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Copies of x-ray diffraction photographs, probably nucleoprotamine (DNP). Original file title ‘DNP x-ray photos’

X-ray diffraction photographs and photographs of DNA molecular models, probably used as article illustrations (articles not identified), including: DNA photographed at 0% humidity, Feb 1951; C form Li DNA photographed by Donald Marvin, 1 Jun 1958; three mounted comparison illustrations of a molecular model of DNA, a Fourier synthesis map of the molecular structure of DNA and a wire model of DNA structure, ND; electron microscope photograph of bifringent crystalline regions in dried DNA, [1963]

X-ray diffraction photographs, graphs, printed data sets, molecular diagrams, Fourier synthesis maps and photographs of molecular models, possibly prepared as teaching aids or for publication (articles not identified). Also photograph, taken c 2000 (7 copy prints), of the DNA sample holder made out of a paper clip, used to hold the Signer DNA for the first x-ray diffraction photographs, 1950

Five negatives (2 of which are on glass) and one print of x-ray diffraction images. FRAGILE. Envelope (not contemporary) marked ‘X-ray diff photos and negs historical DNA’

Two copies of undated X-ray diffraction photograph of herring sperm DNA

Photographs, glass slides and negatives of B form DNA optical transform patterns, and images of dotted outlines of the spots on the B form pictures, obtained with an optical diffractometer developed by Henry Lipson (1910-1991). Clive Hooper, Bill Seeds and Alec Stokes wrote an account of their adaptation of the Lipson method for macro molecules such as DNA, ‘Photographic Preparation for the Large Molecules for the Lipson Diffractometer’, published in Nature, Volume 175, 16 Apr 1955, p679-681. File also includes photographs of early models of DNA structure, [1950]. Original file title ‘File Lipson data’

Issues of the ‘Bulletin of the World Federation of Scientific Workers’ (WFSW), 1986-1992 (incomplete)

Papers of Maurice Hugh Frederick Wilkins, 1854-2004, including: laboratory notebooks, graphs, data sets, notes, x-ray diffraction photographs and published articles relating to his scientific research, 1948-1976, chiefly his work on the structure of DNA, 1947-1966; correspondence, 1948-2004, with and about scientific colleagues, including Struther Arnott, Allen Blaurock, Francis Crick, Boris Ephrussi, Harriet Ephrussi-Taylor, Bruce Fraser, Meyer Friedman, Raymond Gosling, Leonard Hamilton, John Kendrew, Robert Langridge, Don Marvin, Linus Pauling, Max Perutz, John Randall, Alec Stokes, James Watson and Herbert Wilson.  Correspondence, notes and articles, 1950-2003, relating to research on the history of the discovery of the structure of DNA, including: copies of Rosalind Franklin’s laboratory notebooks and articles, 1951-1953, relating to her DNA research; correspondence, 1967-2003, with writers on DNA history, including Aaron Klug, Robert Olby, Meyer Friedman, Horace Judson and Watson Fuller; unpublished articles and talks on DNA history by Wilkins, 1975-1987.  Drafts, notes, correspondence and collected background research relating to Wilkins’ autobiography, The third man of the double helix (Oxford University Press, 2003).  Papers relating to Wilkins’ education and early career, 1928-1942, including: teenage essays and fiction on the role of science, 1928-1934; notes, articles and photographs, 1937-1938, relating to his student activities, including physics experiments, and photographs relating to his incendiary bomb testing for Cambridge Scientists Anti-War Group, 1938.  Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports and notes, 1962-1982, relating to the administration of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Biophysics Unit, King’s College London (from 1964, the Department of Biophysics), on topics including funding, staffing, equipment provision and teaching.  Correspondence, course handouts, student essays (CLOSED) and background material, 1971-1996, relating to the undergraduate course, ‘The social impact of the biosciences’, created and run by Wilkins, 1972-1982.  Correspondence, newsletters and conference papers relating to Wilkins’ involvement in political pressure groups, 1968-2003, notably the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science (of which Wilkins was founding President, 1969-1991), Food and Disarmament International (Wilkins’ was founding President, 1984-2004), the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), and the Pugwash Conferences on World Affairs.  Audio recordings, 1972-1996, including lectures by Wilkins on: social responsibility in science; his Eddington Memorial Lectures,Cambridge, 1977-1978, on the history and philosophy of science; nuclear disarmament, 1981; his retirement speech, 1982; the history of DNA.

