One-hundred years ago, the preparations for the Stopes v Sutherland libel trial were in earnest. In November 1922, Mr. Percy Braby (plaintiff’s solicitor) had conferred with Sir Hugh Fraser as to whom should represent Dr Stopes in in the High Court. Fraser’s first two suggestions were turned down: the first had acted for the Catholic…

There were (and are) those who believe that Dr. Sutherland’s attack on Marie Stopes’ work was instigated and financed by the Catholic Church. In other words, that it was a put up job. For instance, in her introduction to The Trial of Marie Stopes, Muriel Box wrote: Since the establishment of the first birth control…

The Fifth International Neo-Malthusian and Birth Control Conference was held in Kingsway Hall, London from 11-14 July 1922. The Conference played a a crucial, though indirect, role in the Stopes v Sutherland libel trial. To understand why, it is useful to look at the context: Stopes (and Humphrey Roe) had opened the Mothers’ Clinic on…

On this day ninety-nine years ago, Stopes v. Sutherland opened in the High Court in London. As Dr. Sutherland recalled in his 1934 memoir A Time To Keep: “The trial, which lasted for six days, commenced on 21st February 1923, before the Lord Chief Justice of England, Lord Hewart, and a special jury. That morning…

Some years after the Stopes v. Sutherland libel trial, Dr Marie Stopes tried to entrap Professor Louise McIlroy at the Royal Free Hospital for Women. She wore a disguise and used a false name. This is the true story about what happened next.