleate’)

1 item

K/PP178/3/5/9

[1953]

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick relating to draft articles for Nature on the structure of DNA

Photocopy personal letter from Wilkins to Francis Crick (undated), with suggested modifications to Crick and James Watson’s draft article (‘Molecular structure of nucleic acids: a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid’, published in Nature, 25 Apr 1953, Vol 171 No 4356), and reference to difficulties preparing the text of the King’s College London Biophysics Unit article (Wilkins, Alec Stokes and Herbert Wilson, ‘Molecular structure of nucleic acids: molecular structure of deoxypentose nucleic acids’, published in the same issue of Nature)

1 item

K/PP178/3/5/10

1949, 1954-1958

Papers of M H F Wilkins: postcards from Francis and Odile Crick

Picture postcards from Francis Crick and Odile Crick to Wilkins, mostly sent fromParis,France, orCambridge, and chiefly personal, but with brief reference to DNA research work. Also later note by Wilkins, listing some of the postcards, and postcard from Crick to Cyril Domb (Professor of Theoretical Physics, King’s College London, 1954-1981), no date, with brief reference to Crick’s mislaid umbrella

14 items

K/PP178/3/5/11

1950-1953; 1976 Dec 6; [2000]

Papers of M H F Wilkins: transcripts of letters to Crick and copies of letters to Roy Markham, supplied by Robert Olby

Photocopies of typed transcripts of Wilkins’ personal letters to Francis Crick, 1952-1953; photocopy letter from John Randall, Oct 1950, inviting Roy Markham, Plant Virus Research Unit, Molteno Institute for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Cambridge, to give a talk to the Biophysics Group, King’s College London; photocopies of letters from Wilkins to Markham, 1950-1951, concerning the progress of DNA research at King’s; covering letter from Robert Olby to Wilkins, 6 Dec 1976, enclosing the Markham and Crick photocopies, and explaining that he has asked Crick’s secretary for copies of Wilkins’ original letters to Crick

1 file

K/PP178/3/5/12

[1952-1953]

Papers of M H F Wilkins: additional copies of letters from Wilkins to Francis Crick relating to the progress of DNA research

Additional stapled set of photocopies of Wilkins’ letters to Francis Crick, 1952-1953, concerning the progress of DNA research in the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, and Crick and James Watson’s work in the Cavendish Laboratory,Cambridge, with later annotations by Wilkins

1 file

K/PP178/3/5/13

1953-1955

Papers of M H F Wilkins: articles chiefly by Francis Crick, with related correspondence

Photocopy manuscript draft article by Francis Crick, ‘The Fourier transform of a coiled coil’, with offprint of published article, Acta Crystallographica, Sept 1953. Two photocopies of manuscript draft letter from Wilkins to Crick, c 2000, referring to the original of the manuscript draft article (possibly subsequently sent to Crick), and suggesting a collaborative review of DNA history. Also a photocopy of ‘The structure of the hereditary material’ by Crick, published in Scientific American, Oct 1954, and draft article, ‘Statistical correlation of protein and ribonucleic acid composition’ by George Gamow and Martynas Ycas (subsequently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dec 1955), with covering letter to Crick from Ycas, Oct 1955

1 file

K/PP178/3/5/14

1957-1961

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Francis Crick, with reference to DNA research

Semi personal correspondence with Francis Crick, Cavendish Laboratory,Cambridge, including reference to recent research on DNA modelling

7 items

K/PP178/3/5/15

1966-1967

Papers of M H F Wilkins: letters by Francis Crick concerning DNA modelling and the origin of the genetic code

Letter from Francis Crick to Stephen Pelc, Biophysics Department, King’s College London, 14 Dec 1966, concerning errors in DNA model building at King’s by Pelc and M G Welton; photocopy article, ‘Origin of genetic code’, published in Nature, 24 Dec 1966, reporting a talk by Crick to the British Biophysical Society in which he referred to Pelc and Wilton’s work; photocopy letter from Crick to John Maddox, editor, Nature, 5 Jan 1967, requesting corrections to the article, with accompanying typescript clarifications

4 items

K/PP178/3/5/16

1966-1976

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Francis Crick, chiefly relating to past and present DNA research

Correspondence with Francis Crick, and related papers, chiefly concerning past and present DNA research, including: copies of Wilkins’ letters to James Watson, 6 Oct 1966, and to Francis Crick, 30 Oct 1967, about Watson’s planned book, subsequently published as The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York, 1968); letters from Wilkins to Crick, 1 May and 8 Nov 1968, urging Crick to participate in an educational film on DNA; photocopy letter from Crick to Francois Gros, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, Paris, France, 19 Mar 1969, criticising the European Committee of Scientists for Democracy in Greece; correspondence, 1969-1970, relating to the refutation of Tai Te Wu’s theory of a four-strand helical structure for DNA, rather than a double helix, and to their reactions to an article by Jerry Donohue, ‘Fourier analysis and the structure of DNA’, published in Science, 12 Sep 1969; photocopy article by Crick, ‘The double helix: a personal view’, published in Nature, Apr 1974, with extensive annotations by Wilkins. Original file title, ‘Crick’

1 file, 31 items

K/PP178/3/5/17

1988, 1993, 1998

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Francis Crick relating to DNA history

Letter from Francis Crick, Apr 1988, requesting a photograph of Wilkins for his forthcoming book (What mad pursuit: a personal view of scientific discovery, published by Basic Books, New York, 1988).  Manuscript drafts of a letter from Wilkins to Crick, 1998, about DNA history and Crick’s possibly changing viewpoint; reply from Crick, 11 Oct 1998, denying a conscious change.  Photocopies of an article, ‘Salk Institute investigated after claims of inhumane research’, published in Nature, Aug 1998, with reference to Crick.  Also photocopy article by John Maddox, ‘Watson, Crick and the future of DNA’, published in Nature, Mar 1993, reporting a talk by Crick, Cold Spring Harbor, USA, on the fortieth anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA

1 file, 14 items

K/PP178/3/5/18

1999-2000

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Crick relating to obtaining copies of original correspondence, and to the opening of the Franklin Wilkins Building, King’s College London

