Pitcher, Bernard Lewis

Born deaf in Worthing, West Sussex; privately tutored ages 4-6 and went to a private school in Wallington ages 6-9, then Dene Hollow School, taught by Mary Hare, for 7 more years, before transferring to the private Spring Hill School in Northamption for 7 additional years. Attended Northamption Technical College with additional special tutoring, then entered the Royal College of Science in the University of London 1932, graduating 1936. Continued study at the Imperial College of Science, doing fieldwork on fossils in Shropshire and earning a Ph.D. in 1939, probably the first born-deaf Briton to earn a doctoral degree. Due to lifelong delicate health and to being from a wealthy family, he never worked for a living. For most of his life, served as secretary of the local deaf club in Worthing, where he died.