Following the dissolution of the Institute of Sociology in 1955, the University College of North Staffordshire (now Keele University) was gifted the Institute's Journal (the Sociological Review ), library and archive collection. Whilst most of the Institute's library (c.15,000 volumes) was incorporated into the College's library, most of the archive material was placed in store. In the summer of 2000, a researcher from Heriot-Watt University began working on the Institute material, a process that involved concentrating all the material in one store-room, and opening for the first time hundreds of parcels containing archive material. The resource has now been named the Foundations of Sociology Archive (LePlay).
Alexander Farquharson was a founder member of the Sociological Society (later the Institute of Sociology), and was a mainstay of the organisation for 30 years. He lived at the Institute's headquarters, Le Play House from 1920 with his wife Dorothea Farquharson, and was involved in many projects including a five year sociololgical study resulting in Chester City and Region, and Fifeshire Survey, and many other projects. Farquharson became the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute in 1930 and was a member of the Editorial Board for the Sociological Review (the official publication of the organisation) from its creation shortly after 1930. In 1932 he became General Secretary of the International Conference on Social Work, holding this office until 1946. He died in 1954.
Reference: Dorothea Farquharson, 'Dissolution of the Institute of Sociology', Sociological Review (New Series, Vol 3, 1955 ).
From the guide to the Foundations of Sociology Archive (LePlay): Farquharson Papers, 1903-1957, (Special Collections and Archives, Keele University)