Photocopies of invitations, Jun 1999,from Arthur Lucas, Principal, King’s College London, to Francis Crick and James Watson for the formal opening of theFranklin Wilkins Building, King’s College London, Mar 2000, with photocopy of reply from Crick, declining the invitation. Draft manuscript letter from Wilkins to Crick, Feb 2000, requesting the return of Wilkins’ original letters, 1950-1953

1 file, 4 items

K/PP178/3/5/19

2004

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Francis Crick and letter of condolence to Odile Crick

Letter from Francis Crick to Wilkins, 7 Jan 2004, with comment on Wilkins’ autobiography, The Third Man of the Double Helix (Oxford University Press, 2003), and reference to Crick’s declining health (he died 28 Jul 2004). Copy letter from Wilkins to Crick, 16 Feb (2004), with brief reference to the impending 175th anniversary of the founding of King’s College London. Draft letter of condolence (2004), from Wilkins to Odile Crick

1 file, 4 items

K/PP178/3/5/20

2004

Papers of M H F Wilkins: obituaries for Francis Crick

Draft letter by Wilkins to unnamed newspaper on the death of Francis Crick, with press cuttings of obituaries and articles on Crick, from newspapers including The Telegraph, Daily Mail, Independent, Guardian, and The Times

1 file, 17 items

K/PP178/3/6

1957-1961, 1979-1980

Papers of M H F Wilkins: semi personal correspondence with Peter Dohrn

Semi personal correspondence between Wilkins and Peter Dohrn, Stazione Zoologica, Naples, Italy, including typescript speech text by Wilkins, ‘Commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Reinhard Dohrn’, 1980

1 file

K/PP178/3/7/1-3

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Boris Ephrussi (1901-1979), Professor of Genetics, University of Paris, and with Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor (1918-1968), geneticist, 1955-1961

K/PP178/3/7/1

1955 Sep -1957 Jul

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Boris Ephrussi and Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor on DNA research

Wilkins’ correspondence with Boris Ephrussi and Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor, Laboratoire de Génétique Physiologique, Paris, France, on topics including: Wilkins’ thoughts on the relation between DNA protein and RNA; research on the crystalline structure of interphase nuclei; methods of rehydrating biological samples to improve crystallinity; comments and suggestions relating to articles written by Wilkins and Ephrussi-Taylor; personal and domestic matters. Also related manuscript research notes and calculations. Original file title ‘Ephrussi’

1 file

K/PP178/3/7/2

1961

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Boris Ephrussi

Correspondence between Wilkins and Boris Ephrussi, Laboratoire de Génétique Physiologique, Paris, France, 1961, including Wilkins’ confidential assessment of Vittorio Luzzati, CLOSED during Luzzati’s lifetime, or for review 2041

1 file

K/PP178/3/7/3

1957-1960

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor

Correspondence between Wilkins and Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor, Laboratoire de Génétique Physiologique, Paris, France, including correspondence relating to their joint article, co-authored with Leonard Hamilton, R K Barclay, G L Brown, Herbert Wilson, Donald Marvin and N S Simmons, ‘Similarity of the structure of DNA from a variety of sources’, published in The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology, Vol 5 1959

1 file

K/PP178/3/8

1962

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Michael Falk

Correspondence between Wilkins and Michael Falk, Spectroscopy Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology,USA, 1962, relating to Falk’s research on Na DNA (sodium deoxyribonucleic acid)

1 file

K/PP178/3/9

1951

Papers of M H F Wilkins: copy letter to Rosalind Franklin concerning DNA research

Photocopies of a letter from Wilkins to Rosalind Elsie Franklin, subsequently dated ‘in July 51’, concerning his observations on x-ray diffraction images of DNA fibres to date (poor quality copy image).

3 items

K/PP178/3/10

1953-2003

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Bruce and Mary Fraser relating to chiefly to early DNA research

Correspondence with (Robert Donald) Bruce Fraser and Mary Fraser, former colleagues in the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, chiefly relating to the need to publicise Fraser’s 1952 unpublished structural model of DNA, following the publication of James Watson, The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York, 1968) and Anne Sayre, Rosalind Franklin and DNA (Norton, New York, 1975). File also includes text of Wilkins’ unpublished article, ‘The relation of the King’s work to that atCambridge’, and correspondence, 1999-2000, relating to exhibits in theScienceMuseum,London, and proposals for a DNA museum at King’s College London. Original file title ‘Fraser 1953 and 76 DNA’. File includes personal data, CLOSED during the lifetimes of Bruce and Mary Fraser, or for review 2080

1 file

K/PP178/3/11

1987-1994

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Meyer Friedman, relating to DNA history and to Friedman’s medical research

Correspondence with cardiologist Meyer (‘Mike’) Friedman, Director of the Meyer Friedman Institute,San Francisco,USA, relating chiefly to the writing of Friedman and Gerald Friedland’s book, Medicine’s ten greatest discoveries (Yale University Press, 1998), including an account of the discovery of the structure of DNA. Also reference to a recent meeting between Friedman and Francis Crick, 1994, including Crick’s comments on James Watson, and a list of DNA-related items donated by Friedman to Yale School of Medicine. Copies of published articles: Friedman and Ray Rosenman, ‘Association of specific overt behavior pattern with blood and cardiovascular findings’, published in The Journal of The American Medical Association, Vol 169, Mar 1959 (introducing the hypothesis that impatient ‘Type A’ personalities are more at risk of heart attack); Friedman, ‘Diagnosis and treatment of type A behavior as a medical disorder’, published in Primary Cardiology, Feb 1989; Friedman, ‘Type A behavior: its diagnosis, cardiovascular relation and the effect of its modification on recurrence of coronary artery disease’, published in The American Journal of Cardiology, Vol 64, Aug 1989. Slide of black and white photograph of Rosalind Franklin on holiday with friends, 1951, captioned ‘RF photo inAlps’, with covering letter from Friedman, 1990. Also letter from Friedman, Oct 1991, commenting on Wilkins’ draft autobiography, and enclosing copy letters to Friedman from publishers and literary agents. Original file title ‘Meyer Friedman’

