Scope and Contents
Letters chiefly relating to Geikie-Cobb's commissioning of BBC broadcast talks during the Second World War (mainly under his pseudonym 'Anthony Weymouth'), which he apparently kept as souvenirs.
Correspondents include: Edith Watson, Private Secretary to Winston Churchill, acknowledging a letter from Geikie-Cobb advising that it should be made clear to the German Government that German cities would be bombed in retaliation for the bombing of British cities; Patricia Hamilton, Private Secretary to Clementine Churchill, on Geikie-Cobb's help in revising the script for Clementine's New Year's Eve broadcast for the Aid to Russia Fund, 1942 (2); Clementine Churchill, thanking Geikie-Cobb for sending Churchill a copy of his war journal; Gerald Barry, Editor of the News Chronicle, complimenting Geikie-Cobb for his work on an article [? by] William Mabane [Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Home Security]; 1st Lord Brabazon of Tara [earlier John Moore-Brabazon] agreeing to speak about the Severn Barrage on Geikie-Cobb's Overseas programme; Alexander Carr-Saunders, Director of the London School of Economics, regretting that he could not take part in a broadcast on Population; Sir Reginald Coupland [Beit Professor of History of the British Empire, University of Oxford], on taking part in a broadcast on minority safeguards; Sir Godfrey Huggins, Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia [later 1st Lord Malvern] on whether he and Geikie-Cobb had met in their medical days; Alexander Lindsay, Master of Balliol College, University of Oxford, sending the text [not present] for a talk on Marx (2); Sir Richard Livingstone, President of Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford, [?] on a talk on adult education (2); 1st Lord Mottistone [earlier John Seely]; Peter Quennell, editor of the Cornhill Magazine (2); Gustaaf Renier, Professor in Dutch History, University of London, in taking part in a debate on patriotism; [John] Alfred Spender, regretting that he was not strong enough to journey to London, and on the tendency of modern broadcasters to ignore recent social history; [Henry] Wickham Steed on subjects including fan mail, various broadcasts and his own writing (7).
Dates
- Creation: 1940 - 1952
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.
Conditions Governing Use
Researchers wishing to publish excerpts from the papers must obtain prior permission from the copyright holders and should seek advice from Archives Centre staff.
Biographical / Historical
Ivo Geikie-Cobb was born 30 April 1887, 2nd son of Rev. Dr W. F. Geikie-Cobb, Rector of St Ethelburga’s, Bishopsgate. He was educated at St George’s School, Ascot, West Downs, Winchester, Loretto, St Thomas’s Hospital, London and in Brussels [Belgium]. In 1913, he married Audrey, daughter of Edmond de Poix, JP, Broome Place, Norfolk, having one son and two daughters. Geikie-Cobb died 15 August 1953.
Geikie-Cobb's medical career included: Hon. Consulting Physician, Besford Court Hospital; Physician, Norwich Union Insurance Company; Resident House-Surgeon, Great Yarmouth Hospital; Physician, London neurological clinic, Ministry of Pensions; assistant to outpatient physician, the Middlesex Hospital; temporary Captain, RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps), neurologist, British Expeditionary Force; neurologist, Brinnington Section, 2nd Western General Hospital.
During the war, Geikie-Cobb also worked in the Overseas Service Department of the BBC, editing and writing scripts and broadcasting, 1940–45. He was also a successful author, publishing numerous successful medical books and articles, particularly on functional nervous disorders and endocrinology, and writing under the pseudonym 'Anthony Weymouth', produced several novels and autobiographical works.
Extent
1 file(s)
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated to the Archives Centre by Professor Mark Goldie, April 2023, after he purchased the file at the Cambridge Antiquarian Book Fair, 2017.
General
This finding aid was compiled by Katharine Thomson of Churchill Archives Centre in 2023, with biographical information being taken from Who Was Who (A & C Black) and from information supplied by Professor Goldie.
Subject
- British Broadcasting Corporation (Organization)
Topical
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository
Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB3 0DS United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 336087
archives@chu.cam.ac.uk