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University of Edinburgh (Scottish University)

 Organization

Biography

The University of Edinburgh was established by Royal Charter in 1582. It was originally called Tounis College, when part of a legacy left by Robert Reid, Bishop of Orkney in 1558 had established a college of which the Town Council had gained control to establish a College of Law on the South side of Edinburgh. The inception of the University took place in 1583. In 1617 when King James VI of Scotland (I of England) visited the College it was decreed that the College should change its name to King James' College, although the College continued to use the older title. The first change in the corporate body of the University was not until 1935 when the first merger took place. This was between the Faculty of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh and New College. This was due to the re-union of the Church of Scotland in 1932.The next merger was in 1951 when the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School was reconstituted as part of the University of Edinburgh. The Royal (Dick) Veterinary School achieved full faculty status in 1964. In 1998 Moray House Institute of Education became the Faculty of Education.

The first classes of the university were held in Hamilton House known as the Duke's Lodge. In 1582 a site that included St Mary in the Fields was acquired. Many new buildings and extensions were made to the site of Hamilton House after 1616. Two prominent stages of building for the University were those undertaken by Robert Adam and William Playfair. In 1869 the site next to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was acquired. Building on this project was completed by the end of the 19th century. The University today is situated around these areas in the centre of Edinburgh and Kings Buildings and there are also campuses at Holyrood and elsewhere.

Teaching began in 1583 under Robert Rollock, with a four year course in arts to gain a masters of arts. When Rollock was appointed as the first principal of the University, there were four Philosophy regents and one regent of Humanity, whilst Rollock specialized in Divinity. Until the beginning of the 18th century the University remained essentially an Arts College, with a Divinity School attached. Throughout the 17th century the Chairs of Divinity, Oriental Languages, Ecclesiastical History and Mathematics had been created. By the end of the 17th century there was also regular teaching in Medicine, and sporadic teaching in Law. The University was at the centre of European Enlightenment in the 18th century. By 1722 a Faculty of Law had been established. The first medical Chair had been established in 1685 and was closely followed in the first half of the 18th century by six more. Four more medical Chairs were created in the 19th century. New Chairs in other Faculties were not established after 1760 until the latter half of the 19th century when they followed in rapid succession, continuing in the 20th century, which include those produced by the mergers with New College, the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School and Moray House Institute of Education.

The University was governed by the town council until the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1858, when it received self governing status. The archaic teaching and management system of regents was abolished in 1708. The 1858 act dramatically changed the constitution of the University. A University Court and General Council were introduced which decided on matters and management pertaining to the whole University. The Senatus Academicus was already in place before 1858and this managed academic matters, but answered to the Court and Council. This system is still used.

The University of Edinburgh provides validation for a Master of Fine Arts that has run jointly with Edinburgh College of Art since 1943. A joint chair, the Hood Chair of Mining Engineering was established in 1923 with Heriot-Watt College which became Heriot-Watt University.

In 2002, the structure of the university was altered substantially, with the abolition of Faculties and the creation of the College of Humanities & Social Science, the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine and the College of Science & Engineering. Departments were replaced by Schools within each Faculty.

Found in 13 Collections and/or Records:

Papers of the University of Edinburgh Works and Buildings Committee, 1973-1985

 Sub-Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/A/2
Scope and Contents

Papers of the University of Edinburgh Works and Buildings Committee consists of:


  1. minutes and correspondence, (1973-1978)
  2. committee papers, (1979-1985)
  3. subcommittee papers, (1972-1974)
  4. subcommittee and Working Party papers, (1984-1985)
  5. miscellaneous papers, (1976-1985)
Dates: 1973-1985

University / Nicholson (sic) Street comprehensive development, 1963-1964

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/1.8.7
Scope and Contents 2 manuscript street layout plans (63cm x 102cm), by Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates, for the University of Edinburgh / Nicolson Street Comprehensive Development Area. Detail is restricted to land parcels between street intersections and major buildings. The first plan sub-titled "Acreages and floor areas" contains statistics concerning site area, floor area and plot ratio for each site. The second plan sub-titled "survey of parked vehicles" gives street by street statistics for...
Dates: 1963-1964

University of Edinburgh campus parking facilities, 1957-1972

 Sub-Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/F/2
Scope and Contents

University of Edinburgh campus parking facilities file consists of:


  1. report, (1957)
  2. plans: analysis of present and future car parking provision, (c1972)
  3. drawings for car parking provision proposals, (1972)
  4. parking George Square Lane, (c1972)
  5. King's Buildings parking, (1964-1972)
Dates: 1957-1972

University of Edinburgh campus parking facilities: drawings for car parking provision proposals, 1972

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/F/2.3
Scope and Contents

Set of A4 size plans showing existing and long-term plans for parking provision in different parts of the University of Edinburgh campus. Some are manuscript transparencies. The remainder are paper copies of the transparencies, some of which have been hand annotated.

Dates: 1972

University of Edinburgh campus parking facilities: King's Buildings parking, 1964-1972

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/F/2.5
Scope and Contents 3 copy plans (57cm x 77cm) by Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates concerning parking arrangements for the University of Edinburgh King's Buildings. The first plan is shows the results of a cycle-survey overdrawn on a 1:1250 Ordnance Survey plan of the area. This is accompanied by a type-written report. The second plan shows interim parking proposals at 1:1250 scale. The third plan is a rough sketch showing actual locations and numbers of 407 parked cars between 10.30 and 12.30 on the 25...
Dates: 1964-1972

University of Edinburgh campus parking facilities: parking George Square Lane, c1972

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/F/2.4
Scope and Contents

2 copy plans (66cm x 90cm) by Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates showing parking arrangements for George Square Lane at the University of Edinburgh. The first plan is manuscript and shows the parking layout at 1:500 scale. The second plan is semi-manuscript and shows parking, roads and pavements in coloured letratone also at 1:500 scale.

Dates: c1972

University of Edinburgh campus wide development issues, 1957-1984

 Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/F
Scope and Contents University of Edinburgh campus wide development issues consists of: site plans and site use survey, (1975) campus parking facilities, (1957-1972) "An Expanding University" - permanent exhibition of university development at Adam House, correspondence, papers and photographs, (1960-1984) development accounts, (1973-1980) published maps of...
Dates: 1957-1984

University of Edinburgh: George Square Redevelopment - north side, 1964

 File
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/B/6.9
Scope and Contents

Set of 3 1:500 scale manuscript plans on tracing paper, some with "letraset" and "letra-tone", showing proposals for the north side of George Square. One includes data concerning the number of car parking spaces and one includes a south elevation.

Dates: 1964

University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings Development: buildings plans, 1951-1978

 Sub-Series
Identifier: PJM/PJMA/EUD/D/5
Scope and Contents The University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings Development: buildings plans consists of: plans: proposed car park plans, (1971 plans: College of Agriculture, (1954-1974) plans: King's Buildings Centre, (1964-1973) plans: Maths / Physics Institute, (1965-1975) plans: zoology building, (1959-1973 plans: department of animal...
Dates: 1951-1978