Series 1:
Biographical Material,
1952-2017
Scope and Contents
This series includes oral histories, school transcripts and academic papers,
professional papers and correspondence as a psychological social worker and therapist,
and papers related to of Taylor's word and data processing business, health advocacy and
end of life. Of note is a journal written during a field project at the Framingham
Women's Reformatory in the summer of 1952 while studying at Haverford College,
documentation of being held in contempt over patient confidentiality, and transcripts of
letters she wrote to her father from Labrador while working at the International
Grenfell Association. The original letters are archived at the
The
Rooms, The Provincial Archives in St. John's Newfoundland.
Arrangement
This series is arranged by type.
Box 1, Folder 1
Autobiographical Narratives,
2013, undated
Box 1, Folders 2-4
Oral histories,
2001
2010
2012-2013
General
Contains an 3 oral histories, one on 2 cassette tapes from 9/30/2001, and an "Oral
History with Polly Taylor about
Broomstick
magazine,1976-1993" 10/05/2010 and an "Oral Herstory of Polly Taylor", 2012-2013 from
the Old Lesbian Herstory Project.
Box 1, Folder 5
Pat Bond Old Dyke Awards,
2007
Box 1, folder 6
Polly Taylor Memorial,
2017
Box 1, Folder 7
Canada trip,
1959
General
Includes receipts, travel brochures, and map related to traveling through
Ontario.
Box 1, Folder 8
Identification cards and address book,
1978-2006
Box 1, folder 9
Astrological chart and astrological reading on cassette tape,
1981
1984
Box 1, Folder 10
Caregiving and death with dignity research,
1999-2000
2005
2010
Box 1, Folders 11-13
Medical, end-of-life documents, and correspondence,
2006-2016
General
Includes medical history, end of life documents, and letters in response to Polly's
farewell email.
Education and work experience
Box 1, Folder 14
Westtown School,
1947
1982, 1987,
1992
Box 1, Folder 15
Wellesley College, "The Grenfell Mission in Newfoundland",
1947
Box 1, Folder 16
Wellesley College, Writing assignments, Polly Taylor,
1948
Box 1, Folder 17
Wellesley College, "Significance of the death of Christ in John and
Paul",
1951
Box 1, Folder 18
Wellesley College, Transcripts and ephemera,
1950-1951
1955
Box 1, Folders 19-20
International Grenfell Association,
1952-1954
1959
2006
General
Includes "Dear Dad ... Love, Polly," the transcription of 31 letters written by
Polly Taylor to her father, Herbert Taylor from 1953-1954 during her time at the
International Grenfell Association.The letters includes comments on residents and
staff of the Children's Home, mail service, food and clothing, conditions at the
Children's Home and construction of the new Home, winter activities, friends at St.
Anthony and at home.
Box 1, Folder 21
Haverford College,
1952
1954
Box 1, Folders 22-23
Haverford College, Framingham Women's Reformatory, Summer 1952, Field
project journal,
1952
Box 1, Folder 24
Haverford College, "North West River, Labrador: A village in
transition",
1954
Box 1, Folders 25-26
Boston University,
1955-1958
oversize-box 11, oversize-folder 1, oversize-folder M43, drawer 32, oversize-folder 10
Diplomas and certificates,
1947, 1954,
1961-1995
Box 1, Folder 27
SUNY Buffalo,
1959-1961
1974
undated
Box 1, Folder 28
Psychiatric Clinic, Inc.,
1962-1968
Box 1, Folder 29
Child Guidance Clinic, Meyer Memorial Hospital, Buffalo,
1969-1972
1976
Box 1, Folder 30
Polly Taylor jailed for contempt documents,
1973
General
Documentation of Polly Taylor being arrested and jailed for contempt of court over
patient confidentiality.
Box 1, Folder 31
Resumes and CVs,
1964-1978
General
Included is a narrative written by Taylor in 1978 on no longer working as a
therapist and what occupations the future might hold.
