#sddeafspace 8.3 – and where is Samuel North?

I had only just put up the most recent week 8, day 3 post over at the Scripture, Dissent, Deaf space blog, when Norma McGilp contacted me, and pointed out that the Samuel North’s work at Notting Hill is missing from the list of locations that the Association was serving with Chaplains.

“Oxford Street, Ealing, Harrow Rd, Deptford, New Kent Road, Brixton, Denmark Place, Walworth, Islington, Tottenham, West Ham and Lavender Hill.”

Assuming Norma’s right – and I’ve not known her not be – Despite mentioning lay support alongside the chaplains, the Association’s 1908 record of services in the ‘Notice Board’ doesn’t include North or his Notting Hill service.

Would it surprise you to find that the only difference I can find between him and others involved… is that he was Deaf.

No, probably not.

North is known to us, as is his wife – both published in the late C19th Deaf press. So the name isn’t new. But the search is.

Now I’m on a hunt not only to find out where he’s gone, but how his work was understood by the Association, and how his apparent exclusion from the register of services might have been explained.

Although the 19th century records that we’re dealing with appear to have been generally quite open-handed about Deaf and hearing involvement, you see stuff like this and begin to wonder how many more examples there are to justify Paddy Ladd’s assertion that Deaf people’s role was explicitly removed from the record.

Since this project is about discovering and celebrating Deaf people’s agency, I’ll take up this hunt with delight.

Thank you Norma.