Obituary Notice: Jess C. Guthrie

The Death Occurred in London on 22 May, 1980, of Miss Jess Guthrie at the age of 73.

Miss Guthrie was a founder member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists and a pioneer in establishing child psychotherapy as a profession. Being one of a handful of people who had become aware of the need for skilled therapists to work with children and young people, she understood the need for the founding of training courses and the establishment of professional standards. She and a small number of other people at that time were trained (of necessity) by their own efforts and by the generosity of their psychiatric colleagues during the second world war. Originally she had trained as a psychiatric social worker, and worked for a number of years with Dr Mary Bunbury at the Manchester Child Guidance Clinic.

Since its inception in 1949, Jess Guthrie held every high office in the Association, having been its secretary, chairman, editor of the journal and chairman of the training council. She had undertaken all those positions while working as a child psychotherapist at the Child Guidance Training Centre. On her retirement from that post she had contrived to work privately and in the organisation set up by the Society of Analytical Psychology for training to work with children.

Quiet and unassuming in manner, she had a subtle and penetrating understanding of children. While she was flexible in her thinking, she was yet firm and definite about what was right and wrong. It was width and depth of experience, combined with an awareness of students' needs and capacities which made her a gifted teacher.

She was a person of wide interests with a great sense of fun, which, together with her warmth, loyalty and integrity made her a cherished friend to a wide circle of people of all ages and in all walks of life. She was much respected and loved by her patients, students and colleagues; her wise and lively presence will be much missed.

Betty Tamblyn