William Elford Leach

Fellow

Date of Fellowship admission: 5/May/1812

William Elford Leach was born in Plymouth in 1791. He studied at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and in Edinburgh before receiving his MD from the University of St Andrews in 1812. Leach did not practise medicine, but in 1813 became an assistant at the British Museum, specialising in entomology. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1817. Following a prolonged illness he left the museum and moved to Italy, where he died in 1836.

Year of medical qualification

18/January/1812

Date of Licence

4/February/1812

Fellowship
The main qualification issued by the College, awarded regularly since the College’s foundation. This qualification was granted based on demonstrated breadth of experience and did not require an individual to pass a certain examination.