Signs and Symbols: Heraldry and Radiology from Röntgen to the Present Day

On 8th November 1895, working in his laboratory in Würzburg, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered ‘a new kind of rays’. These so-called ‘X-rays’ rapidly led to a revolution in medical diagnosis, with therapeutic applications following soon after. Within 18 months, the world’s first radiology society had been established in London, later becoming the British Institute of Radiology (BIR). In 2022 the BIR decided to apply for a grant of arms to mark its 125th anniversary, and the question arose as to how radiology might best be represented heraldically. Research was carried out into symbols and insignia used historically by the BIR, and also into existing arms connected to radiology. In this lecture, armorial bearings used by prominent figures in the history of radiology (including Lord Kelvin, Silvanus Thompson, William Crookes and Marie Skłodowska-Curie) will be discussed, uncovering some interesting heraldic and personal insights. We will also consider whether Röntgen himself was armigerous. The arms of medical imaging societies in the UK and around the world will then be examined for examples of heraldic symbolism that has previously been used to represent radiology. Finally, the way in which this research was brought together to produce a design for the BIR’s arms will be described.

Stephen Keevil studied physics at the University of Oxford and medical physics at the University of Surrey. He holds a PhD in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy from the University of London. Prof Keevil has worked as a medical physicist in the NHS and academia for almost 40 years. He retired from full-time employment as Head of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in 2024, but remains active academically and is Emeritus Professor of Medical Physics at King’s College London. Among other professional roles, he has served as president of both the British Institute of Radiology (BIR) and the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) and is a trustee of the British Society for the History of Radiology. He is a Court Assistant-elect of the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers. Steve has had an interest in heraldry since childhood, having first joined the Heraldry Society at the age of 11, and he designed the BIR’s achievement of arms.

This month's lecture will take place at a new venue The Art Workers’ Guild at 6 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AT. Their large meeting-hall on the ground floor, designed in 1914 by Francis W Troup and furnished with rush-seated ladder-back chairs dating from the same period. It is a very special and covivial space.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Art Workers' Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, United Kingdom