Prof Robert Dyce FRSE (1798–1869) was a Scottish surgeon and Professor of Midwifery at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

Life

He was born in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

on 30 November 1798 the son of Dr William Dyce of Fonthill and Cuttlehill (1770–1835) and his wife Margaret Chalmers Dyce (1776–1856). His early years were spent at 48 Marischal Street. His younger brother was the artist

William Dyce William Dyce (; 19 September 1806 in Aberdeen14 February 1864) was a Scottish painter, who played a part in the formation of public art education in the United Kingdom, and the South Kensington Schools system. Dyce was associated with the Pre-R ...

. His uncle was General Alexander Dyce of the East India Company. He studied Medicine at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

with additional studies in both

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

and

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. He enlisted in the army at the Military Hospital at

Chatham Chatham may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Canada * Chatham Islands (British Columbia) * Chatham Sound, British Columbia * Chatham, New Brunswick, a former town, now a neighbourhood of Miramichi * Chatham (electoral district), New Brunswic ...

and joined the medical staff in

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

in 1821, also serving in the Cape of Good Hope until 1833. From 1833 to 1836 he worked in a military hospital at

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town, linking it wi ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. In 1836 he returned to Aberdeen as a GP, also lecturing in midwifery at the university from 1841. From 1860 until death he served as Professor of Midwifery at

Aberdeen University , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

. In 1864 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposer being

Cosmo Innes Cosmo Nelson Innes FRSE (9 September 1798 – 31 July 1874) was a Scottish advocate, judge, historian and antiquary. He served as Advocate-Depute, Sheriff of Elginshire, and Principal Clerk of Session. He was a skilled decipherer of ancien ...

. In later life he lived at 16 Union Terrace in Aberdeen.Aberdeen Post Office Directory, 1895 He died in

on 11 January 1869. He is buried with his parents in the churchyard of the

Kirk of St Nicholas The Kirk of St Nicholas is a historic church located in the city centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. Up until the dissolution of the congregation on 31 December 2020, it was known as the ''"Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting"''. It is also known as ''"The Mit ...

on Union Street in

. The grave lies south of the church.

Family

His nephew (sister’s son) was the engineer

William Dyce Cay William Dyce Cay, MICE FRSE (28 March 1838 – 13 December 1925) was a Scottish civil engineer. He was responsible for the majority of late 19th century works to Aberdeen harbour. He was described by his cousin, James Clerk Maxwell, as "my best ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dyce, Robert 1798 births 1869 deaths 19th-century Scottish medical doctors Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh People from Aberdeen Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Academics of the University of Aberdeen