Downing, George

Hearing. Born in England; spent about 8 years in New England, becoming the second graduate of what is now Harvard University before returning to England about 1645. A Machiavellian politician who eventually built Downing Street in London, now famous as the site of the Prime Minister's official residence. Downing is mentioned in the Nov. 9, 1666 entry in Samuel Pepys' famous diary as conversing in sign language with a "dumb boy" who knew him. Downing was also said (by others) to employ a network of deaf people as spies, because they could not talk, even under torture, and so could not reveal secrets. During his boyhood, Downing had lived near Maidstone, Kent, apparently in a community with a high rate of deafness, which probably was the origin of the famous Martha's Vineyard deaf community. Presumably Downing learned sign language from his deaf neighbors.