Talks

The experiences of Scottish migrants in Imperial Russia
by Michael Davidson

Date: Tuesday 26 October 2021

The Scottish diaspora in Britain and its Empire is well recognised; less so those Scots who travelled to East Europe and Russia

The Scottish diaspora in Britain and its growing Empire is well recognized in the historical literature, less so is the role of Scots who travelled to East Europe and Russia.  Those who appear in the historical record are mainly those who gained prominence in the military, Imperial court or left written records.  I will describe individuals’ experiences and contributions in Imperial Russia over a wide field of activities, as well as networks of patronage that facilitated employment and progression.

Mr Michael J. C. Davidson: BDS (Lond.), M.B.B.S. (Lond.),              F.D.S. (Eng.), F.R.C.S. (Edin.), D.H.M.S.A. M.Litt. (Aberdeen).

Michael graduated in Dentistry (1976) and Medicine (1984) from London University.  After higher surgical training in Chichester, Leeds and Cleveland, Ohio, in 1991 he was appointed Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust.  He retired from clinical practice in December 2017.  Michael took up the post of Council Chairman British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons in December 2012 and demitted in December 2016.

In 2015 he obtained a Diploma in History of Medicine and Pharmacy from the Society of Apothecaries in London and was the 2016 Osler lecturer at the Apothecaries.  He has presented history of medicine topics both nationally and internationally.  Michael gained an M. Litt. in Scottish Heritage at Aberdeen University in July 2020.  He is Vice President of the British Society of Medicine.  His areas of research interest are the history of healthcare and the Scottish medical diaspora.

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