Aleen Cust - the first woman to join the veterinary profession, 100 years ago today!
20th December 2022
One hundred years ago today, on the 20th December 1922, Aleen Cust became the first...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
A snapshot of British veterinary practice in 1882
14th July 2022
One of my favourite parts of our Archives is the extensive collection of applications for...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Our new (temporary) home!
11th May 2022
Following the sale of Belgravia House, and the decision to vacate the premises by the...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
A Christmas Gift to the Future of the Veterinary Professions
10th December 2021
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Edward Coleman lectures - a 200-year-old time capsule of veterinary science
12th November 2021
Two hundred years ago today – which was a Monday not a Friday – students...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Guest Post - Jane Davidson: Venues of Veterinary History
14th June 2021
As I work through the archive material for my PhD, the people and the places...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
The Veterinarian is Complete!
12th May 2021
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Transcription Project Completed - thanks to our incredible volunteers!
23rd November 2020
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Archives on your Digital Doorstop - Overcome the Lockdown!
6th July 2020
This Friday is our Annual Royal College Day – which due to the COVID-19 pandemic...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Vet History PhD - Introducing Jane!
30th April 2020
This is the first of a series of blog posts by PhD student Jane Davidson,...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
RCVS Vet History Transcription Project
2nd April 2020
[Please note: Due to the high number of responses to this call for volunteers, we...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Introducing Jayna!
8th August 2019
Hello! My name Jayna and I have taken over the role of Archive and Digitisation...
by: Jayna Hirani
A delve into veterinary case notes...
30th May 2019
From February to April this year, RCVS Knowledge were very pleased to welcome Claudia Watts,...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
A Few Of My Favourite Things
1st October 2018
I thought before I leave my role here, and go off to study for my...
by: Helena Clarkson
The Quarterly Journal of Veterinary Science in India and Army Management
5th February 2018
by: Helena Clarkson
Cataloguing the Correspondence of Henry Gray
24th November 2017
As the RCVS Knowledge Archives and Digitisation assistant, my main duties are to scan the historical...
by: Helena Clarkson
Living Pictures - Vet History Podcast
15th June 2017
This year, RCVS Knowledge were very pleased to participate in an internship scheme organised by...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Happy 160th Birthday Fred Smith!
19th April 2017
Today, 19th April, marks 160 years since the birth of Frederick Smith in 1857. I’m...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Introducing Helena!
20th March 2017
Hi, my name is Helena and I am the new Archive and Digitisation assistant. My...
by: Helena Clarkson
Digital Collections website is live!
6th March 2017
After months of development and tweaking, I am now very happy to show the world...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
A Norwegian White Christmas
19th December 2016
This month marks the 75th anniversary of an important military operation which paved the way...
by: Clare Boulton
Cataloguing Fred Smith Part 3: Say what you see
30th November 2016
After completing the listing and arranging of the Frederick Smith collection, I now move onto...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Cataloguing Fred Smith Part 2: Order from chaos
21st September 2016
In my previous blog post about cataloguing Fred Smith, I had got as far as...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Bracy Clark's hoof - an update
30th August 2016
I am delighted to say that thanks to the generosity of members of the Central...
by: Clare Boulton
William Moss: one man’s journey through the Somme and Beyond
1st July 2016
1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, is a day...
by: Clare Boulton
Cataloguing Fred Smith Part 1: Asking questions
7th June 2016
Now that over seven months have passed since I started this project – it is...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
John Roalfe Cox – ‘a clever pen-and-ink draughtsman’
18th April 2016
I have previously blogged about the almost 400 illustrations by Edward Mayhew that we have...
by: Clare Boulton
RCVS Archives Project: Next steps
5th February 2016
As you will have gathered from the previous blog by our Archivist Lorna, the Archives Project here...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Thomas Somerville: an inspiration to others
11th December 2015
This month marks the 75th anniversary of ‘Operation Compass’ which took place in the North...
by: Clare Boulton
"A Good Deal of Spade Work" - The RCVS Archives Project
13th November 2015
In June this year, RCVS Knowledge were thrilled to announce that the Alborada Trust had...
by: Lorna Cahill Bannister
Examining the Veterinary Examiner
29th October 2015
In the Historical Collection there are numerous bound volumes that simply say ‘Pamphlets various’ on...
by: Clare Boulton
Edward Mayhew on dogs
25th August 2015
In our collection of watercolours by Edward Mayhew there is only one featuring dogs.
