Skip to main content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives (CHOMA)

Anne Sayre Collection of Rosalind Franklin Materials

After reading James Watson's The Double Helix (1968), Anne Sayre began working on an account of the role of Rosalind Franklin in the discovery of the structure of DNA. Sayre felt that the portrait of her friend Franklin (who had died in 1958) that emerged from Watson's book was not only unflattering, but wrong. After publication of Rosalind Franklin and DNA in 1975, Sayre deposited all her research materials with the ASM Archives: background materials and notes, correspondence, and interviews (taped and, in some instances, transcribed). Of additional interest is the file of post-publication correspondence, which provides insight into the reaction to Sayre's book.

Contact the ASM Archivist for further information.

 

Box 1:

About the Collection

  • Letters from Anne Sayre to L. S. McClung.
  • List of contents.

Background Material:

  • Articles about DNA research; Crick; Franklin etc. (Complete list in folder).
  • Notes by D. & A. Sayre.

Who's Who:

  • Biographical material.

​Box 2:

Agar, Delia:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.

Altmann, Mrs Simon:

  • Notes from interview. (See also Box 6 tape 2)

Brown, Geoffrey:

  • Notes from interview. (See also Box 6 tape 4)

Caraffi, A. J.:

  • Notes.

Caspar, D. L. D.:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from notebook.
  • Notes.
  • See Box 1 "Background Material" for publications.

Cochran, William:

  • Correspondence.

Cohen, Carolyn:

  • Correspondence.

Correspondence - Miscellaneous: 

Crick, Francis H. C.:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.
  • See also Box 1 "Background Material" for publications by and about Crick.

Crick, Odile:

  • Notes from interview.

Donnay, Gabrielle:

  • Correspondence.

Flint, Einar - 8/69-5/70

  • Correspondence.

Flint, Einar - 6/70-1/75

  • Correspondence.
  • Attached to letter dated 2/9/70: parts of letters to A.S. from R.E.F.

Franklin - Family:

  • General.
  • Newspaper clippings.
  • Notes.

Franklin Glynn, Jennifer:

  • Correspondence.
  • Interview.

Franklin, Muriel:

  • Correspondence.

 

Box 3:

Franklin, Rosalind E. - Correspondence:

  • To:
        • Her family
        • F. H. C. Crick
        • M. Mathieu
        • A. L. Patterson
        • A. & D. Sayre
        • A. Weill

  • See also Box 2 "Flint, Einar - 6/70-1/75" and Box 6 tapes 4 & 5.

Franklin. Rosalind E. - Publications & Papers: 1946-1955.

  • Complete list in folder.

Franklin. Rosalind E. - Publications: 1956 -

  • Complete list in folder.

Franklin, Rosalind E. - Publications:

  • Comments, mainly by E. Flint and D. Sayre.

Franklin, Rosalind, E. - Miscellaneous:

  • C.V.
  • Notebook notes.
  • Notes on meeting w. Sir W. Slater.
  • Interim annual reports.
  • Annual reports.
  • Notes on Gordon Conference in New Hampton, 1956.

Franklin, Rosalind E. - Obituaries:

Franklin, Rosalind E. - Memorial Committee:

  • Correspondence.

Box 4:

Goldman, James A.:

  • Correspondence.

Gosling, Raymond G.:

  • Interview. (See also Box 6 tape 2)

Grdenic, Drago:

  • Correspondence.

Hadzi, Dusan:

  • Correspondence.

Hansen, Jean:

  • Notes from interview. (See also in Box 6 tape 4)

Hemily, Philip:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.
  • See also "Paris trip".

Hodgkin, Dorothy:

  • Correspondence.

Holmes, Kenneth:

  • Correspondence.

Janeway, Elizabeth

  • Correspondence

Klug, Aaron:

  • Correspondence.
  • Interviews. (See also Box 6 tape 6).
  • A.K. correspondence with M.H.F.Wilkins.

