James McCall founder of the Vet School
Today marks the 150th anniversary of the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine which was founded in 1862 by James McCall (1834-1915). An Ayrshire graduate of the Dick Veterinary College, McCall came to Glasgow in 1859 and started a practice in Hope Street where he gave informal lectures. Formal classes began in 1862 and McCall’s practice was moved to 399 Parliamentary Road, Glasgow. A royal warrant was granted in 1863 to the new Veterinary College, Glasgow, recognising its teaching for the examination of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, London, and the first graduate qualified in 1865.
The College moved to new premises in Buccleuch Street, Garnethill, which had formerly been used as a pumping station. Accommodation was surplus to requirements and part of the building was let as a stable and dairy. In 1909 the College was incorporated as The Glasgow Veterinary College, its new governors purchasing the buildings from Principal McCall. By the outbreak of the First World War 48 students were attending the College.
Physiology Laboratory – Dr John Lindsay demonstrating to students c 1930
The Board of Governors formally handed over the College to the University in October 1945. Building began on a new Veterinary Hospital for clinical and research facilities in the Garscube Estate three miles to the north-west of the main University campus in 1950. New teaching buildings for the pre- and para-clinical departments were built at Garscube in the 1960s and Buccleuch Street was closed in 1969.
Archive Services holds the Records of Glasgow Veterinary College (Ref: DC 144) which includes minute books, teaching records, registers of students and student record cards, Veterinary Hospital case lists and photographs. We also hold records relating to former staff and students of the school. Information on some of these staff and students can be found on our University of Glasgow Story website here.
laboratory work c1930
Over the years staff at the Vet School have been responsible for groundbreaking research. Our World Changing website contains details of some of these pioneering ‘world changers’ from the Vet School and information about their research and its impact:
Bill Jarrett was responsible for advancing the treatment of leukaemia in the animal and human populations after discovering the retrovirus now known as feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) in 1963.
George Urquhart, William Mulligan, Frank Jennings, William Jarrett and Ian McIntyre developed the world’s first vaccine against the lungworm parasite in cattle in the late 1950s.
Reginald Gordon Hemingway, Norman Ritchie and James Parkins were responsible for creating and patenting the first treatment to protect cows and ewes from minieral deficencies.
In the mid 1960s William McPhee Hutchison discovered that cats were a major source of human infection with the parasitic protozoa called Toxoplasma, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis which is a widespread disease of man and all warm-blooded animals.
Bill Mulligan, Bill Jarrett, George Urquhart and Ian McIntyre
A number of events are taking place this weekend to celebrate the anniversary including a ‘New Horizons’ programme of lectures as well as the McCall lecture taking place today followed tomorrow with a three streamed CPD lecture programme (with talks on topics relating to small animal, equine and farm animals) and a commercial exhibition at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Throughout the weekend there will also be social events, including a gala banquet and a ceilidh, attended by alumni, VIPs, staff, students, veterinary surgeons and friends of the School. For more information see the programme here.
A new book entitled Glasgow Veterinary School 1862-2012 has been published using material held in Archive Services to celebrate the 150th anniversary. You can purchase a copy from here. If you are interested in finding out more about the records we hold relating to the Vet School please contact us.
We wish the Vet School all the best for their celebrations this weekend!
Categories: Archive Services (GUAS)
Tags: 150th anniversary, archive services, GUAS, James McCall, research, University of Glasgow, vet, vet school
The International Heritage Project: South East Asia GRAB Lunch 
Aubrey Fair Boyd, by Fiona Scott 
Students: join the Sp Coll and Archives blogathon! 
Unusual finds in the Archive 
Amazingly, no mention of Professor Weipers. I believe it was through him that the Vet School joined the University, and he was its Head for a very long time and instrumental in ensuring that it was a research-led institution. A surprising omission. Is space so limited?
Hi Bernie,
Yes I am aware of Sir William Weipers and his role in the Vet School but we could not give a comprehensive history of the Vet School in this blog. We intended to use the blog to give a short overview of the Vet School and some links to information on the celebration this weekend and the new book that has been published. I added a link in the blog to other significant Vet School staff and students whose details are on our University of Glasgow Story website. Here it is:
http://universitystory.gla.ac.uk/search/?submit=y&name=&fname=&title=&bday=0&bmon=0&byear=&dday=0&dmon=0&dyear=&gender=°ree=&occupation=vet&award=&chair=&building=&room=&object=&limitp=N&limitb=Y&sig=&limitw=N&start=20
You will find an entry for Sir William Weipers on page 2.
Best wishes,
Gemma