| Document reference | DBLI/C |
| Level of description | Subfonds |
| Title | The Cardiff Institute for the Blind and Batty Shand family |
| Date | 1865-c2010 |
| Creator(s) | The Cardiff Institute for the Blind |
| Background | The Cardiff Institute for the Blind was founded 1865 by Frances Batty Shand, the daughter of a Jamaican plantation owner, who had moved to Cardiff with her brother on the death of her father. Miss Shand first opened a small workshop in the Canton area of Cardiff employing four blind men making baskets for the coal ships sailing from Cardiff. Within a year larger premises were purchased at Byron Street in the Roath area and ten men were employed. In 1868 a third move was made to Longcross Street off Newport Road. The Longcross Street premises continued to prosper and by 1900, there were 100 blind men and women employed at the Institute in the manufacture of baskets, mats, brushes, ships fenders and sewing. In 1941 Longcross Street was destroyed during a German air raid and employees continued their work in small workshops scattered around the Roath area of Cardiff. The Institute was given a plot of land in Newport Road in 1949 and work on the new premises commenced in 1951. The new building subsequently opened in 1953. By 1965 70 employees were engaged in the manufacture of traditional products for a Blind workshop. Gradually as attitudes changed towards integrating disabled people into work, rather than segregated ‘sheltered employment’, more opportunities arose for Blind people in open employment particularly with the rapid growth in technology. The role of Blind workshops gradually decreased and they were shut down in 2006. In 2009 Cardiff Institute for the Blind became part of RNIB Cymru Group allowing the organisation to spread its service and support model across South Wales. The institute changed its name to the Cardiff Vales and Valleys (CVV) to better describe its expanded geographical brief |
| Description | A brief history of the Institute, 1865-1965; Minutes books, 1877-1973; Annual Reports, 1900-1987; Financial records, 1877-1987; Register of Officers and Members of the Council, c1920-1966; Register of Students and Workers, 1927-1979; Press Cuttings,1921-1981; 'The Blind', 1898-1919; Articles of Association,1949-1959; Legal Papers, 1926-1962; Photographs, c1900-1990s; Building plans, 1946-1999; Cardiff Institute for the Blind News, 2007-2008; Letter from The Equerry to HRH The Princess of Wales, 1991; Pictorial display, 2010; Promotional leaflet, c2005, minutes, 1973-1990; Reports, 1870-1969; Final Inspection Ledger, 1994-2007; members' attendance Book, 1986-2009; Visitors, Book, 1990-2000; Newscuttings books, 1898-1980s; Employee files; 1960s-1990s, Administrative files, 1980s-1990s; Framed Eisteddfod Poster, 1938; Deeds of Covenant; Shand House history. |
| Arrangement | Chronological within record series. |
| Language | English |
| Extent | 7 files, 20 volumes, 37 booklets, 29 leaflets, 4 bundles, 24 photographs, 11 bundles of rolled plans, 13 flat plans, 1 rolled plan, 1 paper, 1 large roll, 1 card, |
| Physical characteristics | Good condition |
| Appraisal | All records which meet the collection policy of Glamorgan Archives have been retained. |
| Source of Acquisition | Deposited by the Cardiff Institute for the Blind 1984 and 2012 and 2013. |
| Finding Aids | A detailed catalogue is available online |
| Related material | DBLI Associations for the Blind held at Glamorgan Archives |
| Access status | Items containing information on named individuals may be restricted in accordance with data protection legislation and GA policy. |