Radiographer Find 1950

Some reading this may remember that I have been searching for a radiographer
named Mary Lacey who qualified about 1950. I thank all who gave me good
advice in my search. A secretary for the SOC, the Society of Radiographers,
was able to verify that a Mary Lacey was a member way back then, having

Jeff...

I should have added that although the Wellcome Library IS
open to the public, access is not instantaneous.

They have a fairly lengthy registration process, including a
photo ID card.

They will do this on your first visit but it does take a
while.

graduated in 1950. There is no doubt at all in my mind that this is the
person I seek. However, they said she was off their records now so they
could not contact her. Not surprising!

anglers.rest...

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The AIM25 site does give this for the Society of Radiographers
It might offer further options of research.

It seems clear then that she was born about 1931, and I have information
about 6 Mary Laceys born aboiut that time. I even got some birth
certificates. The question is, which is she? One I have eliminated; this
one attended a creative writing class at the University of Birmingham in
1953. They were willing to contact her, and established that she was not
whom I seek.

If the SOR, on whose records she is, were willing to give me a little more
information, it would greatly help, but they said they cannot because of the
Freedom of Information rules. If only they were willing to give me other
initials of Mary, or her date of birth, it would be invaluable. Has anyone
here any suggestions that might help? They would, as always, be greatly

Graeme Wall...

Well that's excusable. If the SoR were getting them confused I would be
worried.

Graeme Wall...

I can't give a definitive answer as I'm not a lawyer, but the act regulates
what information you can hold on individuals and for what reason. As far as
I know it doesn't prescribe what you can and cannot divulge to a third party
but it is a useful catch-all for the lazy.

Graeme Wall...

Possibly your best bet is, as someone else suggested, to ask them to pass on
a letter for you.

Actually I will be working with a radiographer from that era at the weekend,
a long shot but I'll ask her if she knows of your Mary.

GKM...

Graeme: Thanks. I did follow all the suggestions given here, including

Peter Goodey...

Have you also contacted the Council for Health Professions (I can't
remember the official name but I've told you it once). They appear to be
the publishers of the Radiographers Register, among other things.

passing
on a letter for me. But although the SoR knew, and told me, that she had
qualified as a radiographer, in 1950, that's all they were willing to do.

I asked the University of Birmingham to pass on such a request, but when
they did,
to the Mary Lacey they knew attended a Creative Writing Class in 1953, she
was
not whom I sought.

I even went as far as to look at the Data Protection Act to see what it
"protected".
One would need to be a lawyer familiar with the rules to know whether the
SoR
really could not give me the few simple things I asked, or whether they were
just
being lazy; I suspect the latter. What about "Freedom of Information"?

I thank you for volunteering to ask a radiographer from that era about Mary
Lacey,
but it would be surprising if she actually knew Mary. Worth trying, though,
and I
really do thank you much! Your contact may have ideas as to how to find one
who
qualified in 1950. The latter piece of information, that she qualified in
1950, I did
get from the SoR.

I had been going on the suggestion that Mary might have graduated in 1951,
and
that she would then have been 20, so would have been born in 1931. Since
she
graduated in 1950, she might have been born in 1930. Most likely in 1930 or
1931.
I have looked at births in 1931; I will now also look at 1930. But how can
I know
which of about 6 is she?

Again I thank you and all who made suggestions, all of which I took
seriously. My
researches continue!
GKM

Peter...

What makes you think that a radiographer would qualify at 20 yrs of
age?

At what age was it usual for a radiographer to commence training?
What qualifications were required to train as a radiographer in the
1950's? - Knowing this may help with her age.

GKM...

Peter: From another respondent here, I was told that it would take
a person 2 years to qualify as a radiographer back then. Since I
now know from the SoR that the Mary Lacey I seek graduated as
ia radiographer in 1950, and I am assuming she graduated from
secondary school at 18 (might this be correct?), she would have
been born in 1930. I had been previously searching in 1931 and
1951 respectively. Now I will look at birth records for 1930.

Peter...

It's the 18 yrs when she started training as a radiographer that I
have a problem with.

AIUI (And I've been known to be wrong more times than I've been known
to be right), back in the 1950's the entry qualifications for someone
to train as a radiographer may well have been obtained at the age of
16yrs - may your mary lacey started traing at 16 or 17 yrs? I suggest
you need to find out what qualifications were needed in the 1950's to
enter training as a radiographer and at what age such qualifications
were usually obtained before you make assumptions about Mary's age.

GKM...

Peter: Thanks for your insight. I suppose I can ask the SoR about what
the requirements were back then - presumably in 1948, since she
qualified in 1950, and another person here who seemed to know told
me it would than have taken 2 years to qualify then.

