Royal School for the Blind, Liverpool

Not to be confused with Royal Blind School.

The Royal School for the Blind in Liverpool, England, is the oldest specialist school of its kind in the UK, having been founded in 1791.[1] Only the Paris school is older, but the Royal School for the Blind is the oldest school in the world in continuous operation, and the first in the world founded by a blind person, Edward Rushton. It was also the first school in the world to offer education and training to blind adults as well as children.[2]

The 1932 extension was designed by the architects Anthony Minoprio and Hugh Spencely.[3]

In 2010, the School's headmaster, Joseph Byrne, was appointed OBE.[4]

In 2011, the school was cited as one of the reasons (along with local blind charity Bradbury Fields) for UK supermarket Sainsbury's choice to use a store in nearby Woolton for its trial of Braille signage.[5]

The Redwall series of books was first written for pupils at the School[6] when its author Brian Jacques worked there as a delivery driver.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Special Schools". You and Yours - 12-04-04. BBC.
  2. ↑ The Blind in British Society: Charity, State and Community c1780-1930 Gordon Phillips, 2004 Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
  3. ↑ "The Blind School Extension". Friends of Liverpool Monuments. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Rugby commentator Ray French appointed MBE". BBC News.
  5. ↑ "Sainsburys in Woolton is first in UK to have braille signage for blind customers". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  6. ↑ "Redwall author Brian Jacques dies aged 71". BBC News.
  7. ↑ "About". Redwall.org.

Coordinates: 53°23′44″N 2°54′59″W / 53.3955°N 2.9164°W / 53.3955; -2.9164

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