Kranjc, Katarina:

  • Correspondence.

Livingstone, Mair:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview. (See also Box 6 tape 4)

Luzzati, Vittorio & Denise:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.
  • See also "Paris trip".

Lwoff, Andre:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notebook notes.
  • (see also Watson, J.D. for Lwoff's review of The Double Helix)

Mering, Jacques:

  • Correspondence.
  • Interview.
  • Also w. Rachel Glaesser.
  • See also "Paris trip"

Neuner, I. F.:

  • Correspondence.

Newnham College:

  • Correspondence.

Norrish, R. G. W.:

  • Correspondence.

North, Margaret:

  • Notes from interview. (See also Box 6 tape 2)

Olby, Robert:

  • Correspondence.
  • For interview see Box 6 tape 5.

Paris trip:

  • Complete notes from interviews with P. Hemily, V. & D. Luzzati, J. Mering & R. Glaeser, & A. Weill.

People seen:

  • List.

Permissions:

  • Permissions to quote.

Piper, Anne:

  • Notes.

Photographs:

Proposal - Rosalind Franklin & DNA.:

  • Proposal.
  • Correspondence.

Randall, John:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.
  • Notes on R.E.F.'s application to King's College. (See also Box 6 tape 6)

Rimel, A.:

  • Correspondence.

Stora, C.:

  • Correspondence.

Watson, J.D.:

  • Correspondence.
  • Interview. (See also Box 6 tape 3).
  • Copies of his correspondence w. R. E. F. Reviews of The Double Helix.
  • See also Box 1 "Background material" for articles by and about Watson.

Weill, Adrienne:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.

Wilkins, Maurice:

  • Correspondence.
  • Notes from interview.
  • M. W. correspondence with A. Klug.

Rosalind Franklin & DNA - Article.

  • Article by A. Sayre.

Rosalind Franklin & DNA - Reviews.

Rosalind Franklin & DNA - Talk.

  • Talk given by A. Sayre at meeting of NOW Northern Westchester. Correspondence.

 

Box 5:

Various early drafts.

  • "Draft 1".      
  • "Revision".      
  • "Revision ii".      
  • "Final draft".

Box 6:

Cassette tapes:

  • Tape #1:
    • Sayre interviewed by Prof. Hertzler and his students.
  • Tape #2
    •  Summary of interviews with Margaret North (see also Box 4 "North, Margaret") and Mrs Simon Altmann (see also Box 2 "Altmann, Mrs Simon"). Interview with R. Gosling. (See also Box 4 "Gosling, Raymond G").
  • Tape #3
    • Interview with J.D. Watson. (See also Box 4 "Watson, J.D.").
  • Tape #4
    • Summary of interviews with Geoffrey Brown (see also Box 2, "Brown, Geoffrey); Jean Hansen (see also Box 4 "Hansen, Jean") and Mair Livingstone (see also Box 4 "Livingstone, Mair"); and some notes on R.E.F.'s background.
  • Tape #5
    • Summary of meeting with Robert Olby. Interview with Robert Olby. (See also Box 4 "Olby, Robert").
      • Tape # 6:
  • Information received from Sir. J. Randall (see also Box 4 "Randall, John"); interview with A. Klug (see also Box 4 "Klug, Aaron").
    • Tape # 7:
  • R.E. Franklin correspondence with her family. See also Box 3 "Franklin, Rosalind E. - Correspondence."
    • Tape # 8:
  • R.E. Franklin correspondence with her family. See also Box 3 "Franklin, Rosalind E. - Correspondence."
    • Tape # 9:
  • R.E. Franklin correspondence. From Watson etc.
    • Tape # 10:
  • A Meeting. Unidentified.

Box 7:

  • Post publication correspondence A-E:

 

  • Post publication correspondence F-L:

 

  • Post publication correspondence M-R:

 

  • Post publication correspondence S-Z: