The new Plymouth and District Deaf and Dumb Home and institute was opened formally at 3, Portland Square. Mr Blount, the full-time missioner and superintendent took over from Mr Pike, (who was himself deaf) and Mr Blount’s wife. They both came from Nottingham.
The institute was a three-story terraced house with a view of the public park in the middle of the Square, which was surrounded by metal fences with four entrance gates. A large ground floor room was mainly used as a meeting place for the deaf.