1 file

K/PP178/3/12

1950, 1962-1965, 1983

Papers of M H F Wilkins: letters from Raymond Gosling, and related papers

Letters from Raymond Gosling to Wilkins, including a postcard, Sep 1950, with a brief reference to the possible future discovery of the structure of nucleic acid; congratulations on Wilkins’ Nobel Prize, an invitation to lecture at the University College of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica, 1962, and a draft paper, ‘A possible effect of atheroma on thrombus formation – a hydrodynamic and molecular model’, 1965. Also copies of Gosling’s CV, and a reference for Gosling by Wilkins, relating to Gosling’s appointment as Professor of Physics as Applied to Medicine, Guy’sHospitalMedicalSchool, 1983. Personal data in the file is CLOSED during Gosling’s lifetime

1 file

K/PP178/3/13

1961-1966

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Marianne Grunberg-Manago concerning RNA research

Correspondence between Wilkins and Marianne Grunberg-Manago, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique, 1962, 1963 and 1966, chiefly concerning research on RNA, and Wilkins’ difficulty obtaining samples

1 file

K/PP178/3/14/1-5

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Leonard Hamilton, Professor of Medicine, and Wilkins’ principal supplier of DNA samples, 1949, 1953-2004

K/PP178/3/14/1

1949, 1953-1957, 1968

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Leonard Hamilton, relating to DNA samples and the progress of DNA research

Correspondence with Leonard Hamilton, Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, USA, chiefly relating to the provision of DNA samples by Hamilton to the Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, and the progress of DNA research, including comment on the rivalry between the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, and King’s College London, the progress of research, the possibility of funding for DNA research from the Rockefeller Foundation, and on fellow scientists, including Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, John Randall and Linus Pauling. File includes personal data, CLOSED for review 2053

1 file

K/PP178/3/14/2

1957-1960

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Leonard Hamilton with related papers, chiefly concerning DNA research

Correspondence with Leonard Hamilton, of the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, USA, and related papers, including: undated notes by Norman Simmons on ‘Isolation of DNA from calf thymus’; Hamilton supplying Wilkins with DNA samples, 1957-1960; Hamilton’s house-hunting in New York, 1958; article by Hamilton, ‘Control and functions of the lymphocyte’, offprint from Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol 73, Article 1, Sep 1958; typescript draft of article by Hamilton and M E Gettner, ‘Fine structure of kappa in Paramecium aurelia’, subsequently published in The Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology, Vol 4, No 1, Jan 1958; typescript draft of article by Hamilton, Ralph K Barclay, Wilkins, Geoffrey Lawrence Brown, Herbert Rees Wilson, Donald Arthur Marvin, Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor and N S Simmons, ‘Similarity of the structure of DNA from a variety of sources’, offprint from Journal of Biophysical and Biochemical Cytology, vol 5, no 3, 25 May 1959. Originally half of a large file entitled ‘Hamilton 1958-1967’

1 file

K/PP178/3/14/3

1961-1967

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Leonard Hamilton with related papers, chiefly concerning DNA research

Correspondence with Leonard Hamilton, of the Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, New York, USA (from 1963 Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA), and related papers, including: Hamilton supplying Wilkins with DNA samples, 1960-1963; Hamilton’s suggested amendments to Wilkins’ Nobel lecture, Jan 1963; typescript draft article by Hamilton, Watson Fuller and E Reich, ‘X-ray diffraction and molecular model building studies of the interaction of actinomycin with nucleic acids’, subsequently published in Nature, May 1963; references for Hamilton by Wilkins, including reference for Brookhaven National Laboratory, 1963, CLOSED during Hamilton’s lifetime, or for review 2043; typescript draft article by Barry Bloom, Hamilton and Merrill Chase, ‘The effects of mitomycin C on the cellular transfer of delayed-type hypersensitivity in the guinea pig’, subsequently published in Nature, Feb 1964; typescript synopsis of lectures given at a ‘Seminar on topics in biophysics’, Columbia University, New York, USA, Jun-Jul 1964, including ‘The crystal physics and physical properties of nucleic acids’ by Wilkins; comment, 1966-1967, on James Watson’s draft account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, subsequently published as The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York, 1968). Originally half of a large file entitled ‘Hamilton 1958-1967’

1 file

K/PP178/3/14/4

1968-1983, 2004

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Leonard Hamilton, on topics including the history of DNA research

Correspondence between Wilkins and Leonard Hamilton, including: their reactions to James Watson’s book, The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York, 1968); Wilkins’ account, 1968, of the progress of DNA research at King’s College London in the early 1950s; offprint article by Hamilton, ‘DNA: models and reality’, published in Nature, May 1968, with Wilkins’ comments on a typescript draft; their reactions to articles, 1968 and 1969, by Tai Te Wu (in which Wu posited a four-strand helical structure for DNA, rather than a double helix); their reactions to an article by Jerry Donohue, ‘Fourier analysis and the structure of DNA’, published in Science, 12 Sep 1969; copy letter from Wilkins to Aaron Klug, 1969, detailing Rosalind Franklin’s DNA research at King’s College London; typescript draft untitled lecture by Hamilton, on DNA and RNA, given at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, [1969]; domestic difficulties with Wilkins’ holiday home, Corsica, 1969; Wilkins’ letter in support of Stephen Hamilton’s application for conscientious objector deferment from the draft, 1970; pages from Science, Vol 1693, 27 Mar 1970, including article by Wilkins, Struther Arnott, Donald Marvin and Hamilton, ‘Some misconceptions on Fourier analysis and Watson-Crick base pairing’; their opinions of Robert Olby and his research for his book The path to the double helix: the discovery of DNA (University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1974); Wilkins’ opinion of Horace Freeland Judson’s series of articles, ‘DNA’, published in New Yorker magazine, 1976, Judson’s proposed book, The eighth day of creation: makers of the revolution in biology (Simon & Schuster, New York, 1978), and copies of Wilkins’ letters to Judson. Original file title ‘Hamilton L’. File includes personal data, CLOSED during Hamilton’s lifetime, or for review 2063

1 file

K/PP178/3/14/5

1974-1982

Papers of M H F Wilkins: articles by Leonard Hamilton on the health implications of traditional and alternative energy sources

