| Administrative History | William Dufton (1803-59) was born at Brigham, Cumberland, the younger son of John Dufton. Although he spent much of his early life in the north of England, he was educated at Borough Hospital, London, and Jervis Street Hospital, Dublin. From 1831 until his death he was a surgeon at Birmingham. He established the Birmingham Institute for the Relief of Deafness and was its sole medical officer from 1844 to 1859. He was recognized as the chief consulting practitioner in the Midlands for deafness. In 1844 he published his major work, 'The Nature and Treatment of Deafness and the Treatment of the Deaf and Dumb.'
The Birmingham Institution for the Relief of Deafness was established "for the relief of Poor Persons afflicted with deafness" in November 1844. Lord Calthorpe was president and William Dufton as surgeon of the institution. After Dufton's death, the post of surgeon was taken by Dr Charles Warden. The charity was amalgamated with the Birmingham Ear and Throat Infirmary in 1871. |
| Custodial History | Purchased at the auction of the library of the late Dr Benjamin Tillett Davis, at Phillips, 16 June 1999 |