Margaret Fairlie
Encyclopedia
Margaret Fairlie was a Scottish
academic and gynaecologist
. Fairlie spent most of her career working at Dundee Royal Infirmary
and teaching at the medical school at University College, Dundee (later Queen's College, Dundee)
. In 1940 she became the first woman to hold a professorial chair in Scotland.
, Angus
. From 1910 to 1915 she studied at University College, Dundee
at the University of St Andrews
Conjoint Medical School. After graduating MBChB, she held various medical posts in Dundee
, Perth
, Edinburgh
and Manchester
, before coming back to Dundee in 1919 where she ran a consultant practice for gynaecology
.
, where she worked for the rest of her career. In 1926 she visited the Marie Curie Foundation
in Paris
and this visit caused her to develop a keen interest in the clinical applications of radium
. As a result of this began employing it in the treatment of malignant gynaecological diseases and thus pioneered its clinical use in Scotland. She also organised follow up clinics at Dundee Royal Infirmary for patients she had treated with radium.. During the 1930s she purchased radium for the infirmary using her own savings. Away from the Infirmary, she acted as honorary gynaecologist to the infirmaries at Arbroath
, Brechin
, Montrose
and Forfar
and was involved with cases throughout Angus
and Perthshire
.
's Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Department. Normally such an appointment would have led to her becoming Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
at the University of St Andrews
, but attempts to grant her this position were initially blocked, partly due to ongoing difficulties between University College, Dundee
and the university authorities in St Andrews
. However it seems that Sir James Irvine, the Principal of the University of St Andrews, and then acting Principal of University College, Dundee, was reluctant to appoint a woman to a chair.
After four years of impasse, Fairlie, backed by the Directors of Dundee Royal Infirmary, finally was appointed as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
at the University of St Andrews
, based in Dundee in 1940. She held this post until her retirement from both the University and the Infirmary in 1956.
, Greece
, Italy
, Canada
and the United States of America. In her spare time she cultivated her garden and she enjoyed painting. She also kept a parrott
.
in 1957. She retained a keen interest in both the University and the Infirmary until her death in 1963.
A range of archive material relating to Fairlie is held by Archive Services, University of Dundee
. The professorial board with Fairlie's name engraved on it (which would have once stood in the Medical School) is now on permanent display in the University in a corridor beside the Archives. A plaque celebrating Fairlie has been placed opposite the gates of the old Dundee Royal Infirmary as part of the Dundee Women's Trail.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
academic and gynaecologist
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
. Fairlie spent most of her career working at Dundee Royal Infirmary
Dundee Royal Infirmary
Dundee Royal Infirmary, often shortened to DRI was a major teaching hospital in Dundee, Scotland. Until the opening of Ninewells Hospital in 1974, Dundee Royal Infirmary was Dundee’s main hospital...
and teaching at the medical school at University College, Dundee (later Queen's College, Dundee)
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
. In 1940 she became the first woman to hold a professorial chair in Scotland.
Early Life and Career
Margaret Fairlie was born in 1891 to Mr and Mrs James Fairlie and grew up at West Balmirmer FarmBalmirmer
Balmirmer is a hamlet in the council area of Angus, Scotland. It is situated north-east of Carnoustie and west of Arbroath.The hamlet is the location of West Balmirmer Farm, the birthplace of Margaret Fairlie, the first woman to hold a university chair in Scotland....
, Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
. From 1910 to 1915 she studied at University College, Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
Conjoint Medical School. After graduating MBChB, she held various medical posts in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, before coming back to Dundee in 1919 where she ran a consultant practice for gynaecology
Gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
.
Working at Dundee Royal Infirmary and Dundee Medical School
In 1920 she began a teaching career at Dundee's Medical School, which lasted for almost four decades. In the mid 1920s she joined the staff of Dundee Royal InfirmaryDundee Royal Infirmary
Dundee Royal Infirmary, often shortened to DRI was a major teaching hospital in Dundee, Scotland. Until the opening of Ninewells Hospital in 1974, Dundee Royal Infirmary was Dundee’s main hospital...