Typescript and offprint articles, reports and conference papers by Leonard Hamilton on the health implications of traditional and alternative energy sources, relating to his work in the Biomedical and Environmental Assessment Division of the National Center for Analysis of Energy Systems, Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York, USA

4 files

K/PP178/3/15

1962-1967

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Jean Hanson on topics including equipment provision

Brief correspondence between Wilkins and biologist Jean Hanson, on topics including inadequate electron microscope provision in the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, 1962, and dealing with publishers’ representatives, 1965-1967

1 file

K/PP178/3/16

1972-1974

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and about Denis Haydon concerning his candidacy for membership of the Royal Society

Correspondence with and about Denis Arthur Haydon (1930-1988), Professor of Membrane Biophysics, Trinity Hall,Cambridge, concerning his candidacy for membership of the Royal Society, including details of Haydon’s research and publications, and CV. Original file title ‘D Haydon’

1 file

K/PP178/3/17

1968-1971

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Sir Harold Himsworth, on topics including neuroscience and DNA history

Correspondence between Wilkins and Sir Harold Himsworth, chairman of the Medical Research Council, 1949-1968, on subjects including neuroscience research at King’s College London, Robert Olby’s research for The path to the double helix: the discovery of DNA (University of Washington Press, Seattle, USA, 1974), and the British government enquiry, chaired by Himsworth, into the use of CS gas in Northern Ireland, 1970

1 file

K/PP178/3/18

1965, 1972

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Dorothy Hodgkin, with related papers

Letter from Wilkins to Dorothy Hodgkin, Department of Crystallography, OxfordUniversity, Oct 1965, requesting the loan of a model relating to her recent research for a British Biophysical Society display. Letter from Hodgkin, Zoology Department, Oxford, to Wilkins, Nov 1972, requesting the loan of a component for a Hilger microfocus x-ray camera. Review by Wilkins of a National Portrait Gallery exhibition, ‘In close-up: Dorothy Hodgkin’, 1986, published in New Scientist, Mar 1986, with copies of portrait sketches by Graham Sutherland and Henry Moore

1 file

K/PP178/3/19

1957-1976

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with John Kendrew, on topics including Kendrew’s work and the history of DNA

Correspondence between Wilkins and biochemist and crystallographer John Cowdery Kendrew (1917-1997), with related papers, including a detailed assessment by Wilkins of Kendrew’s work compiled for the Royal Society, 1959, and comment on: the size and staffing of the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge; James Watson, The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York, 1968); Kendrew’s work as editor of Journal of Molecular Biology; the running of the Molecular Biology Working Group; international scientific protest at the detention of the Russian geneticist Zhores Medvedev

1 file

K/PP178/3/20

1968-1974

Papers of M H F Wilkins: personal correspondence relating to Aaron Klug

Semi official correspondence with and about biophysicist Aaron Klug (b 1926), including confidential Medical Research Council personnel correspondence,

CLOSED during Sir Aaron Klug’s lifetime

1 file

K/PP178/3/21

1960, 1963

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Werner Kuhn

Correspondence with Werner Kuhn, Physikalisch-Chemiches Institut,Basel University,Switzerland, chiefly relating to samples of sodium DNA; notification of Kuhn’s death, Sep 1963, and Wilkins’ letter of condolence

1 file

K/PP178/3/22

1957-1967, 2004

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and about Robert Langridge, relating to their joint DNA research

Correspondence between Wilkins and Robert (‘Bob’) Langridge (b 1933, PhD student under Wilkins, 1954-1957, subsequently Professor of Biophysics in Chicago, Princeton and University of California, San Francisco), relating to the progress of DNA research and their collaboration on co-authored journal articles, notably ‘X-ray diffraction studies of double helical ribonucleic acid’, in Nature, Issue 211, Jul 1966, and a series of jointly-authored papers under the title ‘Molecular and crystal structures of double-helical RNA’, in Journal of Molecular Biology, Vol 27, Issue 3, Aug 1967. Also Wilkins’ references for Langridge, and offprint articles, ‘Microsome distribution during germination of bacterial spores’, by Carl Woese, Langridge and Harold Morowitz, Journal of Bacteriology, Vol 79 No 6, Jun 1960, and ‘The sedimentation constant and molecular weight of Cypridina Luciferase’, by Aurin Chase and Langridge, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Vol 88 No 2, Jun 1960. File includes personal data, CLOSED during Langridge’s lifetime, or for review 2047

1 file

K/PP178/3/23

1981

Papers of M H F Wilkins: papers relating to Dr Andrzej Lissowski

Papers relating to Dr Andrzej Lissowski, Department of Computer Aided Design, Unitech,Warsaw,Poland, including correspondence between Wilkins and the Home Office concerning clearance for Lissowski to attend a Royal Society meeting on ‘Theories of Biological Pattern Formation’, Mar 1981, and background information. File includes personal data, CLOSED during Lissowski’s lifetime, or for review 2061

1 file

K/PP178/3/24

1957-1963

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and about Vittorio Luzzati relating to DNA research

Correspondence with and about Vittorio Luzzati (b 1923), Centre de Recherche sur les Macromolécules, Strasbourg, France, relating to the progress of DNA research, 1957-1962, and Luzzati and A Nicolaieff’s article, ‘The structure of nucleohistone and nucleoprotamines’, published in Journal of Molecular Biology (1963), intended as a critical response to Wilkins’ and Geoffrey Zubay’s earlier article, ‘X-ray diffraction studies of the molecular structure of nucleohistone and chromosomes’, Journal of Molecular Biology, vol 1, 1959. Also draft article, countering Luzzati’s criticisms, by Wilkins and Geoffrey Zubay, ‘X-ray Diffraction Study of the Structure of Nucleohistone and Nucleoprotamines’, subsequently published in Journal of Molecular Biology, vol 7, issue 6, 1963. Original file title ‘Luzzati question’

1 file

K/PP178/3/25

1958-1962, 1982-1986, 2001

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and references for Don Marvin, relating to DNA research

