List of Office Bearers of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh and Harveian Orations

The Harveian Society of Edinburgh elects a President on an annual basis. The Society has two Secretaries who are appointed for an unlimited term of office. The following sections list the office bearers of the Society and the Harveian Orations in chronological order. Four Harveian Orations were delivered prior to formation of the Society and from 1782 to 1831 the Oration was given at irregular intervals at the Harveian Festival and generally by one of the Secretaries. Since then the Harveian Orations have generally been delivered annually by the President.

1800s

 * Denotes that the individual was serving as President for the second time

1810s

 * Denotes that the individual was serving as President for the second time

1820s
§ Dr. Moncrieff was appointed physician to the New Town Dispensary, Edinburgh on 1 December 1817 and physician to the Royal Public Dispensary in January 1822. On 12 December 1823 he applied for the vacant position of physician to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. In 1827, Dr. Moncrieff was Librarian of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

1830s

 * Denotes that the individual was serving as President for the second time

§Dr. Moncrieff was appointed physician to the New Town Dispensary, Edinburgh on 1 December 1817 and was appointed physician to the Royal Public Dispensary in January 1822. On 12 December 1823 he applied for a vacant position of physician to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. In 1827, Dr. Moncrieff was Librarian of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

1840s
§ Dr. William Brown Senior was President of the Society in 1799 and a booklet on his life, which presumably formed the basis of this oration, was published originally in 1819 and reprinted in 1854.

1860s


§ The Harveian Festival of 1864 was cancelled following the death of the Society's President Dr. John Coldstream.

1870s
aAccording to Dr MacGillivray in his oration of 1912, Dr Irvine of Pitlochry "presided over the dinner enjoyed the feast, but absolutely refused to give an oration...Dr Gillespie one of the Secretaries was obliged to take Dr Irvine's place and at short notice to deliver the oration."

bProfessor William Sanders was also in the Chair.

cDr. Rutherford Haldane took the chair and Dr. Anderson's oration was read by Dr. James Gillespie.

1880s

 * Serving as President for the second time

§ This Festival occurred during the tercentenary week of the University of Edinburgh and was held at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

1890s
§ Cadell was a surgeon and father of the Scottish Colourist Francis Cadell.

1900s
aCadell was a surgeon and father of the Scottish Colourist Francis Cadell.

bChiene published an article on this topic in 1902.

cThe article cited here is to toast to the Immortal Memory of Harvey proposed by Underhill during the Festival, rather than the oration itself.

dDr Finlay was prevented by illness from attending the Festival and Sir Thomas Clouston took the chair.

1910s

 * Dr Strachan served as President for the second time.

§ The annual Harveian Festival was not held due to World War I.

1920s
§The reason why the Festival of 1922 was not held is unknown as there are no minutes for this period in the Society's archives.

1930s
§ Dr Davidson was a country practitioner in Kelso.

§§ Dr Robarts was a country practitioner in Haddington.

1940s
§ The annual Harveian Festival was not held due to World War II and its aftermath.

§§ Mr Middleton was killed on active service in October 1942.

1960s
§ Mr Gray was a Consultant in General Surgery at Bangour General Hospital, Broxburn, Scotland.

1980s
§ The titles "Surgical Secretary" and "Medical Secretary" were first used in 1986 to describe, respectively, Mr. MacLaren and Dr. Toft.

2020s
The Harveian Festival was not held in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.