Excerpt:
The origins of the College lie in the union of the surgeons and barbers by Henry VIII in 1540 to form the Company of Barber-Surgeons. They maintained a somewhat uneasy partnership in the 16th and 17th centuries when the degree of surgical intervention was limited. The 18th century, however, saw the rise of private anatomy schools and the development of an academic basis for surgical practice through the teaching and publications of the leading European surgeons. As a consequence, the numbers and importance of surgeons increased, along with a firm desire for independent professional recognition.