Correspondence, relating to DNA research, with Donald Arthur (‘Don’) Marvin (b 1934), PhD student in the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, 1956-1961. References by Wilkins for Marvin, Marvin’s CV and published articles by Marvin: Carla Gray, G G Kneale, K R Leonard, H Siegrist and Marvin, ‘A nucleoprotein complex in bacteria infected with Pf 1 filamentous virus: identification and electron microscope analysis’, offprint from Virology, 1982; G G Kneale, R Freeman, and Marvin, ‘Pf 1 bacteriophage replication-assembly complex: x-ray fibre diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy’, offprint from Journal of Molecular Biology (1982); Marvin and C Nave, ‘X-ray fiber diffraction’, offprint from Structural Molecular Biology, 1982; Marvin, ‘Proton currents and protein motion in membranes’, offprint from FEBS Letters, 1983; R K Bryan, M Bansal, W Folkhard, C Nave and Marvin, ‘Maximum-entropy calculation of the electron density at 4 Å resolution of Pf1 filamentous bacteriophage’, offprint from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1983; G G Kneale and Marvin, ‘Pf 1 bacteriophage replication-assembly complex: x-ray fibre diffraction of the high humidity form’, offprint from Journal of Molecular Biology, 1983; Marvin, ‘Filamentous bacterial viruses’, offprint from Journal of Biosciences, 1985; Marvin and W Folkhard, ‘Structure of F-Pili: reassessment of the symmetry’, offprint from Journal of Molecular Biology, 1986. Also letter from Marvin, Apr 2001, concerning his possible contributions to the 50th anniversary of the discover of the structure of DNA, 2003, CLOSED during Marvin’s lifetime, or for review 2081

1 file

K/PP178/3/26

1955-1999

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Stephen Mason

Correspondence between Wilkins and Stephen Mason (1923-2007), Professor of Chemistry, King’s College London, 1970-1988, including: copies of letters, 1955, concerning Mason’s left-wing political sympathies; a biographical account, ‘From science to history once again’, relating to Mason’s parallel interests in chemical research and the history of science, and additional biographical notes, including his personal record as a Fellow of the Royal Society; a note from Mason, 1991, enclosing background research material on the eighteenth century history of the Wilkins family. Typescript draft texts by Mason, 1994-1999, possibly for an unpublished book, ‘Origins of natural science: five millennia of discovery and invention’; lists of Mason’s historical and chemical publications, 1945-1994

1 file

K/PP178/3/27

1970-1972

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Harden McConnell

Correspondence with Prof Harden McConnell, Chemistry Department,Stamford University,USA, concerning McConnell’s research on membrane structure, 1970, and Wilkins’ research on the structure of oriented lipid bilayers, 1972. Original file title ‘McConnell’

1 file

K/PP178/3/28

1976, 1991

Papers of M H F Wilkins: letter to and obituary for Marjorie M’Ewen

Letter from Wilkins to Marjorie M’Ewen (Physics Department, King’s College London, 1946-1963), 1976, relating to his working relationship with Rosalind Franklin and requesting her thoughts on the position of women at King’s in the 1950s. Drafts of Wilkins’ obituary for M’Ewen, 1991, with related correspondence

1 file

K/PP178/3/29

1978-1993

Personal papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with H D Middendorf

Correspondence between Wilkins and Heinz Dieter Middendorf, formerly of the Department of Biophysics, King’s College London, chiefly relating to a grant application to the Science and Engineering Research Council. Also texts of articles by Middendorf: ‘Neutron Spectroscopy and Protein Dynamics’, co-written by John Turton Randall, published in Structure & Motion: Membranes, Nucleic Acids & Proteins (edited by E Clementi, G Corongiu, M H Sarma & R H Sarman, Adenine, New York, 1985); ‘Biophysical applications of quasi-elastic and inelastic neutron scattering’, published in Annual Review of Biophysics and Bioengineering, 1984; ‘Biomolecular applications of neutron spectroscopy: current work and future developments” published in Neutron scattering in the nineties, (International Atomic Energy Agency, 1985). Also copy correspondence between Middendorf and Randall, Oct 1978 and Feb-Aug 1982, written during acrimonious periods in their working relationship, and suggestions by Middendorf, 1993, on how Wilkins’ should write about Randall and Rosalind Franklin in his planned autobiography

1 file

K/PP178/3/30

1960, 1974-1983, 1993

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Linus Pauling, and related papers

Correspondence between Wilkins and Linus Pauling, of the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine, California, USA, including: letter from Pauling to Wilkins, 3 Nov 1960, relating to research on purine pyrimidine pairs; correspondence relating to a planned biography of Pauling by Farooq Hussain, King’s College London (apparently unpublished), and also to an article by Hussain, published in New Scientist, 1977, critical of the Linus Pauling Institute. Draft letter, ‘Vitamin C therapy of advanced cancer’ by Pauling, submitted to the New England Journal of Medicine, 1980; draft article by Linus Pauling, Richard Willoughby, Ruth Reynolds, Edwin Blaisdell and Stephen Lawson, ‘Incidence of squamous cell carcinoma in hairless mice irradiated with ultraviolet light’, 1981; issues of the Linus Pauling Institute newsletter for summer 1981 and winter 1983. Also letter from Pauling, 15 Oct 1993, referring to his inability to travel due to ill health (he died 19 Aug 1994), and his continuing research. Original file title ‘Pauling Linus’

1 file

K/PP178/3/31

1970-1974, 2000

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Peter Pauling, and related papers

Correspondence between Wilkins and Peter Pauling (Lecturer in Physical Chemistry, University College London, 1958-1989) and related papers, chiefly concerning Medical Research Council grants for Pauling and Wilkins’ research project on ‘The structure and packing of membrane components’, 1971-1974. Draft synopsis for a biographical monograph on Linus Pauling, possibly by Farooq Hussain. Also letter from Pauling, 14 Feb 2000, referring briefly to his father Linus Pauling’s opinion of physicist Robert Oppenheimer. Original file title ‘Pauling P’

1 file

K/PP178/3/32

1958-1961

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence between Wilkins and Arthur Peacocke

Correspondence between Wilkins and Arthur Peacocke, Department of Biochemistry,OxfordUniversity, chiefly relating to recent research

