University of Edinburgh (Scottish University)
Organization
Dates
- Existence: 1583-present
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 134 Collections and/or Records:
Papers of Ian Wilmut
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1320
Scope and Contents
This archive contains the working papers of Sir Ian Wilmut, including copies of published scientific papers, papers relating to Wilmut's scientific research including applications for funding, correspondence with the public and with various organisations, and material regarding the press and media and Wilmut's public appearances. The papers relate to Wilmut's work at the ARC Unit of Reproductive Physiology and Biology at Cambridge, the Animal Breeding Research Organisation (later the Institute...
Dates:
1969-2011
Papers of Irene J. Young
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1657
Scope and Contents
The collection is composed of school study notes and educational certificates 1929-1937, diplomas and degrees, private tutoring notes and papers, personal correspondence of Irene Young, draft material for publications and autobiography, correspondence with, and papers relating to, her late husband Reginald Sydney Brown (1919-1982).
1 x folder composed of: 5 x certificates of the Royal Drawing Society, Irene...
Dates:
1929-1969
Papers of Jacobus Louw Potter FRCP FACP Executive Dean Faculty of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, and Dr Elizabeth Mackay Potter
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1651
Scope and Contents
The Papers of Jacobus Louw Potter, and of Dr Elizabeth Mackay Potter, are comprised of:Box 1:
1 x folder - correspondence, 1981-1987
1 x folder - correspondence, contracts and other material relating to film And so goodbye, 2003-2004
1 x folder - graduation material, programmes, seating plans, dinner menus etc - 1981-1987
2 x folders - collection of...
Dates:
1942-2007
Papers of James Cossar Ewart
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-14
Scope and Contents
Contains:
Coll-14/1 - Medals, including those presented at school in Penicuik and while at Edinburgh University. There are also medals won for prize animals at various shows;
Coll-14/2 - Certifcates, Diplomas and Letters of Appointment, including Ewart's medical qualification certificates, and his commission of appointment to the Regius Professorship of Natural History at the University of...
Dates:
1866-1935
Papers of Joseph Black and family
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-16
Scope and Contents
5 boxes of correspondence between himself and a variety of individuals (including James Watt, Prince Paul Dashkov, John Robison) and on a variety of subjects: linen bleaching, use of lime water, assays of ores, civic water supply, mineralogical specimens, absorption of heat etc
1 box of family letters between Black, his father and his brothers Samuel, George and Thomas
...
Dates:
1746-1799
Papers of Margaret Melville Rae Martin MB ChB Edin., (1941-2005)
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1541
Scope and Contents
3 x newspaper cuttings of Dr. Russell D. Martin on his wedding to Dr. Margaret Thomas
2 x photographs showing an elderly couple, and a house
1 x Birth Certificate, Margaret Melville Rae Martin
1 x Abbreviated Certificate of Birth, Margaret Melville Rae Martin
1 x autograph book with autograph signatures, 1953-1955
1 x certificate...
Dates:
1941-2001
Papers of Marjorie Rackstraw
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-705
Scope and Contents
The collection is composed of: sorted letters, cards, newspaper cuttings; photographs; a file on displaced persons, notes of reminiscences for broadcast; Automobile Association documents; letters from Sara Margery Fry (1874-1958); book on Sara Margery Fry; cassette tapes; biographical papers; pamphlets on Masson Hall, Edinburgh University; a report on women students; album of photographs relating to Masson Hall; newsletter of the Masson Association; several dozen foreign and domestic picture...
Dates:
1904-1981
Papers of Peter Howard Jones, Professor of Philosophy
Fonds — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Coll-1833
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of lecture courses, single lectures and notes (some revised and published later) delivered in the University of Edinburgh, or in its name elsewhere, by Professor Peter Jones FRSE, as Lecturer, Reader and Professor of Philosophy between 1964 and 1998, and as Emeritus Professor from 1998 onwards - including his unpublished Inaugural Lecture (1986) and Gifford Lectures (1995).Subjects of the lectures include, but are not limited to: Philosophy and Literature, Moral...
Dates:
1964-1999; 2015
Papers of Professor Alexander C. Aitken
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1068
Scope and Contents
The collections is composed of autobiographical, biographical, memoir, and obituary material relating to Professor A. C. Aitken; war souvenirs and maps; correspondence relating to Aitken's publication From Gallipoli to the Somme; review material relating to From Gallipoli to the Somme; circa 20 photographs, both portrait and group; 3 commonplace (scrap-)books containing cuttings and newspaper articles on a variety of subjects -...
Dates:
1894-1980
Papers of Professor Frederick Niecks
Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1086
Scope and Contents
The collection is composed of a variety of typescript and manuscript material. This includes:
Lectures on the history of music
Lectures in counterpoint and harmony
Contrapuntal compositions for analysis
Compositions, loose sheet music
Note-books
Notes on history and form
Lectures on accompaniment, modulation...
Dates:
1890-1901