The Galton Laboratory was a laboratory established for the research of eugenics, later to the study of biometry and statistics, and eventually human genetics based at University College London (UCL) in London, England.^[1] The laboratory was originally established in 1904 and existed in name until 2020.^[2]

In 2018, then President and Provost of UCL, Professor Michael Arthur established a formal inquiry into the history of eugenics at UCL.^[13] The Inquiry was chaired by Professor Iyiola Solanke, of the University of Leeds and included sixteen members.^[14] The original inquiry set out six terms of reference. ^[15]

In June 2020, UCL issued a formal apology for its history and legacy of eugenics. This followed a report and comprehensive set of recommendations given to UCL in February 2020 from its official Inquiry into the History of Eugenics.^[16]Additionally, UCL announced that the institution would be denaming spaces and buildings named after Francis Galton and Karl Pearson. The spaces included the former Galton Lecture Theatre, the Pearson Lecture Theatre, and the Pearson Building.^[17][18][19] Nine of the inquiry's original sixteen members did not agree to sign this report.^[20][21][22]

The MORE Group recommendations was an additional report compiled by nine of the inquiry's members who did not agree to sign off on the Feb 2020 report. Reasons cited by members of the MORE Group for their refusal to sign the Feb 2020 report included a need for more time to develop the narrative of the report, a deeper understanding of UCL's eugenics history and a broader set of terms that gave equal weight and understanding to all targets of eugenics.^[23][24]

The inquiry group published one additional group report in April 2021 co-chaired by Professor Hazel Genn and Dr. Kamna Patel. This report synthesised the original February 2020 report with the further recommendations of the MORE Group.^[25] The most recent report was released in November 2021 focused on further research undertaken by the inquiry.

The Galton Laboratory published many pieces including memoir series, lectures series, addresses, biometric series, and technical series.

• Eugenics Laboratory Lecture Series , a series of lectures meant for general audiences to further engage understandings of eugenics outside of academic spaces.^[26]
• Eugenics Laboratory Memoirs , a series of memoirs from authors including Ethel Elderton, Karl Pearson, David Heron, Amy Barrington.^[27]
• Questions of the Day and of the Fray , a eugenics memoir series written from 1910 to 1923.^[28]
• Annals of Eugenics, created by Karl Pearson in 1925, which continues as the Annals of Human Genetics.
• Studies in National Deterioration, a series of studies published between 1906 and 1924.^[29]

Originally established as the Galton Chair in National Eugenics, the post was renamed under Penrose to be the Galton Professor of Human Genetics.^[30]

• Karl Pearson 1911–1933
• Ronald Fisher 1933–1943
• Lionel Penrose 1945–1965^[31]
• Harry Harris 1965–1976
• Bette Robson 1976–1994^[32]
• Nicholas Wood 2009–2020^[33]

• Ethel Elderton: research assistant, secretary, and eventual Galton Research Scholar.^[34]
• Amy Barrington: computer of the Galton Laboratory.^[35]
• David Heron: Galton Research Fellow.^[36]
• Julia Bell: assistant, researcher.^[37][38]
• Alice Lee: assistant, researcher
• Adelaide Gladys Davin
• Mary Noel Karn^[39][40]
• Mary Hamilton Williams^[38]
• Dr. Eleanor Pairman

• Eugenics in the United Kingdom
• Eugenics
• Francis Galton
• University College London

^ Possibly succeeding Grüneberg.