James Musgrove

James Musgrove (1862 — 1935) was born in Kendal, in Cumbria, one of several children of a draper, William Musgrove. His mother was born Ruth Stramon. After his schooling he studied at Edinburgh, earning the bachelors' medical degree of M.B. and C.M. (Master of Surgery) in 1886 and his MD doctorate in 1888. He then became the Royal Infirmary house surgeon under John Chiene. His industry and ability led Sir William Turner to accept him as demonstrator of anatomy at the Edinburgh University for several years. Turner's effect on his education influenced him throughout his subsequent career.^[1]

His effectiveness in his various posts met with recognition, and he successively earned fellowships of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1893 and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1894. When the third Marquess of Bute endowed a new department and chair of anatomy at St Andrews University, Musgrove was appointed its first professor of anatomy. He held the post for some thirteen years until the strain on his health forced his retirement in 1914.^[1]

In 1911 Musgrove married the widow of the distinguished professor James Bell Pettigrew, who had died in 1908. In Pettigrew's memory, Musgrove and his wife established a museum of anatomy for St Andrews University. It was generally regarded as an impressive work, reflecting Musgrove's artistic skills as well as his academic competence. The couple left no issue and Musgrove predeceased his wife in 1935. He was buried at St Andrews in the Eastern cemetery.^[2]

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