This is an incomplete list of the presidents of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, which was granted its Royal Charter by Charles II in 1681.

List of presidents

Image President Took office Left office NotesProfessor Mark Strachan2026PresentProfessor Andrew Elder20212026Professor Angela Thomas20202021Acting PresidentProfessor Andrew Elder20202020Professor Derek Bell 2014 2020 Dr Neil Dewhurst 2010 2014 Professor Sir Neil Douglas 2004 2010 Dr Niall Finlayson 2001 2004 Professor James Petrie 1997 2001 Dr John D Cash 1994 1997 Dr Anthony Toft 1991 1994 Professor John Richmond 1988 1991 Professor Michael Oliver 1985 1988 Professor Ronald Girdwood 1982 1985 Professor John Strong 1979 1982 Dr Ronald Robertson 1976 1979 Professor Sir John Wenman Crofton 1973 1976 Sir John Halliday Croom 1970 1973 Dr Christopher William Clayson 1966 1969 Sir Ian George Wilson Hill 1963 1966 Sir James Davidson Stuart Cameron 1960 1963 Dr Andrew Rae Gilchrist 1957 1960 Sir Leybourne Stanley Patrick Davidson 1953 1957 William Alister Alexander 1951 1953 Sir David Kennedy Henderson 1949 1951 William Douglas Denton Small 1947 1949 David Murray LyonCraig, W. S. History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, p.1976 1945 1947 Andrew Fergus Hewat 1943 1945 Charles McNeil 1940 1943 Alexander GoodallCraig, W. S. History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, p.1076 1937 1940 Professor William Thomas Ritchie 1935 1937 Edwin Bramwell 1933 1935 Son of Byrom Bramwell (see below) Robert Thin 1931 1933 Norman Purvis Walker 1929 1931 Robert Alexander Fleming 1927 1929 George Matthew Robertson 1925 1927 George Lovell Gulland 1923 1925 Sir Robert William Philip 1918 1923 Professor William Russell 1916 1918 Alexander Hugh Freeland Barbour 1914 1916 John James Graham Brown 1912 1914 Son of Thomas Brown Free Church moderator.Lecturer in Neurology at University of EdinburghBorn 6 September 1853; died 1925 Sir Byrom Bramwell 1910 1912 Sir William Allan Jamieson 1908 1910 John Playfair 1908 1908 Charles Edward Underhill 1906 1908 Died in office John Playfair 1904 1906 Sir Thomas Smith Clouston 1902 1904 Sir Thomas Richard Fraser 1900 1902 James Andrew 1898 1900 Sir John Batty Tuke 1895 1898 Sir William Tennant Gairdner 1893 1895 Sir Alexander Russell Simpson 1891 1893 Sir Thomas Grainger Stewart 1889 1891 Robert Peel Ritchie 1887 1889 Andrew Douglas Maclagan 1884 1887 George William Balfour 1882 1884 Daniel Rutherford Haldane 1879 1882 Alexander Peddie 1877 1879 Alexander Keiller 1875 1877 William Henry Lowe 1873 1875 Robert Paterson 1871 1873 Andrew Halliday Douglas 1869 1871 Dr John Moir 1867 1869 Dr John Smith 1865 1867 John Graham MacDonald Burt 1863 1865 Dr David Craigie 1861 1863 Alexander Wood 1858 1861 David Maclagan 1856 1857 James Begbie 1854 1856 Thomas Stewart Traill 1852 1854 Sir James Young Simpson 1850 1852 Dr William Seller 1848 1850 Sir Robert Christison 1846 1848 2nd term William Beilby 1844 1846 Robert Renton 1842 1844 Robert Graham 1840 1842 Sir Robert Christison 1838 1840 1st term William Alison 1836 1838 John Thomson 1834 1836 Dr Joshua Henry Davidson 1833 1834 2nd term Dr John MacWhirter 1831 1833 Dr Joshua Henry Davidson 1829 1831 1st term Dr Alexander Morison 1827 1829 Dr Alexander Monro 1825 1827 Dr Andrew Duncan, Snr 1824 1825 Andrew Duncan, Jnr 1822 1824 Dr James Buchan 1819 1822 Dr Thomas Charles Hope 1815 1819 Dr James Hamilton (the Younger) 1812 1815 Dr James Home 1809 1812 Dr Charles Stuart 1806 1809 Dr Thomas Spens 1803 1806 son of Nathaniel Spens (see below) Dr William Wright 1801 1803 Dr James Gregory 1798 1801 Dr Daniel Rutherford 1796 1798 Dr Nathaniel Spens 1794 1796 Dr James Hamilton the Elder 1792 1794 Dr Andrew Duncan, Snr 1790 1792 Dr Joseph Black 1788 1790 Dr James Hay 1786 1788 Dr John Hope 1784 1786 Dr John Gardiner 1782 1784 Dr Alexander Monro 1779 1782 Dr Gregory Grant 1777 1779 Dr Francis Home 1775 1777 Dr William Cullen 1773 1775 Dr Colin Drummond 1772 1773 Dr John Boswell 1770 1772 Sir Stuart Threipland 1766 1770 Dr Robert Whytt 1763 1766 Sir Alexander Dick, Bt 1756 1763 Dr John Rutherford 1752 1756 Dr William Porterfield 1748 1752 Dr William Cochran 1744 1748 Dr John Clerk 1740 1744 Dr Robert Lowis 1735 1740 Dr John Riddell 1731 1735 Dr Francis Pringle 1727 1731 Dr John Drummond 1722 1727 Dr James Forrest 1719 1722 Dr William Stewart 1716 1719 Dr Matthew Sinclare 1708 1716 Dr William Eccles 1706 1708 Dr James Halket 1704 1706 Dr Alexander Dundas 1702 1704 Dr Robert Trotter 1700 1702 Dr Matthew Sinclare 1698 1700 Sir Thomas Burnet 1696 1698 Dr Robert Trotter 1694 1698 Sir Archibald Stevenson 1694McCrae, M. Physicians and Society – A History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, p.36 1694 2nd term Sir Andrew Balfour 1685 ? Sir Robert Sibbald 1684 1685 Sir Archibald Stevenson 1681 1684 1st term, elected ‘at the inaugural meeting of the College on 18 January 1682’McCrae, M. Physicians and Society – A History of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, p.25

See also List of presidents of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh List of presidents of the Royal College of Physicians

References