Thomas Braidwood
Encyclopedia
Thomas Braidwood was born at Hillhead Farm, Covington, Lanarkshire, Scotland
, the fourth child of Thomas Braidwood and Agnes Meek. Braidwood originally established himself as a writing master instructing the children of the wealthy at his private building based in Canongate in Edinburgh
. In 1760 he changed his vocation from teaching the hearing to teaching the deaf and renamed his building 'Braidwood's Academy for the Deaf and Dumb' which is recognised as the first school for the Deaf in Britain. His first pupil was Charles Sheriff, the son of a wealthy wine merchant based at the Port of Leith, Alexander Sheriff. Some of Braidwood's pupils were John Goodricke
, the famed astronomer; Francis Mackenzie
(Lord Seaforth) who became a Member of Parliament and later the governor of Barbados; John Philp Wood, who went on to become a famed author, genealogist, editor and Over Deputy of the Scottish Excise Office; Jane Poole; Sarah Dashwood; Ann Walcot; Thomas Arrowsmith, an artist, and John Creasy who inspired the Rev. John Townsend to found the first ever public school for the Deaf in England in 1792.
Braidwood had two daughters, Margaret (b. 4 Sept. 1755, Edinburgh) and Isabella (b. 27 Jan 1758, Edinburgh). His wife was Margaret (née Pearson) whom he married on 1 October 1752. His daughters were to join Thomas in becoming teachers of the deaf. Very little is known about his daughter Margaret and there is no mention or record of Margaret having moved south of the border with her family in 1783.
In 1783 Thomas Braidwood moved with his family to Hackney
on the eastern outskirt of London
and established the Braidwood Academy for the Deaf and Dumb in Grove House, off Mare Street, Hackney. His early use of a form of sign language, the combined system, was the forerunner of British Sign Language
, recognized as a language in its own right in 2003. Braidwood's combined system is known among British Deaf historians as the Braidwoodian Method. His kinsman Joseph Watson joined him in 1784. Watson went on to become the first head teacher of the London Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb which was established in Bermondsey in November 1792. Watson was the teacher of the first deaf barrister, John William Lowe. Thomas's grandson John Braidwood ran a school for the deaf in America at Cobbs, Virginia, in 1812 but was short-lived.
Thomas died at Hackney
, London; his daughter Isabella continued running the school.
Thomas Braidwood was a distant cousin of Thomas Braidwood Wilson
1792-1843, after whom the Town of Braidwood, NSW
is named.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the fourth child of Thomas Braidwood and Agnes Meek. Braidwood originally established himself as a writing master instructing the children of the wealthy at his private building based in Canongate in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. In 1760 he changed his vocation from teaching the hearing to teaching the deaf and renamed his building 'Braidwood's Academy for the Deaf and Dumb' which is recognised as the first school for the Deaf in Britain. His first pupil was Charles Sheriff, the son of a wealthy wine merchant based at the Port of Leith, Alexander Sheriff. Some of Braidwood's pupils were John Goodricke
John Goodricke
John Goodricke FRS was an eminent and profoundly deaf amateur astronomer. He is best known for his observations of the variable star Algol in 1782.- Life and work :...
, the famed astronomer; Francis Mackenzie
Francis Mackenzie
Francis Mackenzie, was a Scottish member of the Plymouth Brethren Nazarene group, who travelled to Belgrade to start work for the British and Foreign Bible Society to foster religiosity among the Serbian people. He stayed in Belgrade from 1876 till 1895....
(Lord Seaforth) who became a Member of Parliament and later the governor of Barbados; John Philp Wood, who went on to become a famed author, genealogist, editor and Over Deputy of the Scottish Excise Office; Jane Poole; Sarah Dashwood; Ann Walcot; Thomas Arrowsmith, an artist, and John Creasy who inspired the Rev. John Townsend to found the first ever public school for the Deaf in England in 1792.
Braidwood had two daughters, Margaret (b. 4 Sept. 1755, Edinburgh) and Isabella (b. 27 Jan 1758, Edinburgh). His wife was Margaret (née Pearson) whom he married on 1 October 1752. His daughters were to join Thomas in becoming teachers of the deaf. Very little is known about his daughter Margaret and there is no mention or record of Margaret having moved south of the border with her family in 1783.
In 1783 Thomas Braidwood moved with his family to Hackney
Hackney Central
Hackney Central is the central district of the London Borough of Hackney in London, England. It comprises the area roughly surrounding, and extending north from Mare Street. It is situated north east of Charing Cross...
on the eastern outskirt of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and established the Braidwood Academy for the Deaf and Dumb in Grove House, off Mare Street, Hackney. His early use of a form of sign language, the combined system, was the forerunner of British Sign Language
British Sign Language
British Sign Language is the sign language used in the United Kingdom , and is the first or preferred language of some deaf people in the UK; there are 125,000 deaf adults in the UK who use BSL plus an estimated 20,000 children. The language makes use of space and involves movement of the hands,...
, recognized as a language in its own right in 2003. Braidwood's combined system is known among British Deaf historians as the Braidwoodian Method. His kinsman Joseph Watson joined him in 1784. Watson went on to become the first head teacher of the London Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb which was established in Bermondsey in November 1792. Watson was the teacher of the first deaf barrister, John William Lowe. Thomas's grandson John Braidwood ran a school for the deaf in America at Cobbs, Virginia, in 1812 but was short-lived.
Thomas died at Hackney
Hackney (parish)
Hackney was a parish in the historic county of Middlesex. The parish church of St John-at-Hackney was built in 1789, replacing the nearby former 16th century parish church dedicated to St Augustine . The original tower of that church was retained to hold the bells until the new church could be...
, London; his daughter Isabella continued running the school.
Thomas Braidwood was a distant cousin of Thomas Braidwood Wilson
Thomas Braidwood Wilson
Thomas Braidwood Wilson FRGS was an Australian surgeon and explorer. He was born in Uphall, West Lothian, Scotland, the son of James, and Catherine Boak.-Sea Voyages:...
1792-1843, after whom the Town of Braidwood, NSW
Braidwood, New South Wales
Braidwood is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Shire. It is located on the busy Kings Highway linking Canberra to Batemans Bay on the coast. It is about 200 kilometres south west of Sydney and about 60 kilometres inland from the coast...
is named.
External links
- Early deaf education, portion of a lecture with remarks on the Braidwoods.