Archive for category: Frederick Smith Papers

These papers illustrate the career of Frederick Smith, covering his days as a student at the Royal Veterinary College (1873-1876), as a veterinary officer for the cavalry in India (1879-1885), as professor at the Army Veterinary School, Aldershot, and then returning to service, rising through the ranks during the Second Anglo-Boer War until joining the War Office during the First World War. Papers relating to this work include official correspondence, case notes, diaries and research data. Smith contributed a great deal of literature to the veterinary profession, with papers regularly published in journals from 1876 until the year of his death. The papers include research notes and data, extracts from other sources, drafts and proofs, and published copies of the articles.
Smith’s research and publications covered a broad scope, but there were particular interests in horse anatomy and physiology; stable hygiene and nutrition; saddlery; the loss of horses in war; and the eye and foot of the horse. Smith was also concerned with veterinary education and the reputation and status of the veterinary profession as a whole, and this is reflected in his correspondence with his peers.
There is very little information regarding Smith’s personal and family life within the collection. Some mention is made in Smith’s autobiography, but these papers are wholly concerned with Smith’s professional life and activities.

We currently have digitised parts of the correspondence series of this collection, they are available below. We will be adding to this periodically so follow us on social media or check this space again to find out what new content has been added. For more information on the Frederick Smith papers please click on the archive catalogue link at the bottom of this page.

13 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 10 May 1900

10th May 1900

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This is only one page of a letter, of which the rest has been lost. It has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: receiving letters from Mary Ann;...

12 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith,18 Mar 1900

18th March 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, and pages cut away, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa.In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects:...

11 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 23 Feb 1900

23rd February 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: account of the South Africa landscape seen during journey by rail; ostrich farms;...

10 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 10 Feb 1900

10th February 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: 10 Feb - plans to attack the Boer forces on early morning 5 February;...

9 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 24 Jan 1900

24th January 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: 24 Jan - Smith hearing that the night raid by the British was successful,..

8 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 22 Jan 1900

22nd January 1900

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Only one torn half page of this letter remains, and Smith writes that they have been in battle for three days and that he is only able to say briefly that he is fit and well.This letter was written when Smith had already begun his previous letter...

7 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 19 Jan 1900

19th January 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: marching at night from camp at Spearman Hill; advancing on the enemy...

6 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 10 Jan 1900

10th January 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: leaving Cheveley Camp, with transport of 13th Hussars and around 25000 men;...

5 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 7-9 Jan 1900

7th January 1900

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: Smith expecting to move camp soon; hearing gunfire at Ladysmith;...

FS/2/2/2/1/11 – Selected papers from veterinary case notes relating to Ovarian Tumours

31st December 1899

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4 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 30 Dec 1899

30th December 1899

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: the Boer forces fortifying themselves;...

3 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 24 Dec 1899

24th December 1899

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith gives an account of his experience of events leading up the Battle of Colenso,...

2 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 18 Dec 1899

18th December 1899

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith gives an account of the Battle of Colenso, which took place on 16th December 1899...

1 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 4 Dec 1899

4th December 1899

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This letter has several sections redacted in black ink, which are assumed to be on personal subjects and not related to Smith's work in South Africa. In this letter, Smith writes on the following subjects: a sudden change in destination of the ship to Durban; impending battle at Ladysmith;...

15 – Material relating to Smith’s work with Francis Galton, c.1897-1899

20th February 1899

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These papers were enclosed in the original file of Galton correspondence, but are undated, and not clearly attached to any of the letters. They include: undated letter to Smith from R Prince[?], Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh, regarding estimating the weight-carrying power of horses;...