1 file

K/PP178/3/33

1948-1982

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Max Perutz

Correspondence between Wilkins and molecular biologist Max Perutz, chiefly relating to comments about Perutz made by James Watson in The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Atheneum, New York, 1968) and subsequent discussion of Perutz’s role in sharing information on King’s College London DNA research with Watson and Francis Crick. Also photocopy correspondence and related papers from the Medical Research Council (MRC), including the constitution of the MRC Biophysics Committee, 1948, and debate on the confidentiality or otherwise of MRC reports. Original file title ‘Perutz’

1 file

K/PP178/3/34

1994 Jan

Papers of M H F Wilkins: draft obituary for Professor William Price

Brief draft obituary by Wilkins for William Charles (‘Bill’) Price (1909-1993), Wheatstone Professor of Physics, University of London, outlining his work in Biophysics at King’s College London

1 item

K/PP178/3/35/1-11

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and about John Turton Randall (1905-1984), Head of the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, with related papers, 1935-1987

K/PP178/3/35/1

1935-1945, 1975-1987

Papers of M H F Wilkins: papers relating to Randall and Boot’s World War Two development of the cavity magnetron

Correspondence, notes and background research relating to the development of the cavity magnetron by Henry Albert Howard (‘Harry’) Boot and John Turton Randall, which improved the accuracy of radar, World War Two. Papers include copies of patents, press cuttings, and an article by N F Alekseev and D D Malairov, ‘Generation of high power oscillations with a magnetron in the centimeter band’ reprinted and translated in the Proceedings of the IRE [Institute ofRadio Engineers], Mar 1944. Original file title ‘Magnetron’. File includes personal data, CLOSED for review 2067

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/2

1941-1995

Papers of M H F Wilkins: papers relating to John Randall and his place in the history of DNA discovery

Correspondence, notes and background research material relating to John Turton Randall, Head of the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, and the history of DNA research, including: photocopy letter from Horace Barber to Randall, 27 Nov 1941, relating to a possible research collaboration using x-rays of sepia sperm (original held in Churchill Archives Centre); copy article by Randall, ‘A physicist’s approach to biology’ published in Universities Review, Feb 1947; typescript speech by Randall, ‘One man’s science’, given at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1973, covering his scientific career to date; Wilkins’ Royal Society biographical memoir of John Randall, 1987, with additional annotations

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/3

1946-1954

Papers of M H F Wilkins: John Randall’s correspondence as Director, Biophysics Unit

John Turton Randall’s correspondence as Director, Medical Research Council (MRC) Biophysics Unit, King’s College London, including: correspondence with the MRC relating to Wilkins’ promotion and salary, 1947-1954; letters received from Wilkins when he was attending conferences in Italy, Peru and Brazil, 1951-1952; correspondence relating to orders for scientific equipment, and modifications to equipment. Original file title ‘Randal’s file of my letters’

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/4

1948, 1970-1978

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence about John Randall, including Wilkins’ draft obituary for The Times

Correspondence and related papers concerning John Turton Randall, including: photocopy article on Randall, British Science News, 1948; correspondence with the journal Nature relating to a 1970 biographical article; correspondence with Colin Watson, Times, 1975-1978, and draft texts, relating to Wilkins’ commission to write a preparatory obituary for Randall; requests for donations to fund commissioning a portrait of Randall. Original file title ‘RANDALL biography and other useful articles’

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/5

1955-1973

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Randall, with related papers, concerning the progress of DNA research and recognition of Wilkins’ achievements

Correspondence and memoranda between John Turton Randall, Director of the Medical Research Council Biophysics Unit, King’s College London (from 1964, Department of Biophysics), and Wilkins as Deputy Director, including: reports on DNA research at King’s College London to date, [1955], and notes, 1955, on future DNA research. Also correspondence on topics including pay and promotion, Randall’s nomination of Wilkins to membership of the Royal Society, 1959, and Wilkins’ Nobel Prize award, 1962. Original file title ‘Confidential titles’

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/6

1956-1961

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with John Randall relating to personnel

Correspondence between Wilkins and John Turton Randall , Director, Medical Research Council Biophysics Research Unit, King’s College London, chiefly relating to Unit personnel appointments and assessments. Personal data in the file is CLOSED for review 2041

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/7

1961-1970

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with John Randall relating to the administration of the Biophysics Unit/Department of Biophysics

Correspondence and memoranda between John Turton Randall, Director of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Biophysics Unit, King’s College London (from 1964, Department of Biophysics), and Wilkins as Deputy Director, on subjects including staff appointments, funding applications for placements and equipment and MRC annual reports. Original file title ‘Correspondence Randall & me – a few quarrelsome letters’

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/8

1962-1995

Papers of M H F Wilkins: papers relating to biographical information concerning John Randall

Correspondence concerning biographical information about John Turton Randall, with related papers, including: photocopy personnel records for Randall, 1962-1968; Henry Albert Howard (‘Harry’) Boot and John Randall, ‘Historical Notes on the Cavity Magnetron’, offprint from IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Jul 1976; Randall, ‘Dr H A H Boot and the Cavity Magnetron’, published in New Scientist, Mar 1983; Wilkins’ Royal Society memoir of the life and work of John Randall, published 1987; Birmingham University booklet, ‘Fifty years of the cavity magnetron’, Feb 1990. File includes personal data, CLOSED for review 2075

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/9

1964, 1984-1990

Papers of M H F Wilkins: papers relating to biographical research on John Randall

Correspondence, notes and press cuttings relating to Wilkins’ research for his Royal Society memoir and Dictionary of National Biography entry on John Turton Randall, including letters to friends and former colleagues, and press cuttings on the cavity magnetron and its significance. Also copies of published memoir, ‘John Turton Randall, 1905-1984’, (Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, 1987) Original file title ‘ Randall’

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/10

1970-1987

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with colleagues about John Randall

Correspondence with scientific colleagues, including Arne Engstrom, Korolinska Institute, Sweden, Cyril Domb, Bar-Ilan University, Israel, and Dieter Middendorf Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford, chiefly relating to gathering their personal reminiscences about John Turton Randall, and attendance at a commemorative event, 1985. Original file title ‘Randall letters papers’. File includes personal data CLOSED for review 2067