, where she worked for the rest of her career. In 1926 she visited the Marie Curie Foundation
Marie Curie
Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and this visit caused her to develop a keen interest in the clinical applications of radium
Radium
Radium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
. As a result of this began employing it in the treatment of malignant gynaecological diseases and thus pioneered its clinical use in Scotland. She also organised follow up clinics at Dundee Royal Infirmary for patients she had treated with radium.. During the 1930s she purchased radium for the infirmary using her own savings. Away from the Infirmary, she acted as honorary gynaecologist to the infirmaries at Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
, Brechin
Brechin
Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...
, Montrose
Montrose
-Places:Scotland* Montrose, AngusAustralia* Montrose, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart* Montrose, Victoria, a suburb of MelbourneCanada* Montrose, British Columbia* Montrose , neighborhood in Edmonton, Alberta* Montrose No...
and Forfar
Forfar
Forfar is a parish, town and former royal burgh of approximately 13,500 people in Angus, located in the East Central Lowlands of Scotland. Forfar is the county town of Angus, which was officially known as Forfarshire from the 18th century until 1929, when the ancient name was reinstated, and...
and was involved with cases throughout Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
and Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
.
Scotland's First Female Professor
In 1936 Fairlie became head of Dundee Royal InfirmaryDundee Royal Infirmary
Dundee Royal Infirmary, often shortened to DRI was a major teaching hospital in Dundee, Scotland. Until the opening of Ninewells Hospital in 1974, Dundee Royal Infirmary was Dundee’s main hospital...
's Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
Department. Normally such an appointment would have led to her becoming Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, but attempts to grant her this position were initially blocked, partly due to ongoing difficulties between University College, Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
and the university authorities in St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
. However it seems that Sir James Irvine, the Principal of the University of St Andrews, and then acting Principal of University College, Dundee, was reluctant to appoint a woman to a chair.
After four years of impasse, Fairlie, backed by the Directors of Dundee Royal Infirmary, finally was appointed as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology
Obstetrics and gynaecology are the two surgical–medical specialties dealing with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant state, respectively, and as such are often combined to form a single medical specialty and postgraduate training programme...
at the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, based in Dundee in 1940. She held this post until her retirement from both the University and the Infirmary in 1956.
Personal Life
Fairlie never married, although she was engaged to her colleague, the eminent surgeon Professor Lloyd Turton Price at the time of his unexpected death in 1933. She was a popular figure with the students and staff she worked with and was noted for her warm hospitality. Professor Fairlie was a keen traveller visiting several countries including South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States of America. In her spare time she cultivated her garden and she enjoyed painting. She also kept a parrott
Parrott
Parrott can mean:* Arendell Parrott Academy, a school in North Carolina* Parrott, Georgia, a city in the United States* Parrott, Virginia, an unincorporated community in Pulaski County, Virginia* Parrott Hall, New York historical home...
.
Legacy
In recognition of her achievements, Fairlie was awarded an honarary degree by the University of St AndrewsUniversity of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
in 1957. She retained a keen interest in both the University and the Infirmary until her death in 1963.
A range of archive material relating to Fairlie is held by Archive Services, University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
. The professorial board with Fairlie's name engraved on it (which would have once stood in the Medical School) is now on permanent display in the University in a corridor beside the Archives. A plaque celebrating Fairlie has been placed opposite the gates of the old Dundee Royal Infirmary as part of the Dundee Women's Trail.
Further Reading
- Henderson, M., Dundee Women's Trail (Scotland: Dundee Women's Trail, 2008)
- Shafe, M., University Education in Dundee 1881–1981: A Pictorial History (Dundee: University of Dundee), 1982.
- Southgate, D., University Education in Dundee: A Centenary History (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press), 1982.
- Watson, N., Daughters of Dundee (Dundee: Linda McGill, 1997)