This institution is indebted for its origin to a few scientific inhabitants, who held a meeting in the year 1800, and having disclosed their ideas to others, they afterwards formed themselves into a society, who having engaged premises and procured proper apparatus, devoted a considerable portion of their time to experimental philosophy; occasionally delivering lectures among their own members.  This being carried on as a private society for several years, continually increasing in numbers, they in the year 1813 purchased commodious premises in Cannon-street, which they fitted up in a similar manner to the Royal Institution in London, and it is now become a most valuable establishment.  The various lectures that have been delivered by the different fellows of this society, on mechanism, chemistry, mineralogy, and metallurgy, have produced very beneficial effects, and contributed in a considerable degree to the improvement of gilding, plating, bronzing, vitrification, and metallurgic combinations.  At one of these lectures, in the year 1812, Dr. De Lys descanted upon the advantages an unfortunate class of society (the deaf and dumb) might derive, if they were put under proper management; and to elucidate the subject, he introduced a girl, about eight years of age, who, labouring under those defects, he and his friend Mr. A. Blair, had been very attentive to,—­she, being in other respects endowed with an excellent capacity, paid great attention to what was going forward, and with promptness executed, or rather anticipated, the wishes of her instructors, which proved a very animating and affecting spectacle.  This circumstance gave rise to A General Institution for the Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Children.

A few days after this girl had been brought forward, a private meeting took place, when it was determined to establish an institution, under the above title.

On the 4th of December, 1812, a general meeting was held, and a committee appointed, who, after making numerous enquiries to find a person properly qualified to superintend the concern, did at length fix upon Mr. Thomas Braidwood, who at that time conducted a private school of the same description, at Hackney; he being initiated in the mystery by his father and grandfather.

When the plan of this institution was made known to the grand jury at the summer assizes for the county of Warwick, in the year 1813, it was universally patronized by them; and when the magistrates, and other leading characters in the county of Stafford, were apprised of it, they, with the greatest liberality, gave it their support, as did the Earl of Plymouth, and other persons of high consideration in the counties of Worcester, Salop, and Derby.

On the 11th of January, 1814, the school was opened, with a few children, as day scholars, and a short time after, the number was increased to fifteen; three of whom came from a distance, and were provided for, free of any expense to the institution, which was at that time held in the town.  Lord Calthorpe having erected some building at Edgbaston, in a delightful situation, on an eminence, that commands a view of Birmingham and the adjacent country for some distance, he, at the suggestion of Dr. Edward Johnstone, granted an advantageous lease of it, together with some surrounding land, for the use of this institution.