Abraham Colles

Abraham Colles (23 July 1773 – 16 November 1843) was an Irish surgeon and physician who served as Professor of Anatomy, Surgery and Physiology at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the President of the RCSI in 1802 and 1830. A prestigious Colles Medal & Travelling Fellowship in Surgery is awarded competitively annually to an Irish surgical trainee embarking on higher specialist training abroad before returning to establish practice in Ireland.

Life

Descended from a Worcestershire family, some of whom had sat in Parliament, he was born to William Colles and Mary Anne Bates of Woodbroak, County Wexford. The family lived near Millmount, a townland near Kilkenny, Ireland, where his father owned and managed his inheritance which was the extensive Black Quarry that produced the famous Black Kilkenny Marble. His father died when Colles was 6, but his mother took over the management of the quarry and managed to give her children a good education. While at Kilkenny College, a flood destroyed a local physician's house. Abraham found an anatomy book belonging to the doctor in a field and returned it to him. Sensing the young man's interest in medicine, the physician let Abraham keep the book.

He went on to enroll in Trinity College Dublin, in 1790 and was indentured to Philip Woodroffe, studying at Dr Steevens' Hospital, The Foundlings' Hospital and the House of Industry Hospitals. In tribute to his distinguished career, Professor Colles was offered a baronetcy in 1839, which he refused.

Upon his retirement as Professor of Surgery, the Members of RCSI passed a resolution which included " We have also to assure you that it is the unanimous feeling of the College, that the exemplary and efficient manner in which you have filled this chair for thirty-two years, has been a principal cause of the success and consequent high character of the School of Surgery in this country."