Mental Deficiency Problem: Gift for Promoting Research: An offer of £5,000 for the purpose of promoting research at, Cambridge University, by studentship otherwise, into any problem which may have a bearing on mental defects, diseases, or disorders has been made by Mrs. Hume Pinsent and Sir Horace and Lady Darwin, says the “Birmingham Post.”
In a letter to the Vice-Chancellor the donors say they believe the racial and social problems involved by the existence of large numbers of mentally incapable persons in the community are of great national importance, and that their solution may have far reaching effects.
They to give the money in memory of the following persons: Hume C. Pinsent, scholar and fellow of St. John’s College; Erasmus Darwin, exhibitioner of Trinity College; David Hume Pinsent, scholar of Trinity College; and Richard Parker Pinsent, exhibitioner of Balliol College, Oxford.
If a studentship is founded, they intimate that they would like it to be open to either sex and suggest that it be called the Pinsent- Darwin Studentship. Mr. Hume Chancellor Pinsent, who died at Foxcombe Hill, near Oxford, four years ago, was well known in Birmingham as a member of the firm of Messrs. Smith, Pinsent, and Co. solicitors.
Elected to a foundation scholarship at St. John’s, Cambridge, in 1876, he had a distinguished career, graduating fourth wrangler in 1878. In Birmingham Mr. Pinsent did good work in connection with the Midland Institute and the University, and on his retirement from business 1913 was a member of the Council of the latter body.
Mrs. Pinsent, who up to 1913 was a member of the Birmingham Education Committee and of the City Council (on which she represented the Edgbaston Ward), is an authority on the care and education of defective children and was a member the Royal Commission appointed to investigate the subject.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive
Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949
GRO0163 Devonport: David Hume Pinsent: 1891 – 1918
GRO0435 Devonport: Hume Chancellor Pinsent: 1857 – 1920
GRO0740 Devonport: Richard Parker Pinsent: 1894 – 1915