Osborne Henry Mavor (1888-1951) physician and playwright

Scope and Content

Photocopy (taken 1999) of poem, “Ballad of John Glaister” by O.H. Mavor and Walter Elliot, c.1914. 1937 Christmas card by O.H. Mavor.

Administrative / Biographical History

Osborne Henry Mavor was born in Glasgow on 3 January 1888. He studied medicine in Glasgow, qualifying in 1913. He was a consulting physician to the Victoria Infirmary and for some time professor of medicine in the Anderson College of Glasgow. He is better known, however, as the author (under the pseudonym James Bridie) of some forty plays and was the founder of the Citizens’ Theatre in Glasgow which was established in 1943.

Walter Elliot (1888-1958), politician, was educated at Glasgow Academy and Glasgow University. He was MP for Lanark from 1918-1923 and for Kelvingrove, Glasgow from 1923-1945 and 1950-1958. He was MP for the Scottish Universities from 1946-1950. He was Secretary of State for Scotland from 1936-1938.

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Related Material

Cartoons in RCPSG 1; sketches in RCPSG 28; watercolour in RCPSG art collection.