GB 0114 MS0217 - Holbrow, Anthony: Admittance card for the lectures of John Abernethy

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0114 MS0217

Title

Holbrow, Anthony: Admittance card for the lectures of John Abernethy

Date(s)

  • 1817 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 item

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

John Abernethy was born in Coleman Street, London, in 1764. He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar school, and at the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to Charles Blicke, surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. Abernethy remained at Bart's for the rest of his career, being appointed assistant surgeon in 1787, and promted to full surgeon in 1815. During the 1790s Abernethy published several papers on a variety of anatomical topics. On the strength of these contributions he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1796. Between 1814 and 1817 he served as Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons. Abernethy also offered private lectures in anatomy in a house in Bartholomew Close, near to the hospital. The governors of Bart's then built a lecture theatre within the hospital to accommodate his classes. In 1824 Thomas Wakley, editor of the newly established journal The Lancet, published Abernethy's lectures without his permission. Abernethy sought an injunction but was unsuccessful, and remained resentful about the incident. Abernethy had himself attended the lectures of John Hunter, with whom he was also personally acquainted, and after Hunter's death he professed himself to be the spokesman for Hunter's physiological and pathological views. He died in 1831.

Anthony Holbrow studied at St Bartholomew's Hospital, and practised at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. He became a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1818, MRCS in 1819, and FRCS in 1862. He died in 1873.

Archival history

GB 0114 MS0217 1817 Collection (fonds) 1 item Abernethy , John , 1764-1831 , surgeon

John Abernethy was born in Coleman Street, London, in 1764. He was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar school, and at the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to Charles Blicke, surgeon to St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. Abernethy remained at Bart's for the rest of his career, being appointed assistant surgeon in 1787, and promted to full surgeon in 1815. During the 1790s Abernethy published several papers on a variety of anatomical topics. On the strength of these contributions he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1796. Between 1814 and 1817 he served as Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons. Abernethy also offered private lectures in anatomy in a house in Bartholomew Close, near to the hospital. The governors of Bart's then built a lecture theatre within the hospital to accommodate his classes. In 1824 Thomas Wakley, editor of the newly established journal The Lancet, published Abernethy's lectures without his permission. Abernethy sought an injunction but was unsuccessful, and remained resentful about the incident. Abernethy had himself attended the lectures of John Hunter, with whom he was also personally acquainted, and after Hunter's death he professed himself to be the spokesman for Hunter's physiological and pathological views. He died in 1831.

Anthony Holbrow studied at St Bartholomew's Hospital, and practised at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. He became a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1818, MRCS in 1819, and FRCS in 1862. He died in 1873.

Donated by Dr David William Dawson of Darlington, in 1960.

Papers of Anthony Holbrow, 1817, comprising an admittance card allowing Holbrow "unlimited attendance in the surgical lectures of John Abernethy", dated Oct 1817, signed by John Abernethy, and bearing a red wax seal.

As outlined in Scope and Content.

By written appointment only.

No photocopying permitted.

English

Additional manuscripts catalogue.

Abernethy (MS0210); Notes of lectures by Abernethy by Peter Mere Latham (MS0211); William Cooke's notes of lectures by Abernethy and others (MS0212); Notes of Abernethy's lectures by Jacob Vale Asbury (MS0213); Autograph Letter from John Abernethy to Mr Mortimer (MS0214); Autograph Letter from John Abernethy to Mr Reece (MS0215); Autograph Letters from John Abernethy to the Royal College of Surgeons (MS0216); Notes on Surgical Lectures of Sir Everard Home and John Abernethy (MS0218); W Downes notes of John Abernethy's lectures on surgery (MS0053); Prosser-Harvey Collection containing notes of Abernethy's lectures (MS0081).

Compiled by Anya Turner.

Source: The Lives of the Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume I - A-McDou, London: 1930, p551

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Sep 2008 History of medicine Teaching methods Lectures (teaching method) Medical sciences Surgery Abernethy , John , 1764-1831 , surgeon Holbrow , Anthony , d 1873 , surgeon St Bartholomew's Hospital History

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated by Dr David William Dawson of Darlington, in 1960.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Anthony Holbrow, 1817, comprising an admittance card allowing Holbrow "unlimited attendance in the surgical lectures of John Abernethy", dated Oct 1817, signed by John Abernethy, and bearing a red wax seal.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

As outlined in Scope and Content.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

By written appointment only.

Conditions governing reproduction

No photocopying permitted.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Abernethy (MS0210); Notes of lectures by Abernethy by Peter Mere Latham (MS0211); William Cooke's notes of lectures by Abernethy and others (MS0212); Notes of Abernethy's lectures by Jacob Vale Asbury (MS0213); Autograph Letter from John Abernethy to Mr Mortimer (MS0214); Autograph Letter from John Abernethy to Mr Reece (MS0215); Autograph Letters from John Abernethy to the Royal College of Surgeons (MS0216); Notes on Surgical Lectures of Sir Everard Home and John Abernethy (MS0218); W Downes notes of John Abernethy's lectures on surgery (MS0053); Prosser-Harvey Collection containing notes of Abernethy's lectures (MS0081).

Finding aids

Additional manuscripts catalogue.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

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Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

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Name access points

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Royal College of Surgeons of England

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area