1 file

K/PP178/3/35/11

1971-1982

Papers of M H F Wilkins: semi-personal correspondence with John Randall

Correspondence between Wilkins and John Turton Randall, University of Edinburgh, on topics including staffing at King’s College London and Edinburgh University, and the death of Jean Hanson, 1973. Also a photograph of Randall measuring a flagellum

1 file

K/PP178/3/36

1969-1970, 1975

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with David Robertson,DukeUniversityMedicalCenter

Brief correspondence between Wilkins and Prof David Robertson, Department of Anatomy,Duke University Medical Center,North Carolina,USA, chiefly relating to Allen Blaurock’s research on the structure of retinal rods. File includes personal data, CLOSED during the lifetimes of David Robertson and Allen Blaurock, or for review 2055. Original file title ‘J D Robertson’

1 file

K/PP178/3/37

[1951], 1975-2004

Papers of M H F Wilkins: letters from and papers relating to Alec Stokes

Letters from Alexander Rawson (‘Alec’) Stokes, 1975-1999, to Wilkins, including comment on Stokes’ work in DNA research at King’s College London, 1949-1950, enclosing a photocopy of Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling’s joke death notice for the DNA helix, 1952, and a draft outline for a talk by Stokes, ‘why did we think DNA was helical?’ for the 40th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA, 1993. Also a graph [1951] of the Bessel function calculation of diffraction from a helix, by Stokes (nicknamed by him ‘Waves at Bessel on Sea’, according to The Third Man of the Double Helix). Letter from Margaret Stokes (widow), 2003, congratulating Wilkins on the publication of his autobiography. Obituary for Stokes by Walter Gratzer, KCL School of Biomedical Sciences, published in The Times, 2003, with covering notes from Gratzer to Wilkins. Obituary for Stokes, Jan 2004, by Herbert Rees Wilson, published in Physics Today, with covering letter from Wilson to Wilkins. Also brief letters from Wilkins to Margaret Stokes and Ian Stokes (son). File includes personal data, CLOSED for review 2084

1 file

K/PP178/3/38

1970-1971

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Laurens van Deenen

Correspondence between Wilkins and Prof Laurens van Deenen, Department of Biochemistry, University of Utrecht, Netherlands, chiefly relating to the supply of samples of lecithins of differing chain lengths for Wilkins’ research on lipid bilayers. Original file ‘van Deenen A-Z desk cabinet’

1 file

K/PP178/3/39/1-5

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and about James Dewey Watson (b 1928), biophysicist and fellow co-winner of the 1961 Nobel prize for Physiology or Medicine, 1960, 1962, 1967-1970

K/PP178/3/39/1

1960-1962

Papers of M H F Wilkins: brief correspondence with James Watson

Invitation from James Watson to Wilkins, 6 Sep 1960, to visit the USA. Letter from Wilkins to Watson, 15 Jun 1962, expressing interest in Watson’s research on memory RNA (mRNA)

2 items

K/PP178/3/39/2

1966-1967

Papers of M H F Wilkins: drafts of James Watson’s book, ‘Honest Jim’, subsequently published as The double helix

Two photocopies of the typescript draft text of James Watson’s book ‘Honest Jim’, subsequently published as The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, 1968), dated Aug 1966. Bound copy of the typescript draft text of the amended version, dated 1967

3 files

K/PP178/3/39/3

1966-1967

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence chiefly between Wilkins and James Watson, relating to Watson’s book, The double helix

Correspondence relating to James Watson’s book, The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, 1968), initially provisionally entitled ‘Honest Jim’, including: copy letter from Wilkins to Watson, 18 Feb 1966, suggesting that any account should incorporate many different individual viewpoints; suggestion from Watson to Wilkins, 2 Mar 1966, that it might inspire Wilkins and Crick to write their own accounts; a request from Watson, 22 Jun 1966, for a meeting; Watson’s acknowledgement of receipt of Wilkins’ comments, 9 Aug 1966; Watson’s promise of a revised draft, now provisionally entitled ‘Base pairs’, with a promise of further amendments if required, 22 Sep 1966; Wilkins to Watson, 6 Oct 1966, detailing his objections; copy letter from Gordon Ray, President, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, New York, USA, to James Watson, 6 Oct 1966, commenting enthusiastically on the draft book; copy letter from Francis Crick to Watson, 10 Oct 1966, detailing Crick’s objections, with enclosed copy letter from Crick to Thomas Wilson, Harvard University Press, withholding his consent to publication; Watson to Wilkins, 19 Oct 1966, with reference to Watson’s account of Rosalind Franklin, and enclosed copy letter from Watson to Crick, denying any intention to defame Crick; notes by Wilkins on disputed points in Watson’s draft text, 2 Feb 1967; Watson to Wilkins, 24 Mar 1967, concerning changes made to the text; copy letter from Crick to Watson detailing Crick’s objections to a revised version of the text; Wilkins to Watson, 5 May 1967, suggesting a compilation of different individual accounts in the place of Watson’s proposed text

1 file

K/PP178/3/39/4

1967-1968, 1999

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence relating to James Watson’s book, The double helix

Correspondence relating to James Watson’s book, The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, 1968), including: correspondence between Wilkins and John Edsall, Harvard University, Feb-Mar 1967, and letter from Wilkins to Thomas Wilson, Harvard University Press, May 1967, on Wilkins’ objections to the text; copy letter from Lawrence Bragg, Royal Institution, to Francis Crick, Apr 1967, with suggested amendments to Watson’s text; letters from Leonard Hamilton, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA, 8 and 16 May 1967 and 6 Mar 1968, advising Wilkins on his legal approach to Harvard, to prevent publication of The double helix, on whether it libels Wilkins, his own opinion of the book, and whether or not Wilkins should respond in print; exchange of letters between Wilkins and Bruce Fraser, Wool Research Laboratories, Australia, Mar-Apr 1968, on the changes made to Watson’s text at Wilkins’ insistence, and on Fraser’s DNA model building at King’s College London, 1953

3 files

K/PP178/3/39/5

1968

Papers of M H F Wilkins: published reviews for James Watson’s book, The double helix

