Laurence Augustine Waddell 
Biography of Laurence Augustine Waddell
Oration for Laurence A Waddell
Laurence Augustine Waddell graduated from the University MB CM 1878 and was awarded the honorary degree of LLD in 1895.
Laurence was born 29th May 1854 in Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire, Scotland. His father was Reverend Thomas Clement Waddell, a Missionary.
Laurence first matriculated at the University in the session 1874/75, aged 20, to study medicine. He studied subjects such as Clinical Medicine, Midwifery, and Forensic Medicine and was a very successful student, winning a large number of prizes during his studies. He won prizes including: First Class certificates in Anatomy, Chemistry, and Botany, Forensic Medicine, and Materia Medica and was also awarded: the medal for Zoology in the Summer session 1876; a medal for surgery, senior division, in 1876/77; A prize for the best notes in Dr Gairdner’s Clinical lectures 1876/77; the William Cullen Medal for the Practice of Medicine in the session 1877/78; a Midwifery Class II prize the same year; and a prize for Operative Surgery in the summer 1878 session.
He graduated MB CM with honours on 30th July 1878 and returned the next year to study one year with the Institutes of Medicine and English Literature.
After graduation, Laurence Augustine Waddell became a Surgeon-Major in the British Army and was also a Himalayan Explorer. He was also Professor of Chemistry and Pathology at the Medical College, Calcutta, the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, India, and later became Professor of Tibetan in University College London.
He was awarded an honorary LLD from the University in 1895 to recognise his work as Surgeon Major in the Indian Medical Service, Bengal.
Laurence Augustine (or Austine) Waddell died in Rothesay 19th September 1938.
Laurence had a special interest in the history of Buddhism and bequeathed personal library books on Assyrian and Sumerian languages and archaeology to the University of Glasgow Library. You can view them on the on-line catalogue here . He also donated a collection of Sikhim birds to the Hunterian Museum that he gathered on his travels.
Summary
Laurence Augustine Waddell
Born 29 May 1854.
Died 19 September 1938.
GU Degrees: MB CM, 1878; LLD, 1895;
University Link: Graduate
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Record last updated: 16th Oct 2014
