GB 0114 MS0124 - MacCormac, Sir William (1836-1901)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0114 MS0124

Title

MacCormac, Sir William (1836-1901)

Date(s)

  • 1884-1902 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

3 boxes

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Sir William MacCormac was born in Belfast in 1836. He was educated at the Belfast Royal Academical Institution and afterwards studied at Dublin and Paris. He entered Queen's College, Belfast, in 1851, as a student of engineering, and gained scholarships in engineering during his first and second years. He then studied the arts and graduated B.A. at the Queen's University in 1855, and M.A. in 1858. He won the senior scholarship in natural philosophy in 1856 and was admitted M.D. in the following year. The honorary degree of M.Ch. was conferred upon him in 1879, and the D.Sc. in 1882 with the Gold Medal of the University. The honorary degrees of M.D. and M.Ch. were also bestowed upon him by the University of Dublin in 1900. After graduation he studied surgery in Berlin, where he made lasting friendships with Langenbeck, Billroth, and von Esmarch. He practised in Belfast from 1864-1870 becoming successively Surgeon, Lecturer on Clinical Surgery, and Consulting Surgeon to the Belfast General Hospital. In the Franco-German War in 1870 he undertook hospital duties at Metz. He was given the rare distinction of an ad eundem Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, in 1871 and was elected Assistant Surgeon to St. Thomas's Hospital, which had just moved to the new buildings on the Albert Embankment. He became full Surgeon in 1873 and lectured on surgery for twenty years. He was elected Consulting Surgeon to the hospital and Emeritus Lecturer on Clinical Surgery after resigning his active posts in 1893. He was knioghted in 1881. He was President of the Medical Society of London in 1880, and of the Metropolitan Branch of the British Medical Association in 1890. He was Surgeon to the French, Italian, Queen Charlotte's, and the British Lying-in Hospitals, and was an Examiner in Surgery at the University of London and for Her Majesty's Naval, Military, and Indian Medical Services. He was created a baronet in 1897, was appointed Surgeon-in-Ordinary to the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII, and was decorated K.C.V.O. in 1898, in recognition of services rendered to the Prince when he injured his knee. At the Royal College of Surgeons MacCormac was elected a Member of the Council in 1883, and of the Court of Examiners in 1887. He served as President from 1896-1900, being specially re-elected on the last occasion that he might occupy the Chair at the centenary of the College. He delivered the Bradshaw Lecture in 1893, and was Hunterian Orator in 1899. He was created K.C.B. in 1901, and was gazetted Hon. Serjeant Surgeon to King Edward VII. He died in 1901. MacCormac was the best decorated practising surgeon of his generation. He was, in addition to the honours already mentioned, an Hon. Member of the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg ; an Hon. Fellow or Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Paris, Brussels, Munich, and Rome; a Commander of the Legion of Honour; of the Orders of Dannebrog of Denmark, of the Crown of Italy, and of Takovo of Serbia; of the Crown of Prussia, St. Iago of Portugal, North Star of Sweden, Ritter-Kreuz of Bavaria, Merit of Spain, and the Medjidie.

Archival history

GB 0114 MS0124 1884-1902 Collection (fonds) 3 boxes MacCormac , Sir , William , 1836-1901 , Baronet , surgeon

Sir William MacCormac was born in Belfast in 1836. He was educated at the Belfast Royal Academical Institution and afterwards studied at Dublin and Paris. He entered Queen's College, Belfast, in 1851, as a student of engineering, and gained scholarships in engineering during his first and second years. He then studied the arts and graduated B.A. at the Queen's University in 1855, and M.A. in 1858. He won the senior scholarship in natural philosophy in 1856 and was admitted M.D. in the following year. The honorary degree of M.Ch. was conferred upon him in 1879, and the D.Sc. in 1882 with the Gold Medal of the University. The honorary degrees of M.D. and M.Ch. were also bestowed upon him by the University of Dublin in 1900. After graduation he studied surgery in Berlin, where he made lasting friendships with Langenbeck, Billroth, and von Esmarch. He practised in Belfast from 1864-1870 becoming successively Surgeon, Lecturer on Clinical Surgery, and Consulting Surgeon to the Belfast General Hospital. In the Franco-German War in 1870 he undertook hospital duties at Metz. He was given the rare distinction of an ad eundem Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, in 1871 and was elected Assistant Surgeon to St. Thomas's Hospital, which had just moved to the new buildings on the Albert Embankment. He became full Surgeon in 1873 and lectured on surgery for twenty years. He was elected Consulting Surgeon to the hospital and Emeritus Lecturer on Clinical Surgery after resigning his active posts in 1893. He was knioghted in 1881. He was President of the Medical Society of London in 1880, and of the Metropolitan Branch of the British Medical Association in 1890. He was Surgeon to the French, Italian, Queen Charlotte's, and the British Lying-in Hospitals, and was an Examiner in Surgery at the University of London and for Her Majesty's Naval, Military, and Indian Medical Services. He was created a baronet in 1897, was appointed Surgeon-in-Ordinary to the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII, and was decorated K.C.V.O. in 1898, in recognition of services rendered to the Prince when he injured his knee. At the Royal College of Surgeons MacCormac was elected a Member of the Council in 1883, and of the Court of Examiners in 1887. He served as President from 1896-1900, being specially re-elected on the last occasion that he might occupy the Chair at the centenary of the College. He delivered the Bradshaw Lecture in 1893, and was Hunterian Orator in 1899. He was created K.C.B. in 1901, and was gazetted Hon. Serjeant Surgeon to King Edward VII. He died in 1901. MacCormac was the best decorated practising surgeon of his generation. He was, in addition to the honours already mentioned, an Hon. Member of the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg ; an Hon. Fellow or Member of the Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Paris, Brussels, Munich, and Rome; a Commander of the Legion of Honour; of the Orders of Dannebrog of Denmark, of the Crown of Italy, and of Takovo of Serbia; of the Crown of Prussia, St. Iago of Portugal, North Star of Sweden, Ritter-Kreuz of Bavaria, Merit of Spain, and the Medjidie.

The provenance of this material is not known.

Papers of Sir William MacCormac, 1884-1902, comprising photographs and press cuttings, 1899-1902; casebook, 1884; and letters, 1895-1900.

As outlined in Scope and Content.

By written appointment only.

No photocopying permitted.

English

Photographs of the Officers of the International Medical Congress, London 1881. Collected by William MacCormac, Honorary Secretary General (STR-RM 26).

Compiled by Anya Turner.

Source: The Lives of the Fellows of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Volume 1 A-MCD, p747

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 Letter writing Medical records Visual materials Photographs Information sources Documents Clippings Correspondence MacCormac , Sir , William , 1836-1901 , Baronet , surgeon Writing Communication skills Communication process Primary documents

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The provenance of this material is not known.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of Sir William MacCormac, 1884-1902, comprising photographs and press cuttings, 1899-1902; casebook, 1884; and letters, 1895-1900.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

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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

Photographs of the Officers of the International Medical Congress, London 1881. Collected by William MacCormac, Honorary Secretary General (STR-RM 26).

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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.

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Language(s)

  • English

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