Word and data processing business
Box 1, Folders 32-33
Word and data processing business,
1978-2004
Box 1, Folders 34-35
Word and data processing business,
Woman's
Work-at-home Handbook
,
1984-1987
General
Correspondence and published handbook. In chapter 5, "How handicapped women have
used computers to become independent," see pages 58-60 for a description of Polly's
transition from being a psychotherapist to self-employed.
Box 1, Folder 36
Feminist Therapy Institute,
1988-1998
Box 1, folder 37
National Women's mailing list,
1982
Box 1, Folder 38
Women's Computer Literacy Project,
1992-1993
Box 5, Folders 26-30
Notebooks and day-planners,
1978-1980
1996-2016
General
Contains a notebook from a health and nutrition class, a notebook with notes on herbs
that later became a food diary, and several day planners documenting daily medication,
diet and health.
Series 2:
Correspondence,
1952-2016
Scope and Contents
This series contains the personal correspondence of Polly Taylor. Of
note:"Correspondence: outgoing and notes, 1977-1980" folder contains descriptions of her
early political activities and the beginnings of
Broomstick magazine. See also: Series 1: Biographical Material and Series
3:
Broomstick magazine.
Arrangement
The Correspondence series has been arranged primarily alphabetically by name with the
exception of a folder named "Outgoing and notes, 1977-198" at the beginning of the
arrangement. Names with five or more letters are filed in their own folders, and the
remainder of correspondence is filed in folders by date.
Box 2, folder 1
Outgoing and notes,
1977-1980
General
Contains primarily outgoing letters from Polly Taylor to friends and family, and some
notes. Rich in descriptions of her arrival and first years in San Francisco, her
political activities and associations. Topic's incude Marge Nelson, Yvonne Wanrow,
Grey Panthers, Crones Caucus, Monthertounge, the National Jury Project, Options for
Women Over 40, Wolf Creek, Mexico, and the early beginnings of
Broomstick.
Box 2, folder 2
Aldeman, Jean,
1994, 1997,
1999-2000
Box 2, folder 3
Bixby, Katherine Spence (Kaki),
1995-2003
Box 2, Folder 4
Blooming Hill Cottage, Buffalo, NY,
1974-1993
Box 2, folder 5
Buerk, Dorothy,
1978-1984,
undated
Box 2, folder 6
Cadbury, Bill and Charlotte,
1978-1991
Box 2, folder 7
Davis, Madeline and Mousie (Elizabeth Stone),
1977-1999,
undated
General
See also" Blooming Hill Cottage, 1974-1993".
Box 2, folder 8
Eckfeldt, Kitty,
1977-2008,
undated
Box 2, folder 9
Eckfeldt, Phebe,
1990-2013,
undated
Box 2, folder 11
Gilbert, Betty,
1982,
1997-2015
Box 2, folder 12
Goetz, Jeffer / Jenifer,
1979-2003,
undated
Box 2, folder 13
Moss, Bessie Mae,
1986-1999
Box 2, folder 14
Mountaingrove, Ruth and Jean (
WomanSpirit),
1979-1984
Box 2, folder 15
Nelson, Marge,
1980-1986,
undated
Box 2, folder 16
Red, Ida VSW,
2000, undated
Box 2, folder 17
Story Corps: Memory Loss Initiative,
2007
Box 2, folder 18
Taylor, Herb and Beth,
1977-1984, 1991-2007,
undated
Box 2, folder 19
Taylor, Herb and Beth, "Coming out",
1975
Box 2, folder 21
Correspondence,
1951-1955
Box 2, folder 22
Correspondence,
1962-1979
Box 2, folder 23
Correspondence,
1980-1986
Box 2, folder 24
Correspondence,
1990-2006
Box 2, folder 25
Correspondence,
2007-2015,
undated
Series 3:
Broomstick magazine,
1978-1995
Scope and Contents
This series contains documents related to how submitted work was evaluated, writing
guidelines and
Broomstick's internal policy on accepting
and rejecting submissions, as well as some correspondence, promotional material,
publicity, articles and the Broomstick index. For the complete run of
Broomstick
see the San Francisco
Public Library catalog.
