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  • Tags: College Founders

Portrait of Maister Peter Lowe

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Title

Portrait of Maister Peter Lowe

Description

Portrait of Maister Peter Lowe, standing half-length in robes with his hand resting on a book.
Peter Lowe was a Scottish surgeon who studied medicine and surgery at the Conferie de St Come et St Damien in Paris, and served as Surgeon in Ordinary to King Henry IV of France.

He returned to Glasgow in 1598 and, finding medical and surgical standards in the town lacking, decided to petition King James VI. The King responded by granting a Royal Charter in 1599, granting Lowe and Hamilton (and their successors) the power to examine and license physicians and surgeons in the West of Scotland.

The Charter was ratified by an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1672, and is the founding document of the organisation known today as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

This is a copy of the original portrait, made in 1822.

Creator

Circle of David Mytens

Date

1822, after an earlier work

Identifier

99

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

Physical Dimensions

116.5 x 96 cm

Materials

Oil on canvas

Description

Portrait of Maister Peter Lowe, standing half-length in robes with his hand resting on a book.

Notarial copy of the Faculty's Royal charter

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Title

Notarial copy of the Faculty's Royal charter

Description

Notarial copy (1804) of Faculty Charter given by James VI in 1599 to Peter Lowe.

Date

1804

Identifier

RCPSG/1/8/10/1-3

Text Item Type Metadata

Original Format

paper

Description

Notarial copy (1804) of Faculty Charter given by James VI in 1599 to Peter Lowe.

Portrait of Robert Hamilton

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Portrait of Robert Hamilton

Description

Portrait of Robert Hamilton, standing half-length in a black lace-trimmed cloak.
The physician Robert Hamilton was one of the co-founders of the College, and is named in the Royal Charter of 1599 alongside Peter Lowe and William Spang.

The early years of Hamilton's life are not well recorded, however there is record of him as a doctor arriving in Aberdeen in 1594. Although Hamilton is referred to as a "professoure of medicine", there is no record of him obtaining an MD. He was the senior office bearer of the College in its first 20 years.

According to College minutes the early portraits of Hamilton, Lowe and Spang had deteriorated to such an extent by 1822 that copies were made. The original was the work of an artist from the 17th Century Scottish School.

Creator

Scottish school

Date

17th century

Identifier

98

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

Physical Dimensions

90.5 x 69.5 cm

Materials

Oil on canvas

Description

Portrait of Robert Hamilton, standing half-length in a black lace-trimmed cloak.

Portrait of William Spang

Details

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Title

Portrait of William Spang

Description

Portrait of William Spang, standing half-length in robes with his hand resting on a book. This portrait is a copy of a previous portrait by an artist from the 17th Century Scottish School.
William Spang was an apothecary and named in the Charter of incorporation of 1599 as the inspector of any shops selling drugs.

This portrait is a copy, made in 1822, of a previous portrait by an artist from the 17th Century Scottish School.

Creator

Unknown

Date

17th century

Identifier

100

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

Physical Dimensions

90 x 69 cm

Materials

Oil on canvas

Description

Portrait of William Spang, standing half-length in robes with his hand resting on a book. This portrait is a copy of a previous portrait by an artist from the 17th Century Scottish School.

Maister Peter Lowe's Gloves

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Title

Maister Peter Lowe's Gloves

Description

A pair of leather gauntlet gloves with metal thread embroidery, believed to have belonged to Maister Peter Lowe, the founder of the incorporation now known as Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

They may possibly have been given as a gift to symbolise loyalty and service, as was customary. The gloves were donated to the College by Mrs Hamilton Gray, the widow of the Reverend John Hamilton Gray, in 1867. Reverend John Hamilton Gray was Minister of the Parish of Carntyne and was a descendent of Maister Lowe, his family having married into the Lowe family.
The embroidery work which they display is undoubtedly of a professional nature. The formal pattern of foliage, mythical animals, and cupola within arched pillars is typical of the period 1600-1620. The outlining of the fingers of the gloves with metal braid and the depth of the gauntlets suggest the date of around 1600-1610.

