1854 and a home for the RCVS

As July is the month of the RCVS Annual General Meeting (AGM), I thought it would be a good time to share a few nuggets of history from RCVS AGMs back in the 1840s and the first few years of the college’s existence.

Initially, the AGM was scheduled for the first Monday in May each year. As there was no building owned or rented by the RCVS, meetings were held at the Freemasons’ Tavern (you can learn more on notable venues of veterinary history in my guest blog for RCVS Knowledge).

As the AGM and the RCVS Day event has grown, we have returned to this historic tradition of renting a space to host the event – as such, this year is at One Great George Street in Westminster. A typical AGM in the 1840-50s provided a space to share the accounts of the RCVS, and this still happens today.

Home from home

The RCVS recently moved into their new home at One Hardwick Street, and the role of the RCVS 'home' has been a factor for discussion since 1854 and the RCVS moving into 10 Red Lion Square – the first building used as a permanent base for the RCVS – being worked on and furniture purchased.

The financal expenditure, with the builder clearly being the winner in this financial situation – earning himself a fee roughly equivalent to almost £20,000 in today’s money!