ABSTRACT

The move to No 2 Beaumont Street, was carried out in August 1945. This building, though shabby, had a great deal more space than Malet Place, with increased scope for our activities. It was soon after this move and some well-deserved vacations that the Interim Medical Committee1 began to meet. As the result of staff elections the Committee consisted ofWilfred Bion, Leonard Browne, myself, G. R. Hargreaves, Mary Luff, J. R. Rees and A. T. M. Wilson. Mr G. Dudley Herbert, Secretary to the Council, became the Secretary to this Committee. Its first meeting was held on 5 October 1945, when Bion was unanimously elected Chairman to hold office until December - a reflection of his very high standing among us at this time. We held weekly meetings. At this meeting we agreed to co-opt two hitherto non-Tavistock personalities: Lieut.-Colonel Eric Trist, clinical and social psychologist, and Lieut.-Colonel J. D. Sutherland, psychiatrist, graduate psychologist and soon to qualifY as a psychoanalyst, who had both been members of the War Office Selection Board research staff. It was agreed to invite suggestions about the future of the Clinic from all members of the staff who had elected us, and that we should endeavour to communicate with our colleagues by frequent reports. Our proposals could then be offered for staff discussion before implementation. Contact with the Council was also made in this way when their authority was necessary on any point. We assumed powers to appoint ad hoc sub-committees for special purposes, but these were not to become permanent.