Date

c. 1600-1610

Identifier

2019/7

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

Physical Dimensions

2 x 31 x 13 cm (per glove)

Materials

leather
metal

Description

A pair of leather gauntlet gloves with metal thread embroidery, believed to have belonged to Maister Peter Lowe, the founder of the incorporation now known as Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

They may possibly have been given as a gift to symbolise loyalty and service, as was customary. The gloves were donated to the College by Mrs Hamilton Gray, the widow of the Reverend John Hamilton Gray, in 1867. Reverend John Hamilton Gray was Minister of the Parish of Carntyne and was a descendent of Maister Lowe, his family having married into the Lowe family.

Mr Colin MacKay laying a wreath at the tomb of Peter Lowe

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Title

Mr Colin MacKay laying a wreath at the tomb of Peter Lowe

Description

Photograph of College President, Mr Colin MacKay, laying a wreath at the tombstone of the founder of the College, Maister Peter Lowe, at Glasgow Cathedral.

Date

5 December 1999

Identifier

RCPSG/1/12/4/812/3

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

photograph

Description

Photograph of College President, Mr Colin MacKay, laying a wreath at the tombstone of the founder of the College, Maister Peter Lowe, at Glasgow Cathedral.

Old Tombs, Glasgow Cathedral

Details

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Title

Old Tombs, Glasgow Cathedral

Description

Lithograph illustration of the tombs in the churchyard of Glasgow Cathedral. The tomb of Peter Lowe is included, but only the names of John and James Lowe are visible.

Date

19th century

Identifier

288

Contributor

Miller, Robert
Buchanan, David S.

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

paper

Physical Dimensions

44 x 55 cm

Description

Lithograph illustration of the tombs in the churchyard of Glasgow Cathedral. The tomb of Peter Lowe is included, but only the names of John and James Lowe are visible.

The whole course of chirurgerie, wherein is briefly set downe the causes, signes, prognostications & curations of all sorts of tumors, wounds, vlcers, fractures, dislocations & all other diseases, vsually practiced by chirurgions, according to the opinion of all our auncient doctours in chirurgerie.

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Title

The whole course of chirurgerie, wherein is briefly set downe the causes, signes, prognostications & curations of all sorts of tumors, wounds, vlcers, fractures, dislocations & all other diseases, vsually practiced by chirurgions, according to the opinion of all our auncient doctours in chirurgerie.

Description

First edition of Peter Lowe's comprehensive surgical textbook, the first such book to be printed in English. Three further editions were published.

Creator

Lowe, Peter, 1550?-1612?

Date

1597

Identifier

Bookstore LOW

Publisher

Printed by Thomas Purfoot

Coverage

London

Description

First edition of Peter Lowe's comprehensive surgical textbook, the first such book to be printed in English. Three further editions were published.

Faculty Minutes 1602-1688

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Title

Faculty Minutes 1602-1688

Description

Faculty Minutes. “Ane short abrigment of the gift granted to the chirurgiones of Glasgow by the deceast King James in the year 1599” at front.

Creator

Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow

Date

1602-1688

Identifier

RCPSG/1/1/1/1a

Description

Faculty Minutes. “Ane short abrigment of the gift granted to the chirurgiones of Glasgow by the deceast King James in the year 1599” at front.

Portrait of James VI and I (1566-1625)

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Title

Portrait of James VI and I (1566-1625)

Description

Standing three-quarter length in a brown lace-trimmed doublet.

There is some doubt regarding the artist: Gibson (1983) attributes it to Paulus van Somer; in 1993 Ewan Mundy suggested the Circle of David Mytens instead.
James was King of Scotland from 1567 and became King of England and Ireland following the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603. In 1599 he issued a Royal Charter, granting permission to Peter Lowe, Robert Hamilton, and William Spang (and their successors) to establish the body which is known today as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Lowe was also chief surgeon to the King’s son, Prince Henry.