Arrangement
This series is arranged by type with periodicals and clippings being placed at the end
of the series.
Box 2, folder 26
Introducing
Broomstick ,
1978-1979
Box 2, Folders 27-35
Broomstick binder: Sections 1-9,
1988-1989
Box 2, Folders 36-37
"Specimens" editorial and submissions,
1989
Box 2, folder 38
Writing guidelines and rejection letter,
1992
Box 2, folder 39
Writers' packet,
[1979?],1984
Box 2, folder 40
Broomstick logo design,
undated
Box 2, folder 41
Broomstick pamphlets,
undated
oversize-box 11, Folder 2
Paste-up layout for
Broomstick mailer;
calligraphy by Polly Taylor (quote by Christobel Pankhurst),
undated
Box 2, folder 42
Mailers and flyers,
1986-1991,
undated
Box 2, folder 43
Broomstick letterhead,
undated
Box 2, folder 44
Correspondence and submissions,
1979-1991
Box 2, folder 45
Co-editor job description,
1980-1981
Box 2, folder 46
"Mother" for
Sinister Wisdom,
1994
Box 2, folder 47
Mazer Collection,
1991,
1994-1995
Box 2, folder 48
Broomstick: An Index to Broomstick, Vols.
1-3
,
1978-1981
Box 2, folder 49
Dynamic Years (Nov./Dec. 1982),
1982
General
Article on
Broomstick, page 28.
Box 2, folder 50
Frontiers: A journal of women studies, Vol.
19, no.3 (1989),
1989
General
Article on
Broomstick, page 15.
Series 4:
Writings and journals,
1973-2016
Scope and Contents
This series contains published and unpublished writings, and journals. See also: Series
5: Associations: Memoir group.
Arrangement
Writings are arranged in alphabetical order by title and journals are arranged
chronologically.
Box 3, folder 1
"Christmas meditation",
1979
Box 3, folder 2
The (In)Visible Memoirs project: Voices from the
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender women writers of Strawberry Creek Lodge and
Openhouse
,
2012
Box 3, folder 3
"One and one was not the answer, or why I gave up therapy and publish a
feminist journal," by Polly Taylor, ACSW,
1991-1995
Box 3, folder 4
"Misfits and starts",
circa 1978
Box 3, folder 6
"Notes on being jailed for contempt",
1973
Box 3, folder 7
"Notes on the role of therapy",
1977
Box 3, folder 8
"The paradox of one to one therapy: a personal feminist history,"
Voices of feminist therapy,
1995
Box 3, folder 9
"Power relationships in marriage" by Marjory Nelson and Polly Taylor,
Understanding the family: Stress and change in American family
life
,
1979-1981
Box 3, folder 10
"Remarks on receiving the Alumni Award of SUNYaB School of Social
Work",
1975
Box 3, folder 11
"Revolution and middle age: Join up with the Lydia Pinkham
Brigade",
1978
Box 3, folder 12
"Self-healing" (see also:
WomanSpirit),
1978
Box 3, folder 13
Submission to the
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
anthology
, "Toxic exposures: an emotional expose",
1997
Box 3, folder 14
"Tangential oppression",
1982
Box 3, Folders 15-18
Journals,
1978-1979
2013
2016
Series 5:
Associations,
1963-2016
Scope and Contents
This series documents Taylor's involvement with or membership with various groups and
associations which includes minutes, agendas and ephemera. Of note is the Memoir writing
group which includes over 500 pages of memoir writing by Polly Taylor and the extensive
minutes taken by Taylor for Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (OLOC) and the Coleridge
