Birmingham And Midland Institute
A Memory of Birmingham.
In the Francis Frith book "Did You Know? Miscellany of Birmingham", reference is made to Charles Dickens on page 12.
If I may offer a small correction - Charles Dickens was not a visiting lecturer. He raised money for the establishment of the Institute by holding his first public reading ( A Christmas Carol ) in Birmingham Town Hall on 27 December 1853 before a capacity audience of some 2000 people. The Institute opened in 1855 following the Act of Parliament of 1854 which established it "for the advancement and diffussion of the knowledge of art science and literature amongst all classes of persons resident in Birmingham and the Midland counties."
Charles Dickens was BMI President in 1869.
Andrew D Peet
(Retired) Deputy Administrator
Birmingham & Midland Institute
Thank you for this correction - I have passed it to the relevant member of staff, Editor
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