Records of the Company of Surgeons
TitleRecords of the Company of Surgeons
ReferenceCOS
Level of descriptionfonds
Date1745-1820
Creator 1745-1800 Company of Surgeons
Admin./ biographical historyThe Company of Barber-Surgeons was created by an Act of Parliament in 1540. It was one of the City of London Livery Companies under the charge of the Lord Mayor of London and the Aldermen of the City. The Company was governed by a Court of Assistants and four Masters, elected annually. Members of the Company had to register at the Barber-Surgeons Hall and undergo a seven year apprenticeship before sitting an exam held by the Company’s Court of Examiners. The Company only operated within London, although its members were allowed to practice anywhere.
Following petitions by surgeons the Company of Barber-Surgeons was split by an Act of Parliament of 1745 into two separate bodies and the Company of Surgeons was founded.
The Company of Surgeons held its first meeting on 1st July 1745. It was permitted by Act of Parliament to create its own bye-laws and to examine surgeons at the end of their apprenticeships, as well as examining and approving surgeons for the army and navy.
The Court of Assistants, consisting of twenty-one men, was its governing body, of which a Master and two Wardens were appointed annually. There was also a Court of Examiners consisting of ten men who were elected for life. The Company bye-laws stipulated that the Court of Assistants should meet every month, but in 1748 the Assistants decided to meet only when summoned by the Court of Examiners. The Court of Examiners was therefore in charge of the Company.
The Company was permitted to teach anatomy and built a hall with an anatomy theatre, close to Newgate Gaol and the Old Bailey, so they could dissect the bodies of executed criminals. The hall was not finished until 1751, by which time several private anatomy schools had become well-established centres for teaching and dissecting. Although lectures and demonstrations in anatomy were held at Surgeons' Hall they could not compete with the better equipped private anatomy schools and did not attract many students.
In 1796 The Court of Examiners decided, without consulting the Court of Assistants, to sell Surgeon’s Hall and purchase new premises at 41-42 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The purchase was technically irregular because at the meeting of the Assistants which approved the purchase, neither of the Wardens had been present, as they legally should have been. The property at Lincoln's Inn was also worth more than the £200 the Company was constitutionally allowed to hold, and so it became necessary to seek a new constitution through an Act of Parliament, to make sure that the Company’s proceedings were not declared invalid.
The Company sought advice from the Colleges of Surgeons in Edinburgh and Dublin, who suggested updating the Company’s bye-laws including changing the name to ‘the College of Surgeons’. The Company failed to get their bill through parliament and decided to obtain a Royal Charter instead. As a Royal Charter cannot supersede an Act of Parliament unless the Act has been rendered invalid, the irregular proceedings of 1796 were announced and the Company was therefore technically dissolved in 1798, although it continued to operate.
The new Charter was finally approved on 22nd March 1800, and King George III gave his consent to the use of the title ‘The Royal College of Surgeons’.
Following petitions by surgeons the Company of Barber-Surgeons was split by an Act of Parliament of 1745 into two separate bodies and the Company of Surgeons was founded.
The Company of Surgeons held its first meeting on 1st July 1745. It was permitted by Act of Parliament to create its own bye-laws and to examine surgeons at the end of their apprenticeships, as well as examining and approving surgeons for the army and navy.
The Court of Assistants, consisting of twenty-one men, was its governing body, of which a Master and two Wardens were appointed annually. There was also a Court of Examiners consisting of ten men who were elected for life. The Company bye-laws stipulated that the Court of Assistants should meet every month, but in 1748 the Assistants decided to meet only when summoned by the Court of Examiners. The Court of Examiners was therefore in charge of the Company.
The Company was permitted to teach anatomy and built a hall with an anatomy theatre, close to Newgate Gaol and the Old Bailey, so they could dissect the bodies of executed criminals. The hall was not finished until 1751, by which time several private anatomy schools had become well-established centres for teaching and dissecting. Although lectures and demonstrations in anatomy were held at Surgeons' Hall they could not compete with the better equipped private anatomy schools and did not attract many students.
In 1796 The Court of Examiners decided, without consulting the Court of Assistants, to sell Surgeon’s Hall and purchase new premises at 41-42 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The purchase was technically irregular because at the meeting of the Assistants which approved the purchase, neither of the Wardens had been present, as they legally should have been. The property at Lincoln's Inn was also worth more than the £200 the Company was constitutionally allowed to hold, and so it became necessary to seek a new constitution through an Act of Parliament, to make sure that the Company’s proceedings were not declared invalid.
The Company sought advice from the Colleges of Surgeons in Edinburgh and Dublin, who suggested updating the Company’s bye-laws including changing the name to ‘the College of Surgeons’. The Company failed to get their bill through parliament and decided to obtain a Royal Charter instead. As a Royal Charter cannot supersede an Act of Parliament unless the Act has been rendered invalid, the irregular proceedings of 1796 were announced and the Company was therefore technically dissolved in 1798, although it continued to operate.
The new Charter was finally approved on 22nd March 1800, and King George III gave his consent to the use of the title ‘The Royal College of Surgeons’.
Scope and ContentThe records of the Company (or Corporation) of Surgeons consist of records of the Court of Assistants, including minute books, letter books, apprentice books and bye-laws; the Court of Examiners, including exam books; and Financial Accounts.
There are no minutes of Court of Examiners meetings, because they did not keep any.
There are no minutes of Court of Examiners meetings, because they did not keep any.
Extent7 boxes and 1 plan drawer
LanguageEnglish
System of arrangementAs described in the Scope and Content.
Conditions governing accessThis collection is available to everyone for research. It can be consulted in our Research Room at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE. It is essential to book in advance so we can ensure material is available. Please email archives@rcseng.ac.uk to book a Research Room appointment. Access to some records may be restricted due to Data Protection legislation. We will advise where this is the case.
Conditions governing reproductionCopies of material in the archives can be supplied for private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents. Some items within this collection may remain within copyright under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988; it is the responsibility of users to obtain the copyright holder's permission for reproduction of copyright material for purposes other than research or private study. Permission to publish material must be sought in advance from the Royal College of Surgeons of England and, where appropriate, the copyright holder. Please email archives@rcseng.ac.uk in the first instance.
Related objectsRCS-GOV/2/6/4
Persons keyword London Company of Surgeons, 1745-1800
