Today we are publishing an article by Ash Mowat, a volunteer in the Civic Engagement team, on the history of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. You can read a previous blog about the fascinating history of vivisection, as relating to material held in our archives, here.

In this blog we shall explore some items pertaining to the history of the Royal (Dick) Veterinary School in Edinburgh and of its founder William Dick,[1] held within the University of Edinburgh’s Heritage Collections.

In the image above we have a copy of an engraving depicting the location of William Dick’s birth as included in items celebrating the 150^th anniversary of the foundation of the Edinburgh Veterinary School, and listed below are some key dates outlining the history.[2]

1793: William Dick was born in White House Close Edinburgh, the son of a blacksmith.

1823: William Dick opened his first veterinary School in makeshift accommodation with the financial assistance of the Directors of the Highland and Agricultural Society.

1833: Purpose made buildings were created for William Dick’s Veterinary School and Practice in Clyde Street Edinburgh.

1844: Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons was formed. Dick’s College affiliated to, and the students examined, by this institution.

1866: William Dick died and bequeathed his school to the Town Council of Edinburgh.

1906: The School was renamed as the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, a change that his sister Mary campaigned to precipitate in recognition of his work in establishing and developing it.

1911: Edinburgh University first created a degree level qualification in Veterinary medicine.

1914: The new building at Summerhall was built with the transfer and relocation of the School from Clyde Steet to its new premises completed by 1916.

1973: Celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the school’s foundation.

The next set of items from the collection that I viewed was a bound volume of newspaper clippings dating from 1923 to 1929. [3]

In an article from the Scottish Country Life publication of November 1923, there was a feature to celebrate the then 100^th anniversary of the foundation of the school. It cites how its founder William Dick came from a humble background into a family affected by poverty and deprivation, and that therefore the opportunities available to him to pursue an academic career at the time were scant to say the least. Remarkably, however, William Dick managed to overcome such barriers to first study and then devote his life to teaching and practicing Veterinary Medicine, donating considerable sums of his own money to the creation of the Veterinary School, and upon his death bequeathing his entire estate to its continuation and development.

The article tells us that, as part of the anniversary celebrations, a fundraising project was launched in his honour. “The scheme is one that should appeal to all lovers of animals, for the more knowledge is accumulated, the greater will be the possibility of diminishing animal suffering. Nowadays, not only does the science concern itself with the treatment of animal ailments, it also touches very closely the health and well-being of the people.”

In another piece from the North British Agriculturalist of 22^nd November 1923, we learn a little more about Dick’s early interest and activities in the field of Veterinary medicine. From 1893 a Professor McCall observed that “Mr William Dick was born in the court end of the Canongate (Edinburgh) in 1793. His father was a blacksmith and farrier and in his early life he followed in his father’s vocation. Happening to attend a couple of popular lectures delivered in connection with the Edinburgh University, his attention was in that way directed to the importance and value of veterinary science, and shortly after that he went to the Royal Veterinary College (London) where he took his diploma in 1818.”

It is remarkable how a seemingly random encounter with the science first sparked an interest in William Dick that was to become his life’s passion, and evidence of the huge importance then and now in universities also opening up some lectures to those not enrolled as students, in widening the access opportunities to people who might otherwise have had their potential overlooked.

In the Glasgow Herald of 30^th November 1923, there is an interesting article covering a speech made by Field Marshall Earl Haig[4] made at the Music Hall Edinburgh on the role of animals in veterinary medicine during the first World War. He recounts how the expeditionary forces started with around 53,000 horses rising to and astonishing number of 475,000. He observes that it was as a result of the many advances in the understanding and treatment of animal diseases that this was made possible, and further cites how such scientific endeavours help eradicate foot and mouth disease amongst the military’s horses, and to prevent it from being transferred over to affect livestock back in Britain.

(From the North British Agriculturist 0f 20^th October 1925 and image celebrating the opening of the Summerhall location for the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, and an accompanying article citing to total cost of the building as £75,000 (equivalent to almost six million pounds today).

The Daily Express from 20^th October 1929 had a short article addressing the pressure on the Dick Vet to admit women as students and a somewhat reluctant response from the college. “Greater numbers of men and women are entering the profession. The number of students is increasing here as it is in other centres, and extension will probably be needed. Nothing can be done without the sanction of the Royal College of Surgeons who control the (Dick Vet) College and they will probably be asked to consider the question”. Women were first admitted as undergraduates at the University of Edinburgh in 1892 with the first women graduating in 1893 but only in certain subjects.[5] Whilst some other institutions permitted women to study veterinary medicine earlier than others, the first women, known as the “Dick Vet Four”, completed the five-year veterinary course at Dick Vet and qualified in 1948. They were Ann C. Preston, Marjorie E. Millar, Elizabeth A. Copland, and Elizabeth A.Y. Caird.

In the final set of items that I viewed were papers relating to an exhibition of the 150^th anniversary of the foundation of the Dick Vet. [6]

In ‘The Life and Works of William Dick’ by J.E. Phillips,[7] this affectionate and informative essay gives further insight into the life and achievements of William Dick. We learn that it was after hearing a lecture by Doctor Barclay that William Dick first encountered the field of science that was to transform his life and become his passion. Dr Barclay was very impressed by William Dick and when he heard other students refer to him disparagingly as a common blacksmith, was reported to have commented “Well, well, all I can say is that whether he be blacksmith or whitesmith, he is the cleverest chap amongst you.”[8]

Dick moved to London in the autumn of 1817 to undertake his study at the Veterinary School there, and astonishingly achieved his diploma in just three months. He then returned to Edinburgh as he was not enamoured of life in London.

On his return he began to provide lectures and teaching to students but initially had just four students, and these were later depleted to just the one. Nevertheless, he did not become dismayed but instead persisted and persevered in his work and by 1823 he had been recognised and enabled to open his first full Veterinary School and practice.  Ten years later he personally invested £2500 of his own funds to substantially upgrade the premises at Clyde Street,[9] to include a lecture hall, dissecting room and museum.

Throughout his career he undertook the training of over 800 students who successfully went on to obtain their diplomas, and also taught some 1000 more who attended his lectures but were unable to enrol as students formally or otherwise to complete their diploma. In addition to those academic students, he devoted much time in instructing those working in agriculture with care needs for livestock, in order to teach them how best to look after their animals and to prevent and identify disease.

He was very close to his elder sister Mary who survived him by over twenty years until her death in 1883. She enabled the College to be renamed in her brothers honour as the Royal (Dick) Vet, and was instrumental and a significant leader in the management and running of the Veterinary College since its inception in 1823, and continued to do so throughout her life.

It was truly fascinating and a privilege to view these historical items and I would encourage anyone with an interest to consider exploring these further. I should like to thank my supervisor Laura Beattie (Community Engagement Officer University of Edinburgh) and Fiona Menzies (Project Archivist One Health University of Edinburgh) for their assistance and support. I should also like to thank all the University of Edinburgh staff at the Centre for Research Collections for their kindness, expertise and in enabling me to view these treasures.

[1] https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet/about/history/william-dick

[2] https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/217989

[3] https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/213444

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Haig,_1st_Earl_Haig

[5] https://collections.ed.ac.uk/alumni/women

[6] https://archives.collections.ed.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/217989

[7] J.E. Phillips, ‘The Life and Work of William Dick,’ British Veterinary Journal, 149.4 (1993), 321 – 330.

[8] Ibid, 323.

[9] https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet/about/history/clyde-street