James was a prolific writer and tackled a diverse range of styles and subjects. Of particular note is his “Counterblaste to Tobacco”, an early anti-tobacco publication which appeared some 300 years before Richard Doll convinced the world of the dangers of smoking. There is a contemporary collected edition of his works in the College library.

This portrait was obtained at auction around 1950 by Dr T. J. Honeyman and, after restoration, was presented to the College in 1952 by Professor G. B. Fleming. Although the exact date is unknown it was certainly painted after James acceded to the English throne, as he can be seen wearing the Lesser George of the Garter around his neck.

Creator

Paulus van Somer I (1576–1621) (circle of)
Circle of David Mytens

Date

17th century

Identifier

106

Physical Object Item Type Metadata

Physical Dimensions

103 x 86 cm

Materials

Oil on canvas

Description

Standing three-quarter length in a brown lace-trimmed doublet.

There is some doubt regarding the artist: Gibson (1983) attributes it to Paulus van Somer; in 1993 Ewan Mundy suggested the Circle of David Mytens instead.

Memorials of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1599-1850

Details

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Title

Memorials of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1599-1850

Description

Memorials of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1599-1850; with a sketch of the rise and progress of the Glasgow Medical School and of the medical profession in the West of Scotland

Creator

Duncan, Alexander

Date

1896

Identifier

Reading Room WZ 23 DUN

Publisher

James Maclehose and Sons

Coverage

Glasgow

Rights

Public domain

Language

English

Text Item Type Metadata

Original Format

book

Description

Memorials of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 1599-1850; with a sketch of the rise and progress of the Glasgow Medical School and of the medical profession in the West of Scotland

Panoramic Video of College Hall

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Title

Panoramic Video of College Hall

Description

This panoramic video allows you to look around the College Hall, which was constructed and designed by architect John James Burnett in 1892.

Description


Scan of Portrait of William Spang

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Title

Scan of Portrait of William Spang

Description

Shown here is a portrait of William Spang, an apothecary and one of the College founders.

This portrait is held within the College Hall of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, hanging next to two of the other College founders, Peter Lowe and Robert Hamilton. Lowe was a surgeon and Hamilton was a physician. Thus, since its beginnings in 1599, the College has been the only multidisciplinary postgraduate medical institution in the UK.

Description

Shown here is a portrait of William Spang, an apothecary and one of the College founders.

This portrait is held within the College Hall of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, hanging next to two of the other College founders, Peter Lowe and Robert Hamilton. Lowe was a surgeon and Hamilton was a physician. Thus, since its beginnings in 1599, the College has been the only multidisciplinary postgraduate medical institution in the UK.

Scan of Peter Lowe's Glove

Details

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Title

Scan of Peter Lowe's Glove

Description

The aboive scan is of the left-hand glove that is believed to have belonged to Maister Peter Lowe, the founder of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Description

The aboive scan is of the left-hand glove that is believed to have belonged to Maister Peter Lowe, the founder of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

College Founders Animation

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Title

College Founders Animation

Description

Have you ever wondered how and why our College was established? In this short video, we describe what led Peter Lowe to found our multi-disciplinary College in Glasgow in 1599, and how he did it.

Description

Have you ever wondered how and why our College was established? In this short video, we describe what led Peter Lowe to found our multi-disciplinary College in Glasgow in 1599, and how he did it.

Memorable Medical Sites of Glasgow

Details

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Title

Memorable Medical Sites of Glasgow

Description

This panoramic video takes you on a tour of the College's past sites around the city centre of Glasgow.

From Peter Lowe's grave at the cathedral precinct to the College's current premises on St Vincent Street, learn about the College's heritage and movements in this 360 video. Use the mouse icon to look around the locations and get a better idea of the College's past premises.

Description

This panoramic video takes you on a tour of the College's past sites around the city centre of Glasgow.

From Peter Lowe's grave at the cathedral precinct to the College's current premises on St Vincent Street, learn about the College's heritage and movements in this 360 video. Use the mouse icon to look around the locations and get a better idea of the College's past premises.

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