GEORGE

See also:

• GEORGE BIRKBECK (1776-1841)

BIRKBECK (1776-1841)  , English physician and philanthropist, was born at Settle in Yorkshire on the loth of January 1776 . He early evinced a strong predilection for scientific pursuits; and in 1799, after graduating as doctor of medicine, he was appointed to the chair of natural philosophy at the Andersonian Institution of Glasgow . In the following year he delivered, for the benefit of the working-classes, a gratuitous .course of scientific lectures, which were continued during the two following years and proved eminently successful . He removed to London in 1804, and there he endeavoured to prosecute his philanthropic schemes, at first without much encouragement, but ultimately with marked success . In 1823 he contributed to found the Mechanics' Institute, the name of which was afterwards changed to Birkbeck Institution or College, in honour of its founder . He was appointed director of the institute, which he had originally endowed with the sum of £3700, and held the office till his death on the 1st of December 1841 . The sphere of usefulness of the institution was gradually enlarged, and an enlargement of the buildings was carried out in 1883-1885 . The college now holds day and evening classes in many of the sciences, in literature, languages and art .