Our History
CLARITY - Employment for Blind People was established in 1854 as The General Welfare of the Blind (GWB) with the sole objective of providing employment for blind people. Our founder was Miss Elizabeth Gilbert whose aim was to improve the living conditions of blind people and to provide them with a workplace. She set up her own workshop in Holborn with 7 employees making baskets. The workshop soon became too small to cope with the growing number of blind workers and moved to a house in Brunswick Square and then to larger premises in Euston Road, London.
In 1893 a purpose built factory was opened in Tottenham Court Road and Queen Victoria sent a cheque for £50 to help with expenses. Other early supporters included Prime Minister Gladstone, the Archbishop of York and Charles Dickens, who helped to augment our funds by publishing an article entitled "At work in the Dark".
The history of GWB during the next twenty years saw some ups and downs of finance and trade, creeping overdrafts and unexpected windfalls. The period has several picturesque episodes - for example all the mats and some other articles used on board HMS Ophir, in which the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary) toured the world, were products made in GWB's workshops made to the order of the Orient Steamship Company
The First World War (1914-1918) created many new difficulties. Trade fell, prices rose and war bonuses had to be paid to blind workers to help them meet the higher cost of living. But the situation soon righted itself and in 1918 record figures were reached - sales amounted to £21,000 and more blind people were employed. In 1954, The General Welfare of the Blind's centenary year, four houses were built in Tottenham to house some of the blind workers and their families and they are still in use today.
Continued growth
The General Welfare of the Blind continued to grow over the following years, moving to premises in Curtain Road, London EC2, producing baskets, brushes, brooms, upholstery and chair seats, divans and mattresses and something new - soap!
The making of toilet soap began in 1936 made possible by a generous grant of £500 by a famous blinded soldier, Captain Sir Beachcroft Towse, and Lord Nuffield who had been a benefactor to the blind in several directions. After the Second World War progress was made with the introduction of talcum powder. A door to door sales organisation was set up and in those days our sales people were heartily welcomed each time they called with soap and talcum powder! Door to door sales continued for the next 50 years and the product range grew with shampoos, foam baths, shower gels, liquid soap, body lotions, beeswax polish, car wash, kitchen cleaners, bath cleaners and air fresheners. In 1982 our President, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, opened our new premises in Ashburton Grove, London N7.
In 1995 due to environment changes we decided to introduce a telesales operation, in addition to local marketing of our products, whereby we telephone or visit householders and businesses offering packs of high quality toiletry and cleaning products which are made by our blind employees.
Today we employ approximately 65 registered blind and disabled people in our factory in London and are now expanding our charitable work by employing blind people in our telesales offices in various parts of the country.
By purchasing products made by our blind employees you will be helping to increase the number of blind and disabled people we employ.
In December 2002 we moved to York Way as our location in Ashburton Grove will be the site for Arsenal Football Club's new stadium.
For further information please contact: CLARITY - Employment for blind people
276 York Way, London N7 9PH Tel: 0207 619 1650. Fax: 0207 6079196