William Newbigging

Sir William Newbigging (25 April 1773Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 – 23 October 1852) was a Scottish surgeon who served as President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from 1814 to 1816. He was a keen amateur geographer.

Life

He was born in Lanark in 1773 to Robert Newbigging and Jean Brownlee. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and was apprenticed to Dr Forrest Dewar at Hunters Square, just off the Royal Mile, around 1790.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1790-91

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1799 and served as their President in 1814. He was elected a member of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh in 1815 and served as President in 1823 and 1838.{{Cite book|title=Minute Books of the Harveian Society|url=http://archives.rcpe.ac.uk/calmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DEP%2fHAR%2f1%2f1%2f1&pos=17|location= Library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh}}{{Cite book|url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/ww4e59xv|title= A Record of the Edinburgh Harveian Society|last=Watson Wemyss|first=Herbert Lindesay|publisher=T&A Constable, Edinburgh|year=1933|language=en}} He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1824, his proposer was Robert Jameson. In 1833 he was elected a member of the Aesculapian Club.{{Cite book|title=Minute Books of the Aesculapian Club|url=http://archives.rcpe.ac.uk/calmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DEP%2fAEC%2f1&pos=2|location= Library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh}} He was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1838.{{cite book|title=Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002|date=July 2006|publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|isbn=0-902-198-84-X|url=https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp2.pdf}}

He lived with his wife and family at 29 Heriot Row, in a large Georgian townhouse in the Edinburgh's New Town.Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1851-52

He died aged 79 on 2 October 1852 at 29 Heriot Row, Edinburgh, and is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in central Edinburgh{{Cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=108655171|title=Sir William Newbigging (Unknown-1852) - Find A...|website=www.findagrave.com|access-date=2018-07-26}} in the western extension close to the grave of his colleague Dr John Gordon.

Family

He married Lilias Stewart on 8 August 1801 at Corstorphine, Midlothian, Scotland, She died on 26 August 1832 in Edinburgh. Their many children included Patrick Newbigging, John Steuart Newbigging and Dr George Stewart Newbigging.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/b21465812|title=List of fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh [electronic resource] : from the year 1581 to 31st December 1873|last1=Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh|last2=University of Glasgow. Library|date=1874|publisher=Edinburgh : Printed by George Robb|others=University of Glasgow Library}}

Artistic Recognition

He was painted by Sir John Watson Gordon in 1838. The painting hangs in the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. The painting was engraved by George Baird Shaw for multiple reproduction.{{Cite web|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp124116/sir-william-newbigging|title=Sir William Newbigging - Person - National Portrait Gallery|website=www.npg.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-07-26}}

References

Category:1773 births

Category:1852 deaths

Category:Scottish surgeons

Category:People from Lanark

Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Category:Knights Bachelor

Category:Presidents of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

Category:Burials at Greyfriars Kirkyard

Category:Office bearers of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh

Category:Members of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh