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Actions	Interview with Joan McMichael Remove from selection Add to selection TitleInterview with Joan McMichael ReferenceTAPE/208A Date n.d. Scope and ContentJoan was born in India in 1906, but returned to England in 1911, and was brought up by a guardian, her parents remaining in India for longer. She attended Edinburgh University as a medical student. She was actively involved in Medical Aid for the Spanish Civil War and joined the Communist Party in 1937. She also became involved in China Medical Aid. That was in 1938-39. In 1939 she joined the Blood Transfusion Service, and after the War her time there enabled her to set up a blood donor service with Medical Aid for Vietnam. During the Second World War she worked as a health consultant for a large London factory, where there were many attempts to improve the health of its workers. After the War Joan worked for London County Council as a school medical officer. In the 1945 local elections Joan, her husband and another man were elected as Communist Councillors in Covent Garden. One issue they dealt with was accommodation, especially for soldiers returning from the War and their families. Joan became very involved with the squatter movement. In 1963 Joan attended the World Congress of Women in Moscow, leading a delegation of sixty women. The delegation met up with the Vietnamese delegation and afterwards did much campaigning about Vietnam. Joan was invited to go to Vietnam in 1964, to attend the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Geneva Agreements, and met Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace. She went to a huge celebration the following day in Parliament Square. Joan also met doctors and nurses, and on returning to Britain was instrumental in the setting up of a medical aid committee for Vietnam. The interview continues on TAPE/208B. There is a Word document which gives a more detailed synopsis of the interview. [NB: Joan was married to Jack Askins - see TAPE/234, TAPE/456] Extent1 cassette tape and 2 digital recordings Physical descriptionDuration: 1 hr. 32 min. (over two tapes) LanguageEnglish Archival historyThe views and opinions expressed in the interview(s) are the interviewee’s own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Working Class Movement Library. The interview may contain attitudes and/or language that some people may find offensive and may contain discussions of events that some people may find distressing. Related object Health in the third world: studies from Vietnam Speakers notes for Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam 1966-1975 Life stories from North Vietnam Persons keywordMcMichael, Joan K, Communist Party of Great Britain, Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam SubjectOral history, International solidarity, Health services, Education, Housing, Squatters, Sanitation Conditions governing accessOpen Levelfile Normal locationZ (Room 24)

TitleInterview with Joan McMichael

ReferenceTAPE/208A

Date

n.d.

Scope and ContentJoan was born in India in 1906, but returned to England in 1911, and was brought up by a guardian, her parents remaining in India for longer. She attended Edinburgh University as a medical student. She was actively involved in Medical Aid for the Spanish Civil War and joined the Communist Party in 1937. She also became involved in China Medical Aid. That was in 1938-39. In 1939 she joined the Blood Transfusion Service, and after the War her time there enabled her to set up a blood donor service with Medical Aid for Vietnam. During the Second World War she worked as a health consultant for a large London factory, where there were many attempts to improve the health of its workers. After the War Joan worked for London County Council as a school medical officer. In the 1945 local elections Joan, her husband and another man were elected as Communist Councillors in Covent Garden. One issue they dealt with was accommodation, especially for soldiers returning from the War and their families. Joan became very involved with the squatter movement. In 1963 Joan attended the World Congress of Women in Moscow, leading a delegation of sixty women. The delegation met up with the Vietnamese delegation and afterwards did much campaigning about Vietnam. Joan was invited to go to Vietnam in 1964, to attend the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Geneva Agreements, and met Ho Chi Minh at the Presidential Palace. She went to a huge celebration the following day in Parliament Square. Joan also met doctors and nurses, and on returning to Britain was instrumental in the setting up of a medical aid committee for Vietnam.
The interview continues on TAPE/208B. There is a Word document which gives a more detailed synopsis of the interview.
[NB: Joan was married to Jack Askins - see TAPE/234, TAPE/456]

Extent1 cassette tape and 2 digital recordings

Physical descriptionDuration: 1 hr. 32 min. (over two tapes)

LanguageEnglish

Archival historyThe views and opinions expressed in the interview(s) are the interviewee’s own, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Working Class Movement Library.
The interview may contain attitudes and/or language that some people may find offensive and may contain discussions of events that some people may find distressing.

Related object

Health in the third world: studies from Vietnam

Speakers notes for Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam 1966-1975

Life stories from North Vietnam

Persons keywordMcMichael, Joan K, Communist Party of Great Britain, Medical Aid Committee for Vietnam

SubjectOral history, International solidarity, Health services, Education, Housing, Squatters, Sanitation

Conditions governing accessOpen

Levelfile

Normal locationZ (Room 24)

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Expected return date
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