Record

CollectionGB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections
LevelFile
Ref NoMS 3750/1/9
TitleCorrespondence between Robert Lockhart and Forest W. Fyfe
Date1939 - 1964
Extent1 folder
Custodial HistoryRemoved from brown folder marked 'Fyfe. F. W.' & 'Letters Lockhart to Fyfe'. Folder annotated on inside with Fyfe's Cambridge address: 'The Bungalow, Hadstock, Cambridge. Dec. 1963'.
DescriptionCorrespondence between Robert Lockhart and Forest W. Fyfe relating to 'Anatomy of the Human Body' (first and second editions), to Fyfe's career (job applications, references, etc.), his professional relationship with Lockhart and departmental administrative matters in Aberdeen and Dalhousie Universities (licences to practice experiments on living animals, certificate of stillbirths), 1939 - 1964.

Briefly summarised as follows:

Correspondence regarding Fyfe's application and appointment to the post of assistant in the Anatomy Department of the University of Aberdeen, 1939. With a copy of Fyfe's undergraduate examination results from the University of Aberdeen.

Copy of Fyfe's letter of application to the post of Professor of Anatomy at the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, 18 September 1951. With two testimonials and employment particulars summarising his lecturing experience in the University of Aberdeen (including war-time courses given to Dunfermline College of Hygiene and Physical Education and a new course on foetal dissections), his contributions to 'Anatomy of the Human Body' (in particular, his involvement with dissections and the several stages involved in the production of anatomical drawings and illustrations), and his involvement with the excavation and recording of prehistoric human remains from cist burials in Aberdeenshire.

A quiz entitled 'An Anatomico - Alphabeticogenic Quizz', observing that many characters in the Latin alphabet appear to look like the mouth shape required to make the appropriate sounds. Possibly used in Fyfe's teaching.

Brief correspondence from Fyfe to Dr. Turnbull, Dr. D. C. Hodge, Registrar, and Dr. D. V. I. Fairweather [Registrar], Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, regarding certificates of stillbirths, June - July and November 1955.

Typed aerogramme from Fyfe to Lockhart updating Lockhart on his recent move to Canada, 18 January 1956. Notes that his furniture had been left in Glasgow, describes the house that he and his family are renting, and the anatomy department at Dalhousie University. With Lockhart's reply, dated 24 January 1956, which mentions nomenclature changes in the index of 'Anatomy of the Human Body'. [See also 'General correspondence relating to "Anatomy of the Human Body" ' MS 3750/1/6 and 'Lockhart's letters to Peter du Sautoy of Faber and Faber Ltd' MS 3750/1/8].

Typed aerogramme from Fyfe to Lockhart regarding nomenclature changes in the textbook's index, the third trimester at Dalhousie University, textbooks used in class, equipment in the Department, buying a house, the cold Canadian weather and snow, his children's skating and the arrival of their furniture, 27 February 1956. Mentions that he would like to 'cyclostyle in the department enough copies of my write-up of the abdominal viscera to cover the one class of 70, reclaiming them at the end of the session. They would be marked Copyright Aberdeen University which should afford enough protection on this side and also some pre-publication advertisement'. With a copy of Lockhart and Hamliton's cautious response to this idea, 15 March 1956 [a further copy is described in MS 3750/1/7/1].

Letter from Fyfe to Lockhart, referring again to his proposal to re-use his write-up on the abdominal viscera in teaching, 12 May 1956: 'Of course, when I was thinking before Easter that I might mimeograph some of my "writ -up" on the abdominal viscera, I meant my own version before it was cut for the printer - in other words, it would have been in line with the genealogy of many Anatomy texts which have been originally in the form of mimeographed class - notes before publication.' Also mentions departmental equipment, funding from the Canadian National Research Council to continue his project on the larynx, a collaborative project between the Anatomy, Pathology and Gynaecology Departments to investigate the causes of abortion, and his new house and garden.
With a copy of Lockhart's reply, 22 October 1956.

Copy of a letter from Lockhart to Fyfe regarding Professor Saunders' [of the Anatomy Department, Dalhousie University] visit to the Annual General Meeting [?of the Anatomical Society] at St. Mary's, 6 December 1956. Mentions Sir Arthur Keith's £100 bequest to the Society, which Lockhart suggests putting towards the cost of a president's badge. With Fyfe's reply of 8 January 1957.

Copy of a letter from Lockhart to Fyfe regarding nomenclature, 11 March 1957. States that they 'circulated terms we disliked, giving the old name and the new name and the reasons for our objection, to all departments in Britain and asked them to return the lists placing a tick where they agreed with us. The results have been interesting; the majority of the people who, in my judgement are most concerned with teaching, agree with us completely. Many others agree, but consider it advisable to adopt the new names even when they dislike them, the excuse being that compromise will be necessary in an international nomenclature'. [See also MS 3750/1/6].

Copy of a letter from Lockhart to Fyfe stating that 'we have had nothing from MacLehose and have been writing them and also Faber to hurry things up', 23 August 1957.

Copy of a letter from Lockhart to Fyfe referring to the 'MacMillan publication', 2 September 1957. [See MS 3750/1/7 - 8].

Aerogramme from Fyfe to Lockhart, stating that he will be unable to assist with the final stage of 'Anatomy of the Human Body'

Copy of a letter from Lockhart to Fyfe regarding his handing over of the Presidency of the Anatomical Society to Goldby, Aberdeen University's plans to build an animal house to be shared between Physiology, Biochemistry, Natural History and Anatomy and family matters, 18 December 1957.

Copy of a letter from Lockhart to Fyfe stating that du Sautoy [of Faber] is happy that Lippincott wishes to launch 'Anatomy of the Human Body' widely in America, that Lippincott likes the idea of a bibliography for each section which would contain American books, and that Lockhart is prepared to make a short list, 5 July 1958. Notes that Lippincott wishes the textbook to give an explanation of the nomenclature used and that Fyfe's bibliographic list should not be too exhaustive. With Fyfe's reply, enclosing his list and suggestions, 9 July 1958.

Aerogramme from Fyfe to Lockhart regarding people who praised the textbook and corrections that are required to be made, 7 August 1959.

Copy of Fyfe's letter of application to the Chair of Anatomy at Durham University, with his particulars, 14 November 1959. Notes that his share of the final preparation of 'Anatomy of the Human Body' has been less since he moved to Canada.

Short letter from Lockhart to Fyfe referring to the review in the British Journal of Surgery, 16 November 1959.

Two letters between Fyfe and Lockhart regarding Fyfe's application to the 'Durham vacancy', November - December 1959.

Letter from Fyfe to Lockhart regarding reviews of 'Anatomy of the Human Body' and congratulating Lockhart on his accession to Dean of the Medical Faculty, 3 February 1960.

Aerogramme from Fyfe to Lockhart regarding the Lippincott index and the Spanish edition, 12 May 1960. With Lockhart's reply.

Aerogramme from Fyfe to Lockhart regarding his recent attendance at the Chicago meeting of the American Anatomy Association, Dr Crosby and others that he saw there, Lippincott's new brochure for 'Anatomy of the Human Body', and the Indian market, 26 March 1961. Annotated by Lockhart.

Letter from Lockhart to Fyfe saying that he disagrees with the idea of making extensive changes to the second edition of the textbook, 18 February 1964. He feels that the first edition has many more original ideas in it than any other text he knows about. Annotated 'Copy to Mr du Sautoy'.
ArrangementChronological
Access StatusRestricted
Access ConditionsAccess permitted at the discretion of the Senior Curator, Special Libraries and Archives.
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