Park Homes Residents' meetings.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 3, folder 19
30th Street Senior Center, Senior Council meeting,
2006-2008
Box 3, folder 20
American Thoracic Society (ATS),
2012
Box 3, folder 21
Associations: Directories,
1977, 1979, 1981,
1990, undated
Box 3, folder 22
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center,
2002-2004
Box 3, folder 23
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center,
2005
Box 3, folder 24
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center: LGBT meetings,
2008
Box 3, folder 25
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center: Senior Committee meeting,
2009
Box 3, folder 26
Bernal Senior Housing Corporation: Board of directors meetings, agendas and
minutes,
2008,
2010-2013
Box 3, folder 28
Citizens' Council on human relations, minutes and report,
1963
Box 3, folder 29
Coleridge Park Homes,
1999-2015
Box 3, folder 30
Coleridge Park Homes: Rainbow flag,
2007-2009
Box 3, folder 31
Coleridge Park Homes: Residents' meeting minutes,
2003-2004
Box 3, folder 32
Coleridge Park Homes: Residents' meeting minutes,
2005
Box 3, folder 33
Coleridge Park Homes: Residents' meeting minutes,
2006-2012
Box 3, folder 34
COPD Call Center,
2006-2007
Box 3, Folders 35-36
Intergenerational Storytelling Project,
2007-2008
General
Includes a CD of 2008 radio show.
Box 3, folder 37
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Elder Conference,
2002
Box 4, Folder 5
Memoir Writing Group,
2009-2013
Box 4, folder 6
Memoir Writing Group,
2010-2013
Box 4, folder 7
Memoir Writing Group [binder 1],
2012-2013
Box 4, folder 8
Memoir Writing Group [binder 2],
2009-2015
Box 4, folder 9
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Broomstick,
2012-2014
Box 4, folder 10
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Fame,
2012-2013
Box 4, folder 11
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Kitty,
2012-2014
Box 4, folder 12
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Madi,
2013
Box 4, folder 13
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Race,
2012-2014
Box 4, folder 14
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Sex life,
2010-2013
Box 4, folder 15
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: Subversive by Laura Bock,
2015
Box 4, folder 16
Memoir Writing Group: Writings: The urban forest,
2013
Box 4, folder 20
Native American Solidarity Committee orientation packet,
1978
Box 4, folder 21
New Leaf,
2004-2006,
undated
Box 4, folder 22
Northwest Bernal Alliance,
2005-2007
Box 4, folder 23
NYSMATYC (New York State Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges) Annual
meeting,
1981
Box 4, folder 24
Occupy Bernal / Wild Old Women,
2011-2012
Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (OLOC)
Box 4, folder 27
OLOC: Organizing committee meeting, San Diego,
1989
Box 4, folder 28
OLOC: Transgender discussions/meetings,
2012
Box 4, folder 29
OLOC: Bay Area,
1999-2005
Box 4, folder 30
OLOC: Bay Area Feminist Circle,
2011
Box 4, folder 31, oversize-folder M43, drawer 32, oversize-folder 10
OLOC: Bay Area Support Circle,
2000-2009
Box 4, folder 32
OLOC: Bay Area Support Circle: The Millionth Circle,
2002
Physical Description: 3
