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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 135 Collections and/or Records:

Papers of Sir Archibald Geikie

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-74
Scope and Contents The papers Sir Archibald Geikie consist of: personal, organisational and scientific correspondence geological notebooks with field sketches and water-colours reprints of his work miscellaneous lecture notes student's lecture notes lecture notes and printed maps relating to a visit to Boston proofs for...
Dates: 1851-1921

Papers of Sir David Smith, Principal of Edinburgh University, 1987-1994

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1085
Scope and Contents The boxes contain 39 files and 3 scrapbooks. The files cover a variety of subjects, from: appointment as Principal; financial crisis; recovery plan; restructuring; graduation addresses; talks and speeches; anglicisation; new University logo; and, the installation of Muriel Gray as rector. The scrapbooks contain cuttings or copies of cuttings on: the closure of the Dental School; the anglicisation of Edinburgh University; attacks on the University as inefficient; league tables; cuttings...
Dates: 1986-2006

Papers of Sir William Kennedy Reid

 Fonds — Box CLX-A-327
Identifier: Coll-1826
Scope and Contents This collection consists mostly of William Kennedy Reid's student records when he was studying Classics at the University of Edinburgh: correspondence, certificates, graduation booklets and leaflets, matriculation cards, two photographs, and three medals in their cases. Pass certificates and matriculation cards from the University of Edinburgh in Classics: Ancient History, Greek, Latin, Classical...
Dates: 1947-1994

Papers of the Very Rev. Professor Archibald Hamilton Charteris (1835-1908)

 Fonds
Identifier: GD31
Scope and Contents

The collection comprises: lectures on Galatians, session 1885-1886; lecture book, prophecy in the Old testament, 1896-1897; a volume of newspaper cuttings and obituary notices, and including an address by Dr. I. Mitford Mitchell at the dedication of the Charteris Memorial Church in Edinburgh, 1912; and, Canonicity, a collection of early testimonies to the canonical books of the New Testament, with notes by Charteris.

Dates: 1880-1912

Papers of William V. Stevens relating to a possible Oppenheim Bequest, Edinburgh University

 Fonds — Box CLX-A-1564, Folder: Coll-1806 / SC-Acc-2017-0038
Identifier: Coll-1806
Content Description Papers - correspondence and copies of circulars - relating to a possible Oppenheim Bequest, Edinburgh University, covering the period from March 1984 to December 1986.The initial correspondence talks of the creation of 'a Memorial' to the 'close connection' of Oppenheim 'with the University and the City of Edinburgh', and how best this might be achieved. His widow - Mrs. Enid Oppenheim - 'had expressed a wish' that the Memorial could be identified with 'the training of business...
Dates: 1984-1986

Photograph of Sir Thomas Henry Holland, Principal of Edinburgh University, 1929-1944

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1486
Scope and Contents

The sepia-tint head and shoulders portrait photograph is mounted on buff card. There is an embossed stamp for the Photographer, Russell, [75] Baker Street, London. Because of the London-based photographer, the portrait photograph is perhaps more likely to have been taken during Holland's period of office as Rector of Imperial College, London, 1922-1929.

Dates: 1922-1929

Photographs of student life in the 1950s, Edinburgh University

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1104
Scope and Contents The collection is composed of: - b/w mounted group photograph showing the members of the National Council, SUS, 1952-1953, taken in Glasgow, May 1953, including Hills - b/w mounted group photograph showing the members of the Executive Committee of Edinburgh University, SRC, 1952-1953, Old College Quad., including Hills - b/w mounted group photograph showing members of...
Dates: 1949-1954

Physicus medal of Cargill G. Knott, 1873-74

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1451
Scope and Contents

The item, a bronze medal, has an unmilled and uninscribed edge. On one side the medal features the University arms of the saltire, castle, book and thistle, and around the edge the Latin: SCOT.REG.EDIN.ACAD.JACOB.VI. On the other is inscribed PHYSICUS CARGILL G. KNOTT, with the year 1873-74 framed by laurel branches.

Dates: 1873-1874

Printed ticket with ms insertions for ‘First Course of Midwifery' by James Hamilton MD Art. Obs. Pr., 1816

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1680
Scope and Contents

Ornate ticket from an important period in Neonatology. Small card (7.5 x 11.5 cm.), printed, with manuscript additions in brown ink. Dated in manuscript, May 1816, with recipient’s name, Mr And. Simson.

Dates: 1816

Prize certificates of Patrick George Craigie, 1859-60, 1860-61

 Fonds
Identifier: Coll-1457
Scope and Contents 2 prize certificates verifying that Patrick George Craigie attended classes in Mathematics and in Natural Philosophy. These are, in detail: 10 April 1860: Class of Mathematics, session 1859-1860, attending 'with the utmost regularity', and taking 'a very active' part in the oral examinations, and acquitting himself 'most satisfactorily' in the written examinations, Craigie 'obtained a prize', signed by...
Dates: 1859-1861