Please go to the new Special Collections Website at The Keep
This page is no longer updated. Please visit our new pages at The Keep: http://www.thekeep.info/.
These pages may contain out of date information. Links to these pages may no longer work in the future.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SURVEY 1938-56
TC72: 7 boxes
BOX 1: SURVEY ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 1938-48
72/1/A: Opinions on Death Penalty 1938-46
Typed list of people's comments on the Death Penalty, collected in Lewisham and Fulham, December 1938 (LT AH HB)
Sheet containing results
Typed indirect on Chelsea Air Bubble Murder 13.10.45 (GST)
Printed leaflet 'Fresh Evidence' on convicted murderer, Heath, by Violet Van Der Elst (pro-abolition of death penalty)
Typed observation of crowds outside Pentonville Prison on the morning of the execution of Heath 15.10.46 (LB)
72/1/B: Organisation, Correspondence and Reports May 1948
Typed letters between Len England (Acting Director of Mass-Observation) and Richard Jones, Assistant News Editor of the Daily Telegraph about the Survey on attitudes to Capital Punishment 19.4.48 - 15.6.48
Progress Reports 1 - 4 (2 copies each)
Invoices for work undertaken (£1450)
Typed report: 'Mass-Observation and Opinion Polls' May 1948
Handwritten draft as above
Printed pamphlet 'Capital Punishment': A Survey conducted specially for the Daily Telegraph by Mass-Observation
Typed draft for above pamphlet
Typed miscellaneous: 'Supplement No. 3' to above report (2 copies)
Correspondence relating to Publications elsewhere in British Weekly and Public Opinion Quarterly 29.11.48, 25.1.49
Correspondence with Graham Harrison of the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment and Len England (Acting Director of Mass-Observation) 10.6.49 - 11.6.49
72/1/C: Daily Telegraph issue 28.5.48
(4 copies) with article by Mass-Observation 'Death Penalty Test of Public Opinion'
72/1/D: Press Cuttings on Capital Punishment
Miscellaneous national and local newspapers May, June, July and November 1948
72/1/E: Questionnaire Proposals and background information
Instructions to investigators, April 1948
Proposed Questionnaire with handwritten notes
Typed letter to Miss Whittles asking her to take part in Survey 18.4.48
Typed letter to panel members asking them to take part in Survey
Typed letter to people who had applied for jobs in the past asking them to take part in the Survey
Handwritten Report on 'Attempt at Suspension of the Death Penalty for 5 years in 1947 - 1948' with party voting figures
Handwritten report: Details of voting on Death Penalty by Labour Party Members
Typed report on Capital Punishment with arguments for and against abolition
72/1/F-H: Capital Punishment Survey for Daily Telegraph
295 completed 8 point handwritten questionnaires April 1948: National Survey on opinions about Capital Punishment including questions on daily newspapers read, which church attended and political party supported
72/1/I: Analysis April - May 1948
Coding, miscellaneous notes. Analysis sheets
72/1/J: Miscellaneous Publications
Report from Select Committee on Capital Punishment. Published for the House of Commons 9.12.30 printed by HM Stationery Office
The Case Against Capital Punishment notes for speakers, prepared by E Roy Calvert. Printed by the National Council for the Abolition of Capital Punishment
The Death Penalty Enquiry by E Roy Calvert published by Gollancz 1931
The Hanging Business 'A Dialogue in a Train' by John Paton published by National Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty July 1938
The Death Penalty is not necessary facts from the States which have abolished the Death Penalty. Published by National Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty
Capital Punishment by E Roy Calvert revised edition, forward by the Archbishop of York published by National Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty
The Ethics of Punishment by William Temple, late Archbishop of Canterbury, published by the Howard League for Penal Reform
Bulletin No 21 published by National Council for the Abolition of the Death Penalty September 1946
Printed Leaflet 'Abolish the Death Penalty' meeting and conference 18.10.46 organised by Penal Reform Committee of the Society of Friends
Box 2: Capital Punishment Survey 1956 (Mass-Observation Survey No 290)
72/2/A: Correspondence 1956
Typed letters between C R Coote Editor of The Daily Telegraph and L R England (Acting Director of Mass-Observation) agreeing format of proposed questionnaire. 9.12.55 - 12.12.55
Typed letters 31.1.56 - 22.2.56 between M Berry of The Daily Telegraph and L R England agreeing on amending Appendix C in Survey and on results
Typed letters between M Berry of The Daily Telegraph and LR England 9.1.56 - 20.2.56 on misrepresentation of comment on degrees of murder in The Daily Telegraph and reprint of the Survey
Handwritten letter from Mass-Observation Investigator R Chandler on problems of interviewing in Tyneside districts addressed to Miss Sturrock 7.2.56
A report on Survey results, 2 copies, one typed with handwritten notes, one typed including Appendices A, B and C
Proposed Questionnaire (A), order and wording of questions
72/2/B:
Notes to Analysts on coding (JF)
Coding lists; typed with handwritten notes and instructions to Analysts, January 1956. 4 copies
Comparisons; (typed) on differences between Mass-Observation and Gallup Surveys, June 1955 and January 1956
Notes on Survey and extracts (MT)
72/2/C: Computer printouts
Result of 1956 Survey No 290
72/2/D: Newspaper coverage of Capital Punishment
Printed copy of Spectator magazine 17.2.56 with article on Mass-Observation and Gallup Survey. Page 214
(Newspapers withdrawn from box in poor condition Manchester Guardian 13.3.56, 14.3.56. The Times 13.3.56. Daily Mirror 13.3.56. News Chronicle 10.2.56. Daily Mail 13.3.56. Daily Telegraph 13.3.56. Daily Herald 13.3.56, all containing articles on Mass- Observation Survey)
72/2/E: Tabulations
Results of Survey 290: statistics charts
BOXES 3 - 6: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SURVEY 1955-56
Questionnaire replies to Survey No 290 of opinions on death penalty for murder and a temporary 5 year lifting of the death as an experiment; daily newspapers read, church attended, political party supported and occupation. Carried out nationally in December 1955. Approximately 4000 replies