Cassettes
Box 4, folder 33
OLOC: Bay Area Support Circle minutes,
2000-2002
Box 4, folder 34
OLOC: Bay Area Support Circle minutes,
2003-2005
Box 4, folder 35
OLOC: Bay Area Support Circle minutes,
2006-2009
Box 4, folder 36
OLOC: Bay Area Support Circle minutes,
2010-2015
Box 4, folder 37
Openhouse,
2008,
2010-2011
Box 4, folder 38
Options for Women Over Forty,
1979, undated
Box 4, folder 39
Reading and talking women,
2014-2015
Box 4, folder 40
Senior Survival School,
1999
Box 4, folder 41
Women's Building, San Francisco,
1987, 2000
Box 4, Folders 42-43
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF),
1979-1980
2007-2008
Series 6:
Printed material and VHS,
1942-2015
Scope and Contents
This series contains periodicals and clippings collected by Polly Taylor. Also present
are 2 VHS tapes.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 5, folder 1
55-plus! (March 1997),
1997
Box 5, folder 2
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC),
1967
Box 5, folder 3
Buffalo Evening News Magazine: The Blizzard of '77,
1977
Box 5, folder 5
Lesbian ethics: Lesbians and our mothers (Vol. 5, No.1),
1993
Box 5, folder 6
The lessons of Buffalo : the strategy and tactics that booted "Operation
Rescue" out of Buffalo,
1992
Box 5, folder 7
Matrix: Women's newsmagazine (November 1989),
1989
Box 5, folder 8
The meeting (Haverford, PA),
1956
Box 5, folder 9
Ms. magazine (Vol. 4, no. 2),
1993
Box 5, folder 10
National Geographic (Vol. 184, No. 4),
1993
Box 5, folder 11
New Leaf newsletter (formerly GLOE),
1999-2010
Box 5, folder 12
The OLOC Reporter,
2001-2014
Box 5, folder 13
OWN newsletter (Older woman's network) Vol.3, No. 4,
1979
Box 5, folder 14
The Raven (Algonquin Provincial Park) Vol.39, no.1-no.12,
1998
Box 5, Folder 15
Sojourner: the women's forum (Vol. 19, No. 1),
1993
Box 5, folder 16
Spinning Off (May 1980),
1980
Box 5, folder 17
Them days: stories of early Labrador; Vol. 30, no. 1 (Fall 2005) ; Vol. 35,
no.2 (2011),
2005, 2011
Box 5, folder 19
Vintage '45 (Spring 1985),
1985
Box 5, folder 20
We are visible (March 1995),
1995
Box 5, Folder 21
Wellesley (magazine), 1986 (Summer); 1987 (Spring),
1986-1987
Box 5, Folder 22
Wellesley College, Class of '51, 1991 record book,
1991
Box 5, Folder 23
Wellesley College 50th reunion, June 8, 2001,
2001
Box 5, folder 24
Woman with Woman's digest (Aug. 1942),
1942
Box 5, folder 25
Womanpower: A newsletter of the National Association of Social Workers
Committee on women's issues (NASW),
1977
Box 5, folder 26
WomanSpirit, Vol. 4, no.13 (Fall 1977) ; vol. 5, no.18 (Winter
1978),
1977-1978
Box 5, Folder 29
VHS tapes,
1987, 1997
Physical Description: 2
videotape
General
2 VHS tapes: Grenfell (6/7/87) / Polar people ; Mickey Spencer-LVA interview for
Disability Salon, 4/5/97
Series 7:
Photographs,
1879-2015
Scope and Contents
This series contains slides, photographs, and negatives with the bulk of material being
color photographs. Subjects cover Polly Taylor's early life through her life in San
Francisco, including her family photo album and slides of family vacations, and friends
and family. Of note are photographs documenting LGBT and other civil rights movements in
the 1970s.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically.
