Anne Parkinson from The Wilberforce Trust was our speaker on 7 March 2026 and her talk was entitled ‘The History of the Yorkshire School for the Blind’.
Anne started her talk by explaining the connection between William Wilberforce and the Yorkshire School for the Blind, which was formed just after his death to commemorate him as a great Yorkshireman. He was born in Hull and was a sickly child who always had poor sight; he was an MP but had to give this up eventually as he could not read documents. A man of contradictions, he wanted to make sure the ordinary working man was emancipated but he was also a misogynist who regarded women as having no role in society.
The first meeting in forming the school was on 3rd October 1833 and by the following year it was decided that the boarding school would be run from Kings Manor in York. Queen Victoria was one of it’s first donors, despite the fact that she hated York. The school took in children from all over Yorkshire, helping the lot of those who were blind or partially sighted who were likely to grow up without an occupation; this was at a time when there was no welfare state.
The Reverend William Taylor was the first superintendent and among his achievements, he
created a frame used for mathematical calculations which is still produced today in India to help blind children. In 1869 Anthony Buckle took over as superintendent and did a lot for the school’s reputation. The school was also an early adopter of Braille which wasn’t a universal language for the blind in Britain until 1918.
Anne told us about what the children experienced as pupils of the school. They received a good education which was noted for its music and produced many talented musicians. The pupils were taught a trade alongside their lessons, learning how to make mats, mattresses, blankets and reseating cane chairs. The aim with this was for the pupils to be able to earn a living for themselves later. The quality of their work was high and members of the public could purchase their wares.
The school had a purpose built gymnasium and employed a drill sergeant to improve posture; there were also a medical doctor and optician on site. Swimming was on the curriculum and pupils also played blind cricket, with a bell in the ball.
An Outmates Department was established where adults were employed in basket and brush
making, usually people who had lost their sight. The school also had branches in other towns; Middlesborough, Whitby and Wakefield. An Industrial Home for Blind Women was formed in 1893 in Scarborough. This same year the Elementary Education Act made it compulsory for blind and deaf children to be educated. Typewriting was introduced as soon as possible into the school.
1957 brought change when the government of the time supported disabled children being moved into mainstream education which meant fewer blind children for the school. Training continued until 1963 when the local authority took over.
We were given some fascinating case studies by Anne who told us about how the school wanted to know if the prospective pupils were of good character, whether they could wash and dress themselves, where they were from and what age they were when they started and left the school. She told us about the causes of blindness on the documents which ranged from smallpox, inflammation, a genetic condition or the result of an accident. Sometimes it was the result of lack of knowledge of the midwives during childbirth. Anne followed one pupil in particular, Ellen Shepherd, who had two blind siblings also at the school. Ellen was a model pupil and was an expert knitter and basket maker. We learned about her husband who was also blind; how she went on to have children and 1939 found her working at the Blind Institute in Wakefield; there was a Workshop for the Blind on Queen Street.
The Wilberforce Trust continues to support blind children.
Lorraine Simpson
