The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

This imposing building is the home of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Designed by the famous Scottish architect,William Playfair 1790-1857 to hold a meeting hall,museum,lecture room and library. The College recently celebrated its Quincentenary year in 2005. There are many records held here of interest to the genealogist and medical historian. Surgeons who qualified as licentiates or fellows of the College may be traced through the manuscript records and there are printed directories going back to the early 19th century.Parentage of surgeons may also be traced through the apprenticeship records of burghs. Edinburgh has published its apprentice records to 1800. The members of the R.C.S. go back to 1581 and contain the names of candidates who appeared before and satisfied the examiners when they were elected members of the Incorporation. Some further information about members and fellows may be obtained from The List of Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from 1581-1873 published 1874. The library and museum are both open to the public and regularly hold exhibitions. http://www.library.rcsed.ac.uk/ and http://www.museum.rcsed.ac.uk/