The Presidents of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society from 1805 to 1905 / by Norman Moore, M.D., fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

  • Moore, Norman, 1847-1922.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Presidents of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society from 1805 to 1905 / by Norman Moore, M.D., fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    had only two, have nine active universities, while university colleges and technical institutes are distributed throughout the country and all men are agreed as to the advantages of the best possible education for everybody, it is difficult to realize how great was the work of Birkbeck, of Brougham and their associates in convincing the nation that higher education ought to be within easy reach of every one. Their efforts were unsupported by Parliamentary grants or local rates, they themselves were generally spoken of as misguided or mischievous enthusiasts, and their only re- ward was the satisfaction of being certain in their own minds of the usefulness of their work. It adds to the honour of our Society that it chose Birkbeck as its Pre- sident. Birkbeck settled in London in 1805, and in 1808 became a Licentiate of the College of Physicians. He attained considerable practice in the city and was Physician to the institution now known as the Royal General Dispensary in Bartholomew Close. He was the first president of the London Mechanics’ Institution which in honour of him has since been called the Birkbeck Institution. He lent ^3,700 in aid of its construction ; delivered the opening address February 20, 1824, and with Lord Brougham was one of the original trustees. Many similar foundations followed throughout the country. He was one of the founders of “ that proprietary institution in Gower Street,” as its opponents described it, which was the first attempt towards the foundation of a University in London, and which led to the incorporation of a University, and itself became University College, now in accordance with the feelings of its original founders about to become an in- tegral part of the University which its originators contem- plated as an essential addition to the intellectual life of London.