About the archive

About the Whitwar archive

An independent project to preserve, transcribe and research a rare children’s magazine and the history surrounding it.

An unexpected survival

I became the unexpected custodian of what I believe to be the only surviving copy of the Spring 1904 Whitwar after buying it at auction around 2015.

I was initially interested in the clippings and cards pasted inside it, but soon realised that the magazine was an important record in its own right. That discovery brought a responsibility to preserve it and make its story accessible.

Research and preservation

The Spring 1904 issue has been transcribed for this site. The continuing work is historical: researching Gladys Evelyn Warren and the other people involved, the North-Eastern Hospital for Children, the Little Folks Ward, and the contemporary reports that help place the magazine in context.

I have no family or institutional connection to Gladys Warren or the hospital. I am a custodian and independent researcher with a longstanding interest in social history, genealogy and careful, targeted research.

The present project is an archive and research website. It is not preparing a new edition of the magazine, seeking article submissions or fundraising on behalf of a charity.

A work in progress

Research develops as new sources are found. Corrections, additional information and thoughtful contributions are welcome, and significant changes will be reflected openly on the site.

About the Whitwar archive