Drafts and printed copies of a speech by Wilkins, ‘New ways of thinking about science’, given Oct 1989, at a conference of the World Federation of Scientific Workers (WFSW), Athens, Greece. Also correspondence relating to Wilkins’ travel arrangements

Maurice Wilkins’ laboratory research notebook containing notes on experiments and methodologies, diagrams, statistical tables, graphs, chemical structures and equations relating to DNA research, including: initial tests on DNA obtained by Erwin Chargaff from balantidium coli (B Coli) and wheat germ; plots of Bessel Functions, including statistics and a ‘Bessel waves’ diagram; diagram and sketch for the design of Wilkins’ new slot plate camera; notes on experiments conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Naples, Italy; notes on a interference microscope study of pollen grains, 1952, with sketches of microscope images; DNA weighing experiments testing the Watson and Crick DNA model. Also notes on the history of the discovery of the structure of DNA written by Wilkins 1975-1997. Original volume title ‘DNA Wilkins 1951. Early x-rays 51-52’

Maurice Wilkins’ laboratory notebook containing notes, diagrams and data relating to DNA research, including: notes by William Etienne (‘Bill’) Seeds on tissue sample results, and on the Burch reflecting microscope (possibly relating to Seeds and Wilkins’ article, ‘a simple reflecting microscope’, published in Nature, Aug 1949); notes relating to research on Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) crystals, 1949, including notes on Alexander Stokes’ theory of a helical structure; early microscope-based analysis of calf thymus DNA fibres supplied by Rudolf Signer, including data from birefringence experiments. Loose items include graphs, notes on experiments, specifications for a microscope and later photocopy notes, on the history of DNA research. Original volume title ‘Wilkins 1947 1951’

Wilkins’ routine correspondence as President, British Society for Social Responsibility in Science (BSSRS), chiefly relating to requests for information and invitations to give talks and lectures on behalf of BSSRS

Wilkins’ routine correspondence as President, British Society for Social Responsibility in Science (BSSRS), chiefly relating to requests for information and invitations to give talks and lectures on behalf of BSSRS

Wilkins’ routine correspondence as President, British Society for Social Responsibility in Science (BSSRS), chiefly relating to requests for information and invitations to give talks and lectures on behalf of BSSRS

Watercolours and drawings by Wilkins, including landscapes and abstracts. Also a sketch of water fowl by ‘Scottie Wilson’

Undergraduate essays, some with tutor’s comments, for the social impact of the biosciences course, on topics including world hunger, ecology, agriculture, contraception, nuclear power, genetic engineering and science education.  Files contain personal data and are CLOSED for review 2053-2080

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

Typed transcript of interviews on what the future holds for humankind (presented as a single document, 159pp), conducted for Playboy magazine by science fiction writer Frederick Pohl with: science fiction writer Arthur C Clarke; astrophysicist Freeman Dyson; rocket propulsion engineer Krafft Ehricke; Theodore Gordon, Director of The Institute for the Future; astronomer Allen Hynek; cognitive scientist Jerome (‘Jerry’) Lettvin; psychologist James McConnell; cognitive scientist Marvin Minsky; transistor pioneer John Pierce; Maurice Wilkins. Also introductory article by Pohl, ‘Candid conversation: eleven scientists look at tomorrow’, outlining the achievements of the interviewees and his methodology, and related correspondence between Wilkins and Pohl, concerning Wilkins’ initial reluctance, his fee, and Playboy’s decision not to publish the interview. Original file title ‘Playboy’

Typescript transcript of BBC Radio Four documentary, ‘The dark lady of DNA’, on the contribution of Rosalind Franklin to the discovery of the structure of DNA, recorded 23 Sep 1986 and broadcast 22 Feb 1987. Presented by Lewis Wolpert and produced by Stuart Kerr, with contributions from Francis Crick, Raymond Gosling, Aaron Klug, Charlotte Franklin and Wilkins. Not to be quoted in publication without permission from the BBC

Additional offprints of the three articles announcing the discovery of the structure of DNA, published in Nature, 25 Apr 1953: Francis Harry Compton Crick and James Dewey Watson, ‘Molecular structure of nucleic acids: a structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid’; Wilkins, Alexander Rawson (‘Alec’) Stokes and Herbert Rees Wilson, ‘Molecular structure of deoxypentose nucleic acids’; Rosalind Elsie Franklin and Raymond Gosling, ‘Molecular Configuration in Sodium Thymonucleate’. Two copies, one signed by Wilkins, Gosling and Michael Spencer