Doctor Thomas Rhodes Armitage, MD, of Noan

brief biography

Thomas Rhodes Armitage (2 April 1824 – 23 October 1890) was a British physician, and founder of the Royal National Institute of Blind People.

Thomas Rhodes Armitage (1824-90) of Noan.
* Sixth son of James Armitage (1793-1872) and his wife Anne Elizabeth Rhodes,

• born 2 April and baptised at Worth (Sussex), 18 May 1824.
• Educated at the Sorbonne, Paris and Kings College London (MD 1852).
• Elected LRCS 1848 and LRCP 1852.
• Physician at the Marylebone Dispensary and in the Crimea before setting up a successful private practice in London;
• author of Hydropathy as Applied to Acute Diseases;

His sight, which had always been poor, deteriorated to the point where he could not read by 1866, and he was unable to continue in practice; he devoted himself to voluntary effort on behalf of the blind, and founded the British & Foreign Blind Association (one of the predecessors of the National Institute for the Blind), which promoted the adoption of the Braille system as a national standard for literature for the blind, and the creation of employment opportunities for blind people; in 1871 he also founded the Royal National College for the Blind, which he supported with £40,000 of his own money.
He was a member of the Royal Commission to enquire into the condition of the blind, deaf and dumb, 1889.
He married, 29 November 1860, Harriet (d. 1901), daughter of Stanley Black (d. 1875) of Noan, Thurles (Tipperary) and had issue:

Through his wife he inherited the Noan estate at Thurles (Tipperary) in 1875 and property in Mexico. After his death Noan passed to his younger son and the Mexican property to his elder son's children, but was soon afterwards sold by their trustees.

He died following a riding accident, 23 October 1890.

notes

Will proved 30 December 1890 (effects £217,420).

His widow died 3 November 1901; her will was proved 3 February 1902 (estate £39,724).

links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Armitage
• http://landedfamilies.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/176-armitage-of-farnle...