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  UCL BLOOMSBURY PROJECT

 

Bloomsbury Project

Bloomsbury Institutions

Benevolent

Blind Institute

Also known as General Welfare of the Blind (GWB)/Association for the General Welfare of the Blind/Incorporated Association for the General Welfare of the Blind/Clarity: Employment for Blind People

History

It was founded in 1854 by Miss Elizabeth Gilbert, daughter of the Bishop of Chichester, to help the blind make work in their own homes

This then developed into “the Association for the General Welfare of the Blind, with small premises in Bloomsbury” (Henry J. Wagg, A Chronological Survey of Work for the Blind, 1932)

It later became the Incorporated Association for the General Welfare of the Blind

Charles Dickens was a supporter

In 1869 “Miss Elizabeth Gilbert played a leading part in the drafting of a memorial, pleading the cause of the blind child, for presentation to Mr Gladstone’s Government” (Henry J. Wagg, A Chronological Survey of Work for the Blind, 1932)

“When Mr Forster’s Education Bill became law the following year the blind were not mentioned, but largely through Miss Gilbert's action they were not debarred from the right to compulsory education” (Henry J. Wagg, A Chronological Survey of Work for the Blind, 1932)

In 1887 there were 67 workers and pupils, and in 1930 about 200 (Henry J. Wagg, A Chronological Survey of Work for the Blind, 1932)

It continues to employ blind people in a factory and sell the products commercially, but it remains a registered charity

What was reforming about it?

It aimed to get blind people into work instead of just giving them charity

Where in Bloomsbury

It began in very small premises in the Holborn area, south of Bloomsbury, but then moved to Brunswick Square

It later moved again to larger premises in Euston Road

A purpose-built factory was opened in Tottenham Court Road in 1893

It moved out to east London in the early twentieth century and to north London later in the century, moving again in 2002, as its location was needed for the new Arsenal football ground

Website of current institution

www.clarityefbp.org (opens in new window)

Books about it

Henry J. Wagg, A Chronological Survey of Work for the Blind (1932), available online via the RNIB website (opens in new window)

There is a short account online at www.clarityefbp.org (opens in new window)

Archives

Records of its investigation by the Charity Organisation Society are in London Metropolitan Archives, ref. A/FWA/C/D/41/002/01–05; details are available online via Access to Archives (opens in new window)

This page last modified 13 April, 2011 by Deborah Colville

 

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