The RVC has a fascinating history, which began with the foundation of the Veterinary College, London, and the establishment of the veterinary profession in the UK.
In the racing seasons of 1769 and 1770 a horse called Eclipse dominated English horse-racing. Eclipse was retired from racing in 1770 unbeaten and stood at stud until he died in 1789, at the age of 25.
Veterinary expertise was needed to understand the cause of Eclipse’s death and the secret of his racing success. The only qualified vet in the country at the time was Frenchman Charles Benoit Vial de St Bel, who was gaining support for his plan to establish a vet school. St Bel had the support of the Odiham Agricultural Society, whose members recognised the need for a better understanding of animal husbandry and disease. A London committee was set up to establish a vet school, whose members included Granville Penn, grandson of William Penn.
The Veterinary College, London, was built in the parish of St Pancras in 1791, on the current site of The RVC’s Camden Campus and in January 1792, four students began a three-year course intended to cover all aspects of the veterinary art. In 1875 the College received its first Charter of Incorporation from Queen Victoria. Over one hundred years, the College had grown from a horse infirmary with a handful of students to a science based institution, producing internationally-renowned veterinarians and scientists.