SoR should be able to tell me about thoseles without running afoul of the
rules governing release of information. Maybe I was lucky to have them
tell me she qualified in 1950! I have no doubt that this was she.

In what area did she train? Try looking for marriages containing a
Lacey in that area for a 10 yr spread.

GKM...

Yes, following up on that. But there are up to 10 possible Mary
Laceys right now. If I could reduce the number, it would greatly
help. If the SoR would give me her other initials, if any, and her
year of birth, it might help.

Peter...

Have you looked for lacey marriages as described?

GKM...

Not yet. I looked up births for 1931+/- and found many of the name
in 1931, but only one in 1930. I may have to check after 1931 also if
a person could have started the radiographer course at an earlier age.

What area was your Lacey from? May be worth looking up the various

GKM...

I think, but am not sure, that she was from Birmingham. I have looked
at Friends Reunited, and will look some more.

Peter...

I've looked (as has another respondent to this thread, and found no
likely match)

Thanks much for your helpful suggestions.
GKM

Peter...

No problem - It sometimes takes someone else to look at a problem for
a solution to be found.

GKM...

Yes, I know. I have obrained a lot of leads here from helpful people
including you! I thank you all. It was a real break to find that she
qualified
in 1950. That fits in with my recollections of meeting her and her family
way back then.

I have also done a lot more research I have not mentioned here. I will
get back to my informant at SoR for the rules at the time. If only they
would soften up and give me her initials!

schools on Friends Reunited

Jeff...

I just tried that on his behalf.

Nothing remotely possible.

appreciated.

Charani...

I'm glad you've now partially tracked down Mary Lacey. What I would
suggest is writing a *short* letter to her, pop it in an *unsealed*
envelope, then write a covering letter to the SoR asking them if they
would be kind enough to forward the letter on to Ms Lacey at her last
known address and mail both to the Membership Secretary, or whoever
you spoke to, at the SoR.

By leaving your letter to Ms Lacey unsealed, they can check to make
sure you aren't saying anything nasty or anything that would upset the
lady.

GKM

Jeff...

Would SoR forward mail to her last known address giving her
the option of replying/not replying.

GKM...

Jeff: Another place I tried (I think it was the University of Birmingham)
suggested that. They had a Mary Lacey attend a class there in 1953 -
possible by my recollectons. They did contact the lady in question, and
established that she was not whom I seek. Well, that was of some value!
I can cross her off my birth records from 1931.

The SOR (Society of Radiographers, situated in London, I think) found her,
and their first response seemed very favorable. They told me she qualified
in 1950. I was then very hopeful they would give me any other initials, and
any more information, e.g. as to where she qualified, but when I asked
for such information, they clammed up and quoted the Information rules.
What a pity!

Im have the lady secretary's name and phone number in London. If I were
there I would boldly walk in and try my native charm on her! But I am in
the
USA, in Seattle since Monday. I wonder what might happen if I telephoned?
Telephone costs these days are comparatively trivial, so that would not
bother
me. I am thinking about it. I don't want to rush. Another E-Mail probably
would not work.
GKM

GKM...

Jeff: I believe they tried that route but had no address. At that
stage, they seemed helpful, but later said they could not help
because of "Freedom of Information" restrictions. If only they

Graeme Wall...

Sounds to me like they don't know what they are talking about, they are
confusing the Freedom of Information Act with the Data Protection Act for a
start.

GKM...

Graeme: It was I who don't know what I was talking about! They did refer
to
the Data Protection Act. Would you say that Act would prohibit them from
giving me information about, for example, the possible initials of the lady
in question?
They did clearly find her - not many women named Mary Lacey from that period
would have qualified as radiographers at the time I know she did.

Ideally I would like to get her initials, if any, and her age when she
qualified, so I
could pick out which Mary Lacey whose birth records I have was she. Would
these items be prohibited from release by the Data Protection Act? Thanks

Peter Goodey...

They're obviously not going to tell you - why not pursue the alternative
suggestions that were made?

GKM...

Peter: Maybe I am getting too old to remember what alternative
suggestions you are referring to? I have tried everything else
that I know of. The SoC was the first that really found the person I
was looking for, and they were willing to give enough information
to be sure it was she. But then they "clammed up". What else can
I do? I'd appreciate your patience with me!
GKM

Jeff...

There were several suggestions yesterday. Not THAT long ago!

for your
help. It is appreciated.
GKM

would give me other initials, if any, in addition to Mary", it might
help me eliminate some "candidates" whose birth ertificates I found.
GKM