Press cuttings of reviews for James Watson’s book, The double helix: a personal account of the discovery of the structure of DNA (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, 1968), from publications including The New York Times, New York Review of Books,Life, The Guardian, New Scientist, The Jewish Chronicle, Times Literary Supplement,Science, The Sunday Times and New Statesman. Also letter from Wilkins to Sunday Times journalist Murray Sayle, with corrections to Sayle’s article, ‘The race to find the secret of life’, May 1968, with Sayle’s acknowledgement, Sep 1968

1 file

K/PP178/3/39/6

1969-1970

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with James Watson and others concerning articles for publication in Science

Letter from Wilkins to James Watson, 23 May 1969, objecting to Watson’s draft letter to Science magazine on the DNA research conducted at King’s College London in the early 1950s, with additional photocopy letters to Max Perutz, Aaron Klug, Don Caspar, and Philip Abelson (editor, Science). Also correspondence between Wilkins and Science magazine, 1970, concerning publication of an article (possibly Wilkins, Struther Arnott, Donald Arthur Marvin and Leonard D Hamilton, ‘Some misconceptions on Fourier analysis and Watson-Crick base pairing’, published in Science, vol 167, 27 Mar 1970), in response to an article by Jerry Donohue (‘Fourier analysis and the structure of DNA’, published in Science, 12 Sep 1969). Request, 1970, from The Times obituary department that Wilkins write a preparatory obituary for Watson, and Wilkins’ refusal. Also ephemera relating to Watson: greetings card, 1999, to Wilkins from Ronald Shigeta, Hawaii, signed as ‘Friend of Nobel Laureate James Watson’, and leaflet for Cold Springs Harbor School of Biological Sciences, USA (James Watson was President, 1994-2003). Original file title ‘Science Perutz./Watson/Wilkins letters 1968-1969’

1 file

K/PP178/3/40

1951-2004

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Herbert Wilson chiefly concerning DNA research, with related articles

Correspondence between Wilkins and his colleague Herbert Rees Wilson, chiefly relating to DNA research, including: a photograph of an early wire DNA model, [1953]; explanatory diagrams of DNA x-ray diffraction, dated by Wilson ‘c 1953’; photocopy of notes taken by Wilson at a DNA lecture given by Wilkins, Feb 1953; letter from Wilkins to Wilson, Jan 1957, requesting x-ray diffraction images of ‘TP’ (possibly bacterial DNA derived from Pneumococcus Type III); photocopy and typescript drafts of paper, ‘The double helix and all that’, by Wilson, published in Trends in Biochemical Sciences, Jul 1988; letters from Wilson, 1993-1999, concerning his recollections of DNA research in the 1950s; draft paper by Wilson relating to his recollections of DNA research at King’s College London and other aspects of his career, and accompanying manuscript letter from Wilson to Wilkins, 15 Mar 2001; snapshot photographs of Wilson in formal robes for a National Eisteddfod, Wales, 2004. Also articles: Denis Riley and Gerald Oster, ‘An X-ray diffraction investigation of aqueous systems of deoxyribonucleic acid (Na salt)’, offprint from Biochimica et biophysica acta, 1951; Wilkins, William Seeds, Alec Stokes and Herbert Wilson, ‘Helical structure of crystalline deoxypentose nucleic acid’, offprint from Nature, Oct 1953; photocopy of paper, ‘Pf1 Virus Structure: Helical Coat Protein and DNA with Paraxial Phosphates by David J Liu and Loren A Day, Science, Vol 265, Jul 1994; A G Fitzgerald, B E Storey, E J Sturrock, P Tollin, H L L Watton and Herbert Rees Wilson, ‘Electron images from thin silicon films’, offprint from Institute of Physics Conference Series No 147, 1995; photocopy of paper, ‘DNA: An extensible molecule’ by Philippe Cuzel, Science, Vol 271, Feb 1996, with covering letter from Wilson, 11 Feb 1999; photocopy of paper, ‘Stretched and overwound DNA forms a Pauling-like structure with exposed bases’ by J F Allemand et al, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol 95, Nov 1998; photocopy brief article, ‘A to Z of DNA’ published in Nature, Dec 1998.

1 file

K/PP178/3/41/1-2

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with and about Lewis Wolpert (b 1929), Professor of Biology as Applied to Medicine, University of London, 1964-2000, 1965

K/PP178/3/41/1

1965

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence relating to a research funding application by Lewis Wolpert

Correspondence between Wilkins and the Medical Research Council relating to his support for a successful research funding application by Lewis Wolpert. Also Wolpert’s notes on ‘The isolation and characterisation of the motile components of amoeboid cells’. Original file title ‘Wolpert, L’. File includes personal data CLOSED during Wolpert’s lifetime

1 file

K/PP178/3/41/2

1975-1979

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Lewis Wolpert relating to the Journal of Theoretical Biology

Correspondence with Lewis Wolpert, editor, Journal of Theoretical Biology, including text of draft article, ‘X-ray diffraction studies of lecithin bilayers’ by J Torbet and Wilkins (subsequently published in the Journal, 1976). Original file title ‘Wolpert’

1 file

K/PP178/3/42

1969-1970

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence and other papers relating to articles on the structure of DNA by Tai Te Wu, and the subsequent refutation by Wilkins and others

Correspondence, offprints, draft articles and notes relating to articles by Tai Te Wu, ‘Strandedness of DNA at 92% relative humidity’, published in Bulletin of Mathematical biophysics, Vol 30, 1968, and ‘Secondary structures of DNA’, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol 63 No 400, 1969, in which Wu posited a four-strand helical structure for DNA, rather than a double helix. File also includes drafts of the article in reply by Wilkins, Herbert Rees Wilson and Leonard Hamilton, ‘Secondary structures of DNA’, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol 65 No 3, 1970

1 file

K/PP178/3/43

1957-1962

Papers of M H F Wilkins: correspondence with Geoffrey Zubay

Correspondence between Wilkins and Geoffrey Zubay, Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA, relating to their joint articles published in Journal of Molecular Biology, 1962, ‘An x-ray diffraction study of a complex of DNA and a synthetic polypeptide’, and ‘X- ray diffraction study of histone and protamine in isolation and in combination with DNA’

1 file