Do you think you may have a vet in the family or are you interested in the history of your practice and the people who worked there? If so, we have a range of resources to help you.
Our resources
These include our Rolls of Members, which were used to record the names of newly qualified veterinary surgeons from each college. These were mainly signed by the graduates themselves.
We also have copies of the RCVS Register of Veterinary Surgeons from 1844 to the present day. This lists the name, date of qualification and registered address of all Members of the RCVS.
We have over 800 applications for Existing Practitioner status. These follow the 1881 Veterinary Surgeons Act, which allowed unqualified practitioners who had practised veterinary surgery for the previous five years to be included in a Register of Existing Practitioners. Applications typically consist of a sworn declaration, a testimony of moral character similar to a reference, and an accompanying letter regarding the payment of the fee.
Obituaries can often be found in the Veterinarian (1828-1902) and The Veterinary Record (1888-present) and, for those who served in the Army Veterinary Corps, in the Journal of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps (1929-1971).
Carrying out research
If you would like us to carry out research on your behalf, contact us at archives@rcvsknowledge.org with the name and dates of your ancestor, or the name of the veterinary practice.
The charge is £30.
We also facilitate onsite visitors for those who wish to do their own research. However, please note access to our collections is on a strictly appointments-only basis. To make an appointment please contact us at archives@rcvsknowledge.org
Records prior to 1881
When tracing your family tree bear in mind that, before 1881, it was possible to practise veterinary surgery without being a Member of the RCVS and without having a degree from an approved university.
Even after the 1881 Act it was possible for persons other than members of the RCVS to practise veterinary surgery, but they were not able to go to court to recover fees and charges for doing so.
It was not until the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1948 that it became an absolute requirement for anyone practising veterinary surgery to be a registered veterinary surgeon, and even then there were a number of exceptions.
This means that we will not always hold information on people who describe themselves as veterinary surgeons on official documents such as marriage certificates.