James T Steele ("later OBE" according to the donor) was awarded the medals as a student with The University of Edinburgh and EESCA. The medals were awarded between the years 1906 - 1910. Six of the medals were awarded from The University of Edinburgh (Agriculture, Law and landlord tenant, Agricultural entomology, Elementary zoology, Forestry and Plant physiology) and four from EESCA (Handicraft, Agricultural zoology, Agricultural chemistry and Veterinary Science) The donor also handed in a wooden box with 121 glass slides with various specimens from the natural world, she believes this box belonged to the grandfather.

The West of Scotland Agricultural College (WSAC) was formed in 1899, following the merger of the agricultural department of the Glasgow and the West of Scotland Technical College and the Scottish Dairy Institute.
WSAC was the first agricultural college in Scotland. In 1900, the College was based in Blythswood Square, Glasgow and leased Holmes Farm in Kilmarnock where practical work was undertaken. In 1927, the estate of Auchincruive, Ayr, was gifted to the College by the late John Hannah of Girvan Mains. It originally offered lectures and demonstration work in the science and practice of agriculture including; dairying, chemistry, botany, book-keeping and veterinary science. In 1974, the Blythswood square site was closed.

In 1990, the College became part of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC)..