Heritage

Our Heritage and that of our specialty

The College has its foundations in the Faculty of Anaesthetists formed in 1948 within the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Our archive includes books, paintings, photographs and documents dating from that time onwards.

To help put the work of the College into historical context, there is an active Heritage Committee contributing to publications and exhibitions. The committee also administers the archive collection policy and seeks to encourage submissions for the Lives of the Fellows project.

Delve into the sometimes surprising story of how anaesthesia developed, or find out more about the history of the College and its Fellows, by exploring the options below.

If you have an enquiry about the College archives, please contact archives@rcoa.ac.uk.

 

Heritage and Archives Committee
A series of podcasts devised by the Heritage and Archives Committee to look at the History of the College and Anaesthesia

The History of Anaesthesia
From plants to the anaesthetics machinery of today. Shakespeare’s observation (from Cymbeline) explains why attempts to alleviate the pain of disease, injury or simple surgical procedures by producing unconsciousness are almost as old as civilisation, although the techniques were crude.

Origins of the RCoA and its Fellowship
How the College was established and the birth of the Fellowship

The College Coat of Arms
The components of the College's coat of arms and their meanings

Founding Fellows of the Faculty of Anaesthetists
The first twenty-one fellows elected to the Faculty of Anaesthetists

The influence of two World Wars
Developments in anaesthesia in World Wars I and II

History Articles
Selection of articles from the College Bulletin

Lives of the Fellows
Introduction to Lives of the Fellows

Past Deans and Presidents
View a list of the Deans of the Faculty of Anaesthetists and the Presidents of the College and Royal College of Anaesthetists

Obituaries
Obituaries