The top...
by: Clare Boulton
200 year anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo: Unique records to be digitised
18th June 2015
At our recent Summer Reception, guest speaker Kirsten Rausing announced £387,275 in funding from The...
by: Clare Boulton
The RCVS stained glass
29th May 2015
The addition of the Coat of Arms of the University of Nottingham to the display...
by: Clare Boulton
Robert Stordy and the Uganda Transport
27th April 2015
In 1898 Robert Stordy, who was working for the Colonial Veterinary Service in British East...
by: Clare Boulton
A Gift Horse
31st March 2015
Sitting proudly on top of the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square currently is ‘Gift Horse’...
by: Clare Boulton
Shining a light on veterinary artists
20th February 2015
The Lightbox in Woking, is currently showing an exhibition describing the role of horse and mules...
by: Clare Boulton
George Fleming's travels on horseback
27th January 2015
In 1859 George Fleming volunteered to serve as a veterinary officer on the expedition to...
by: Clare Boulton
The 1881 list of 'Existing Practitioners'
13th November 2014
In the summer, with the help of our intern Josh, we were able to sort...
by: Clare Boulton
Indian materia medica
1st October 2014
In Volume 5 of The quarterly journal of veterinary science in India, published in 1887, there...
by: Clare Boulton
A time for reflection: Lieutenant Vincent Fox
25th August 2014
Last Friday the Royal College was delighted to accept a portrait of Lieutenant Vincent Fox...
by: Clare Boulton
10th International Veterinary Congress: a case of unfortunate timing
4th August 2014
At 11pm on 4th August 1914 Britain declared war on Germany. That same evening at...
by: Clare Boulton
Strickland Freeman's observations on the horses foot
16th July 2014
Our historical collection has over two hundred books on farriery and horse shoeing many of...
by: Clare Boulton
Robert Stordy's extraordinary journey
16th June 2014
We are delighted to announce the publication of a new book: Robert Stordy in Abyssinia: an...
by: Clare Boulton
Eclipse and his 'equine bumps'
28th April 2014
In January 1828 the first two British veterinary journals started, these were The Veterinarian and...
by: Clare Boulton
WAHVM Congress 2014
17th April 2014
Readers of this blog with an interest in veterinary history might like to know about...
by: Clare Boulton
117 Earls Court Road
30th March 2014
Most of the photographs in our collections are portraits of RCVS Council, or other prominent,...
by: Clare Boulton
Early veterinary education in North America - the Scottish connection
27th February 2014
In the early days of the RCVS it was not unusual for Council, and other...
by: Clare Boulton
Scabies in the horse - the first Fellowship thesis
30th January 2014
I was recently asked the date and subject of our earliest fellowship thesis. A quick...
by: Clare Boulton
Seasons greetings
20th December 2013
Wishing all our followers a fun filled festive season.
by: Clare Boulton
Open wide
28th November 2013
In a paper read before members of the Veterinary Medical Association (probably in 1849) Thomas...
by: Clare Boulton
Edward Snape's muscular preparation
24th October 2013
The library is currently having a makeover which has meant emptying shelves and cupboards. One...
by: Clare Boulton
One of the professions youngest and brightest ornaments
24th September 2013
Recently there has been another of those coincidences that those of us who work in libraries...
by: Clare Boulton
What makes an item unique
8th August 2013
At the recent Veterinary History Society meeting in Edinburgh I took part in a panel...
by: Clare Boulton
Happy 125th Birthday
14th July 2013
A 125 years ago today the first issue of the Veterinary Record was published. I...
by: Clare Boulton
The artistic Mr Mayhew
20th June 2013
I have recently had the opportunity to look more closely at the almost 400 watercolours...
by: Clare Boulton
Oxford Street’s pioneering veterinary surgeon
22nd May 2013
London, like most towns or cities, has lots of plaques commemorating people or events attached...
by: Clare Boulton
Images From The Past
2nd May 2013
A few weeks ago we were given three photographs by the great granddaughter of Richard...
by: Clare Boulton
Celebrating National Pet Month - a selection of open access resources on small animal medicine
19th April 2013
This year National Pet Month runs from 1 April- 6 May. As their web site...
by: Myai Du
A troubled artist: Sir Edwin Landseer
15th March 2013
The RCVS headquarters tidy-up has revealed another gem, and led us to discover the fascinating story...
by: Clare Boulton
A Welsh veterinary adviser
1st March 2013
In honour of St David’s Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Wales,...
by: Clare Boulton
Verbose and tedious...yet pearls in profusion
18th February 2013
When writing blogs about veterinary authors I usually turn to Frederick Smith’s four volume work...
by: Clare Boulton
A model hoof
16th January 2013
During the recent reordering of the RCVS headquarters a 6 inch square box was found...
by: Clare Boulton
My lords, ladies and gentlemen…
29th November 2012
Tonight the RCVS President will welcome to the College a group of those who have...
by: Clare Boulton
Changing times
23rd November 2012
The editorial in the issue of The Veterinary Record published 100 years ago today was...
by: Clare Boulton
Making history: UK’s first black vet
26th October 2012
October is Black History Month so this seems an appropriate time to look at the...
by: Clare Boulton
Jean-Pierre Megnin - skilled illustrator and pioneering forensic entomologist
19th October 2012
The beautiful botanical illustration which you may have seen in an earlier post is the...
by: Clare Boulton
A library accessible to every member
14th September 2012
We have always been fortunate to receive regular donations of books and historical material that...
by: Clare Boulton
South African War Diaries
28th August 2012
In 1900, Frederick Smith was serving as a veterinary officer in the South African War. ...
by: Clare Boulton
Parrots with the power of speech
22nd August 2012
Parakeets are often on my mind because the squawking of the Ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri),...
by: Clare Boulton
Honouring our 'professional brethren on the Continent’
10th August 2012
Nominations are currently been sought for RCVS Honorary Fellowship or Honorary Associateship.
