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The Mechanics' Institution, in Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, is intended, as its name implies, for the diffusion of information connected with the arts and sciences amongst the mechanics of the metropolis; it possesses a theatre and a library.
Mogg's New Picture of London and Visitor's Guide to it Sights, 1844
MECHANICS' INSTITUTE, SOUTHAMPTON BUILDINGS, HOLBORN. Founded Dec. 2nd, 1823, by Dr. Birkbeck, for the dissemination of useful knowledge among the industrious classes of the community, by means of lectures, classes and a library. Dr. Birkbeck advanced out of his own pocket 3700l.for the purpose. Entrance fee 2s 6d. Annual subscription 1l. 4s. Sons and apprentices of members have the privilege of attending either the evening classes or the lectures, at 3s. per quarter.
Peter Cunningham, Hand-Book of London, 1850
The LONDON MECHANICS' INSTITUTION, 29 Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, is the oldest, and, in fact, may be considered the originator of
all the Mechanics' or Popular Institutes for education, literature, and science,
in England. The late excellent philanthropist, Dr. Birkbeck, founded it in 1823,
deriving much assistance from the support of Lord Brougham and many other public
spirited men. Its library contains 4000 volumes. There are reading-rooms,
class-rooms, a capacious "theatre" or lecture-room, in which for
thirty-five years the lectures have been given weekly, and the usual
appurtenances of a literary institute.
Of a similar class are: The
London Institution, Finsbury Circus, Moorfields, established in 1806,- the
present building erected in 1814,-the library containing 60,000 volumes; the Crosby
Hall Institute, Bishopgate Street; the Southwark
Institution. Southwark Bridge Road; the Pimlico
and Belgravia Institute, near St. George's Road, Pimlico; the Russell
Institution, 55 Great Coram Street, Russell Square, has a large and
excellent library, and caters for a superior class of subscribers (in the
library is a fine picture of the first sight of the sea by Xenophon and his
army, in the retreat of the ten thousand, painted by Haydon, and
presented by the Duke of Bedford, the patron of the institution, in 1836); the Marylebone
Institution, 17 Edward Street, Portman Square; and the Working
Men's College, Great Ormond Street, established by the Rev.F. D. Maurice,
and providing first. class instruction for artisans, mechanics, and others, in
arithmetic, pure and mixed mathematics, mechanics, English composition, drawing,
bookkeeping, English history, &c., at a cost of from 2s. 6d. to 5s. per
term of eight weeks.
Cruchley's London in 1865 : A Handbook for Strangers, 1865