Dog in WW2 gas mask

The National Air Raid Precautions for Animals Committee

The National Air Raid Precautions for Animals Committee (NARPAC) was formed in the Summer of 1939, one of a number of protection initiatives established by the Home Office at a time when war with Hitler’s Germany was becoming inevitable. The Committee was composed of representatives from the Home Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, the police, […]

Aleen Cust – the first woman to join the veterinary profession, 100 years ago today!

One hundred years ago today, on the 20th December 1922, Aleen Cust became the first female MRCVS. To mark this significant event in the history of the British veterinary profession, we have digitised documents from our archives that tell Cust’s story. It begins with her unsatisfactory first encounter with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons […]

A snapshot of British veterinary practice in 1882

One of my favourite parts of our Archives is the extensive collection of applications for Existing Practitioner status, sent to the RCVS in 1882. After the arduous work carried out seven years ago to sort and list the 859 separate applications, I am very excited to now begin making these fascinating documents more accessible to […]

Our new (temporary) home!

Following the sale of Belgravia House, and the decision to vacate the premises by the end of March 2022, the Archives and Library teams at RCVS Knowledge have had a busy few months safely moving all the Library, Archive and artwork collections into secure storage, and to our new temporary office at the City of […]

A Christmas Gift to the Future of the Veterinary Professions

Edward Coleman lectures – a 200-year-old time capsule of veterinary science

  Two hundred years ago today – which was a Monday not a Friday – students attended the Introductory Lecture of the 1821/1822 session at the London Veterinary College, now known as the Royal Veterinary College. The lecture was delivered by Edward Coleman, Professor of the College, and thanks to notes of the lecture taken […]

Guest Post – Jane Davidson: Venues of Veterinary History

As I work through the archive material for my PhD, the people and the places leap off the page and create such a vivid picture of the events I’m reading about. The places, in particular, are striking a chord with me as so many of them are in London, my home for over 20 years. […]

Transcription Project Completed – thanks to our incredible volunteers!

Archives on your Digital Doorstop – Overcome the Lockdown!

This Friday is our Annual Royal College Day – which due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be the first to involve a virtual AGM! The Annual General Meeting has taken place since the very beginning of the RCVS in 1844, with official announcements published in the London Gazette, and voting for new Council members recorded […]

Jane Davidson

Vet History PhD – Introducing Jane!

This is the first of a series of blog posts by PhD student Jane Davidson, who began her studies with RCVS Knowledge and the University of Kent in Autumn 2019. Click here for more information about this project, or follow Jane’s Twitter feed and hashtag #phdbythesea   I imagine that this period of change and […]