Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1799-1842 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
11 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
George Langstaff was born in Richmond, Yorkshire, in c 1780. He studied medicine at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. He travelled to the East and West Indies and became a naturalist and zoologist, collecting specimens which would become his museum. He became Surgeon to the workhouse of St Giles's Cripplegate where he had abundant opportunities of studying both pathology and practical anatomy. He became a Fellow of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society, in 1814. He published the catalogue of his museum, Catalogue of the Preparations illustrative of normal, abnormal, and morbid structure, human and comparative, constituting the Anatomical Museum of George Langstaff in 1842. Part of the collection was bought by the Hunterian Museum, and the remainder bought by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He died in 1846.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0114 MS0056 1799-1842 Collection (fonds) 11 boxes Langstaff , George , c1780-1846 , surgeon and anatomist
George Langstaff was born in Richmond, Yorkshire, in c 1780. He studied medicine at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. He travelled to the East and West Indies and became a naturalist and zoologist, collecting specimens which would become his museum. He became Surgeon to the workhouse of St Giles's Cripplegate where he had abundant opportunities of studying both pathology and practical anatomy. He became a Fellow of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society, in 1814. He published the catalogue of his museum, Catalogue of the Preparations illustrative of normal, abnormal, and morbid structure, human and comparative, constituting the Anatomical Museum of George Langstaff in 1842. Part of the collection was bought by the Hunterian Museum, and the remainder bought by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He died in 1846.
The provenance of the collection is not known.
Papers of George Langstaff, 1799-1842, comprising 2 volumes of commonplace books, 1818-c 1838; correspondence concerning preparations purchased by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1842; Diurnal remarks of a voyage from Calcutta to old England, by G Langstaff, Surgeon, Ship Phoenix (1799) including a transcript by S Wood, 1799-1801; catalogue of the anatomical preparations forming the George Langstaff Museum, 1820; manuscript of miscellaneous preparations, 1799-1842; catalogue of the Langstaff Museum titled Heart, early 19th century; manuscript list of preparations titled Abridged History of the Museum, early 19th century; lecture notes, 1785-1816; and an explanation of John Abernethy's paintings of Lithotomy, 1804.
As outlined in Scope and Content.
By written appointment only.
No photocopying permitted.
English
Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.
A sale catalogue of George Langstaff's Museum is kept in the Library. This catalogue includes manuscript notes of prices and purchasers. 'A catalogue of the very extensive and valuable museum of morbid, human and comparative anatomy, formed by G. Langstaff, Esq. : which will be sold by auction, by Messrs. J.C. and S. Stevens, at their great room, 38, King Street, Covent Garden, on Thursday, 22d of September, 1842, and six following days (Sunday excepted), commencing at one o'clock precisely', RCS Library, CS8/SAL.
Compiled by Anya Turner.
Source: The Lives of the Fellows of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 1: A-MCD, page 679.
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.
Aug 2008 Abernethy , John , 1764-1831 , surgeon Anatomy Biology Calcutta Cardiovascular systems Catalogues India Inventories Langstaff , George , c1780-1846 , surgeon and anatomist Medical sciences Museum collections Museum facilities Museums Secondary documents South Asia Specialized museums Surgery West Bengal Collections Cultural resources
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The provenance of the collection is not known.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of George Langstaff, 1799-1842, comprising 2 volumes of commonplace books, 1818-c 1838; correspondence concerning preparations purchased by the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1842; Diurnal remarks of a voyage from Calcutta to old England, by G Langstaff, Surgeon, Ship Phoenix (1799) including a transcript by S Wood, 1799-1801; catalogue of the anatomical preparations forming the George Langstaff Museum, 1820; manuscript of miscellaneous preparations, 1799-1842; catalogue of the Langstaff Museum titled Heart, early 19th century; manuscript list of preparations titled Abridged History of the Museum, early 19th century; lecture notes, 1785-1816; and an explanation of John Abernethy's paintings of Lithotomy, 1804.
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
A sale catalogue of George Langstaff's Museum is kept in the Library. This catalogue includes manuscript notes of prices and purchasers. 'A catalogue of the very extensive and valuable museum of morbid, human and comparative anatomy, formed by G. Langstaff, Esq. : which will be sold by auction, by Messrs. J.C. and S. Stevens, at their great room, 38, King Street, Covent Garden, on Thursday, 22d of September, 1842, and six following days (Sunday excepted), commencing at one o'clock precisely', RCS Library, CS8/SAL.
Finding aids
Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (1928) by Victor G Plarr.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Description control area
Description identifier
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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