A century ago, the “Birth Control Libel Trial” concluded with the House of Lords ruling in favor of Dr. Halliday Sutherland against Dr. Marie Stopes. The case, stemming from alleged libel over Sutherland’s book, highlighted eugenics in Stopes’ clinic and impacted her influence in the birth control movement, establishing important legal precedents.

You may enoy listening to audiobook excerpts of Exterminating Poverty: The true story of the eugenic plan to get rid of the poor, and the Scottish doctor who fought against it. You will find the preface, introduction and the first two chapters below, as well as at exterminatingpovertybook.com. If you like the excerpts, please “like”,…

A meeting was held at Pagani’s on 15th November 1923 to discuss funding Dr. Sutherland’s (and Harding & More’s) appeal to the House of Lords. The meeting reveals that raising money to support the defendants in the Stopes v. Sutherland libel trial was consistently a problem throughout the trial. What folows is Mr. G.L. Smith’s…

On this day one-hundred years ago, Britain was in the grip of an election campaign. The polling that took place on Wednesday 15th November 1922 led to the formation of a conservative government under Bonar Law. Like other lobbyists and special interest groups, Dr. Marie Stopes wanted to influence candidates to implement her preferred agenda.…