University Demonstrators

By 1883 demonstratorships paid by the University were already in existence in Human Anatomy, Chemistry (2), Comparative Anatomy (2), Experimental Physics (2) and Mechanism. A Report of the General Board, approved by grace of 6 December of that year, provision was made for the appointment of two Assistant Demonstrators in Physics, one in Mineralogy, one in Botany, a Senior and a Junior Demonstrator in Physiology and a Demonstrator in Geology. Demonstrators were appointed by the Professor and were removable by him (both with the consent of the Vice-Chancellor). By grace of 7 June 1894 it was provided that each appointment should be for a limited time, not exceeding five years, and that, on a vacancy arising in the Professorship, all existing Demonstrators should vacate their offices withing three months of the appointment of a new Professor. Demonstrators whose stipends were provided solely from the Medical Grant Fund were subject to annual re-appointment. The first official list of Demonstrators appears in the Reporter in April 1885.

The new statutes of 1926 determined that the number of Demonstrators in each Faculty and each Department should be decided, and the appointments made, on the same lines as those laid down for University Lecturers. Appointment was to be for three years in the first instance, extendible to not more than eight. From this time the number of Demonstrators increased dramatically. Under amendments to the statutes approved by the King in Council in 1949 the maximum tenure of demonstrators was reduced to five years. From the late 1980s the office of Demonstrator was gradually discontinued as the General Board thought the title misleading for applicants for the post. By February 1989 all such remaining offices were replaced by University Assistant Lectureships.