In 1919 the Animal Breeding Research Department was established in Edinburgh. This Department, later renamed the Institute of Animal Genetics, forged an international reputation, eventually becoming the centrepiece of a cluster of new genetics research units and institutions in Edinburgh after the Second World War. Yet despite its significance for institutionalising animal genetics research in the UK, the origins and development of the Department have not received as much scholarly attention as its importance warrants. This paper sheds new light on Edinburgh’s place in early British genetics by drawing upon recently catalogued archival sources including the papers of James Cossar Ewart, Regius Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh between 1882 and 1927. Although presently a marginal figure in genetics historiography, Ewart established two sites for experimental animal breeding work between 1895 and 1911 and played a central role in the founding of Britain’s first genetics lectureship, also in 1911. These early efforts helped to secure government funding in 1913. However, a combination of the First World War, bureaucratic problems and Ewart’s personal ambitions delayed the creation of the Department and the appointment of its director by another six years. This paper charts the institutionalisation of animal breeding and genetics research in Edinburgh within the wider contexts of British genetics and agriculture in the early twentieth century.

中文翻译：

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James Cossar Ewart 和爱丁堡动物育种研究部的起源，1895-1920

1919年在爱丁堡成立动物育种研究部。该系后来更名为动物遗传学研究所，在国际上享有盛誉，最终成为二战后爱丁堡一批新的遗传学研究单位和机构的核心。然而，尽管它对英国动物遗传学研究的制度化具有重要意义，但该系的起源和发展并没有像其重要性所保证的那样受到学术界的关注。这篇论文通过利用最近编目的档案资料，包括 1882 年至 1927 年爱丁堡大学自然历史学教授 James Cossar Ewart 的论文，揭示了爱丁堡在早期英国遗传学中的地位。 尽管目前在遗传学史学中处于边缘地位, 尤尔特在 1895 年至 1911 年间建立了两个实验动物育种工作场所，并在 1911 年英国第一个遗传学讲座的建立中发挥了核心作用。这些早期的努力有助于在 1913 年获得政府资助。然而，第一世界的结合战争、官僚主义问题和尤尔特的个人野心使该部门的创建和主管的任命又推迟了六年。本文描绘了 20 世纪初在英国遗传学和农业的更广泛背景下爱丁堡动物育种和遗传学研究的制度化。这些早期的努力帮助在 1913 年获得了政府资助。然而，第一次世界大战、官僚主义问题和尤尔特的个人野心的结合使该部门的创建和署长的任命又推迟了六年。本文描绘了 20 世纪初在英国遗传学和农业的更广泛背景下爱丁堡动物育种和遗传学研究的制度化。这些早期的努力帮助在 1913 年获得了政府资助。然而，第一次世界大战、官僚主义问题和尤尔特的个人野心的结合使该部门的创建和署长的任命又推迟了六年。本文描绘了 20 世纪初在英国遗传学和农业的更广泛背景下爱丁堡动物育种和遗传学研究的制度化。