These prestigious honours have...
by: Clare Boulton
On exercise
3rd August 2012
Without exercise, the body’s ‘juices will thicken, the joints will stiffen, the nerves will relax…...
by: Clare Boulton
A Sporting Nation - Great British Horsemanship
27th July 2012
Love them or loathe them the Olympic Games have arrived. Britain’s oldest royal park, Greenwich...
by: Clare Boulton
Three Williams – all veterinary pioneers
20th July 2012
When I walk past this plaque on the staircase in Belgravia House I often think...
by: Clare Boulton
Spoken Histories
13th July 2012
If you listen to Radio 4 regularly you can’t have failed to have heard the...
by: Clare Boulton
Peeping behind the curtains: a look at our Historical Collection
15th June 2012
Curious about what we keep behind our doors? Intrigued about the beginnings of the veterinary...
by: Clare Boulton
Queen Victoria and the vet who 'took this turn for horses'
7th June 2012
As part of the celebrations for her Diamond Jubilee the Queen recently launched a website documenting...
by: Clare Boulton
Diamond Dogs: The Queen’s Corgis
1st June 2012
This Sunday, we will be watching, with baited breath, to see if the Queen takes...
by: Clare Boulton
Rabbits: from prey to pet
28th May 2012
Even though the domestication of the rabbit occurred 2000 years ago, rabbit care before the...
by: Clare Boulton
From burial ground to picnic spot
25th May 2012
May is local and community history month so that, together with a rather nice photograph...
by: Clare Boulton
Our home on Horseferry Road – 100 years old today
20th May 2012
Today we are celebrating the 100th birthday of 62-64 Horseferry Road, the current home of...
by: Clare Boulton
The many layers of the dog
10th May 2012
There has been a lot of discussion of anatomical illustrations recently following the opening of...
by: Clare Boulton
Pet keeping: a brief history
4th May 2012
National Pet Month (7 April – 7 May) is now drawing to a close but...
by: Clare Boulton
A not so tall tale
20th April 2012
One of the things I love about working in libraries is the weird and wonderful...
by: Clare Boulton
Brunel on the power of the horse
9th April 2012
Search the library catalogue for Isambard Kingdom Brunel, born on this day in 1806, and...
by: Clare Boulton
Horses and the problem of sore backs
30th March 2012
“Sore backs appear inseparable from mounted service, they have existed as long as the horse...
by: Clare Boulton
The thrill of 'The Chace'
21st March 2012
Today is World Poetry Day, so to mark the occasion we have brought out one of...
by: Clare Boulton
Equal Pay for Equal Work - Part 2
12th March 2012
The final instalment of Julie Hipperson’s piece to mark International Women’s Day.
The last post looked...
by: Clare Boulton
Equal Pay for Equal Work - Part 1
8th March 2012
Part one of two guest blog posts from Julie Hipperson, PhD student at Imperial College...
by: Clare Boulton
Celebrating women's achievements
7th March 2012
Thousands of events will take place around the world tomorrow to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). ...
by: Clare Boulton
Warrior - one of the real war horses
5th March 2012
In an introductory note to Sidney Galtray’s The horse and the war Field-Marshall Sir Douglas...
by: Clare Boulton
Reading for Pleasure
1st March 2012
Today is World book day. Some of us will remember the £1 book tokens given...
by: Clare Boulton
Dogs, dominos and Dickens
29th February 2012
One of our recent tweets featured an illustration of a dog playing dominos.
This was taken...
by: Clare Boulton
A green monkey, a baboon and…
10th February 2012
The story of the RCVS Museum Collection is not particularly well known – any attention...
by: Clare Boulton
All aboard the SS Templemore
30th January 2012
‘We embarked on Friday 10th November, but owing to bad weather did not leave L/pool...
by: Clare Boulton
Slaughterhouses in the Tropics
24th January 2012
One of our ongoing library projects is to catalogue the RCVS Fellowship Theses. The collection...
by: Clare Boulton
Your horse belongs to the army now - part two
13th January 2012
In the second instalment of our two part post on army horses in the First...
by: Clare Boulton
Cattle plague in the colonies
6th January 2012
It has recently been announced that the Wellcome Trust funded project to digitise the veterinary...
by: Clare Boulton
Your horse belongs to the army now - part one
6th January 2012
The popularity of Michael Morpurgo’s book War Horse, the success of the stage adaptation and...
by: Clare Boulton
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