flat-box 8
Polly Taylor's family photo album,
1879,
1898-1989
1940-1959
oversize-box 11, Folder 3
Photograph of Polly Taylor as a child,
circa
1934
Physical Description: 1
Photographic Prints11.5" x 16.5"
Box 6, folder 1
Color slides,
1946, undated
Physical Description: 3
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 2
Color slides: Framingham / Wellesley,
1952
Physical Description: 18
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 3
Color slides: NH '52,
1952
Physical Description: 30
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 4
Color slides: July '53,
1953
Physical Description: 6
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 5
Color slides: NH '54,
1954
Physical Description: 28
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 6
Color slides: Camp / Orillia,
1955
Physical Description: 40
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 7
Color slides: MSPCC,
1955
Physical Description: 16
Photographic Slides
General
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Box 6, folder 8
Color slides: Vacation,
1955
Physical Description: 21
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 9
Color slides: Fall '55 / Winter / Fall '56,
1955-1956
Physical Description: 34
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 10
Color slides: Summer '56,
1956
Physical Description: 92
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 11
Color slides: Old Sturbridge Village,
1956
Physical Description: 7
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 12
Color slides: Boston,
1957
Physical Description: 16
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 13
Color slides: AA, AB, AC, AG,
1958-1959
Physical Description: 52
Photographic Slides
Box 6, folder 14
Color slides: Ontario,
1959
Physical Description: 88
Photographic Slides
Box 6, Folder 15
Photographs: Polly Taylor and Marjory Nelson,
circa 1975-1978
Physical Description: 2
Photographic PrintsB&W6.5" x 8.5
"
Box 6, Folder 16
Photographs: Blooming Hill blooms,
1975
Physical Description: 47
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 1 sheet Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 17
Photographs,
circa
1975-1979
Physical Description: 34
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 11 sheets Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 18
Photographs: Buffalo '77, Cottage, Hoekje's, Cottage Collective
D.C.,
1976-1978
Physical Description: 3 Photographic
Prints
Physical Description: 3 sheets Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 19
Photographs: Abortion rights rally,
1978
Physical Description: 11
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 3 sheets Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 20
Photographs: Gay Freedom Day,
1978
Physical Description: 14
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 1 sheet Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 21
Photographs: Mexico,
1978
Physical Description: 39
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 3 sheets Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 22
Photographs: Wolf Creek, Sacto, Post Street,
1978
Physical Description: 23
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 3 sheets, 1
envelope Film negatives
Box 6, Folder 23
Photographs: Yvonne Wanrow,
circa 1978
Physical Description: 7 Photographic
Prints
Physical Description: 2 sheets Film
negatives
Box 6, Folder 24
Photographs: Performance at Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre, Mount Tamalpais
State Park,
circa
1979-1980
Physical Description: 36 Cubic
Feet
Physical Description: 1 envelope
Film negatives
Box 7, Folder 1
Photographs: Polly Taylor by Matthew J. Krieger,
1981
Physical Description: 2
Photographic Prints
Box 7, Folder 2
Photographs: Broomstick, Polly Taylor and Maxine Spencer,
1982
Physical Description: 2 Photographic
Prints
Physical Description: 2 Film
negatives
Box 7, Folder 3
Photographs: Broomstick, Polly Taylor,
1986
Physical Description: 27
Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 2 envelopes
Film negatives
Box 7, Folder 4
Photographs: Broomstick 10th anniversary picnic,
1988
Physical Description: 7
Photographic Prints
Box 7, Folder 5
Photographs,
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 40
Photographic Prints
Box 7, Folder 6
Photographs,
circa 1990s
Physical Description: approximately
50 Photographic Prints
Box 7, Folder 7
Photographs,
circa
1990-2015
Physical Description: approximately
150 Photographic Prints
Physical Description: 4 sheets, 2
envelopes Film negatives
Box 7, Folder 8
Photographs,
2000-2009
Physical Description: approximately
100 Photographic Prints
Physical Description: approximately
5 sheets Film negatives
Box 7, Folder 9
Photographs by Cathy Cade,
2002, 2004
Physical Description: 4
Photographic Prints
Series 8:
Realia (T-shirts and buttons),
circa
1975-2016
Physical Description: 18
items
Scope and Contents
This small series contains a collection of t-shirts with topics that include the
Woman's Building, Dyke March, San Francisco Pride, and a large pinback button collection
with topics including LGBTQ+ issues, womens rights, civil rights,
Broomstick, WILPH, and OLOC.
Box 9
Polly Taylor button collection,
circa
1975-2016
Box 10
Polly Taylor T-shirt collection,
circa
1977-2008
