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Broad Weir Semi-Deaf School, Hannah Moore Pupil/Teacher Centre, Quakers Friars (c1910 – c1914)

In 1910, a class for Partially Deaf children was set up within the Quaker mission in what is now the Broadmead shopping area; the official school name was the Broad Weir Semi-Deaf School and was run by Miss Kirkland. Details of the school are few, but it represents an important point in Deaf education in that the classes were was the first in the country to be set up for partially hearing children. In the process Bristol also became the first education authority to recognise that there were differing degrees of deafness in the population. A pupil list from the School in 1910 includes a column headed ‘Extent of Deafness’, and includes comments that refer to how well children distinguished words and at what distance from the speaker.

Previously a part of the Merchant Venturers' Technical College, the only school building remaining from that time is the original Quakers Boys’ School, now offices and called Cutlers Hall. The classes ended in 1914 when they combined with those for Partially Blind children and moved to the New Street Mission Hall, New Street.