Our History

We've highlighted a few key points from our history:

Our long history in Sheffield began over 165 years ago, when two local ladies, the Harrison sisters, Ann and Eliza Harrison became involved. They were the daughters of local manufacturer, Thomas Harrison, who built Weston House that we now know as Weston Park Museum. Following the death of Ann, Eliza remembered her sister’s particular interest in, and pity for, blind people. Eliza established a permanent benefit for the blind. One year later, she founded the blind institution with a small committee of women. The rest is history…

1860

The first workshops opened on West Street on the 17th September 1860 in what appear to be rather dilapidated buildings. This was the beginnings of the charity then known as 'The North of England Manufactory for the Blind', with a change of name on 21st December 1882 to 'The Sheffield Institution for the Blind'.

1879

Old black and white photograph of the school

The “School for the Mental and Industrial Training of the Young Blind” opened on Manchester Road. Children were taught a range of skills to prepare them for work.

Old black and white photo of some children in a lesson

After offering a full programme of education, in its last forty years operated by Sheffield City Council Education Department, the school closed in 1997 with children integrated into mainstream schools.

1882

A change of name on 21st December 1882 to the 'Sheffield Institution for the Blind', while new workshops were built on the original site.

1899

Old black and white photo of some Overend residents

Overend Cottages in Crosspool were purpose built for the organisation and provided accommodation for blind people.

Old black and white photograph of Overend Cottages

An old black and white photograph of Overend, a small terraced complex of houses and flats.

1906

The old workshops were replaced by a new building on the same West Street site with the new building opening on 20th April 1906.

1921

Following a visit by King George V, we became known as The Royal Sheffield Institution for the Blind.

1935

Old black and white photo of Cairn Home exterior

Cairn Home in Crosspool opened in 1935 to provide residential care for elderly blind people.

1939

Old photograph of the exterior of the building on Mappin Street

The Mappin Street Centre first opened to provide an entertainment Centre for blind people and head office accommodation.

Old black and white photograph of the hall with some singers on stage

Over the years a range of other activities and services were also provided at the centre.

The sculpture features a Coat of Arms and one pillar has a person's head with a blindfold on and the other has a hand reading Braille) The words 'Royal Sheffield Institution for the Blind' are carved above the ornate doors

The carvings by Philip Lindsay Clark (pictured here on the old building) were saved and are still in place outside the new building to this day.

1959

Old black and white photograph of Cairn Home with extension

Cairn Home extended to also accommodate 12 elderly blind women.

1960

Brochure created for the 160th Anniversary

The Royal Sheffield Institution for the Blind, as we were still known at that time, celebrated its 100th Anniversary.

1973

A group of people standing around a swimming pool

40 people from the Sheffield Institution for the Blind visited Benidorm for a week's holiday. The them Mayor presented the keys of the town and extended their stay, free of charge, for a week. The group experienced great hospitality from the town and as a result they returned for more holidays. The way the town was laid out made it very accessible for blind people too.

1996

To reflect the change in the way the organisation was developing the charity also became a company limited by guarantee and changed its name to Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind (SRSB).

2009

Exterior of Mappin Street Centre after the rebuild that is the current Centre today

SRSB’s new Mappin Street Centre opened.

2010

Prince Edward chatting with our clients in the Centre

HRH The Earl of Wessex, KG KCVO, Prince Edward, officially opened the new Mappin Street centre on 18th February 2010.

Guests at the masquerade ball wearing masks

SRSB celebrated its 150th Anniversary with a variety of events throughout the year, culminating in a Masquerade Ball on 17th September, the same date that the first workshops were opened in 1860.

2013

Our Patron The Earl of Scarbrough with his wife Countess Scarbrough

We appointed our Patron the Earl of Scarbrough, pictured here with his wife the Countess of Scarbrough

2014

SRSB and RSS mascot Ellie the elephant standing outside the entrance of Mappin St Centre

We welcomed a brand new Ellie (our mascot) to SRSB

2017

Exterior of Rotherham Sight and Sound Centre

Our Rotherham Sight & Sound centre opened in August 2017. This new service was established after we were contacted by Rotherham Council who had reviewed their service provision for people with a sensory impairment and wanted to partner with SRSB to develop their service provision across the Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council area. This is a sensory service delivering services to people with a visual impairment, deaf people, both hearing aid users and British Sign Language (BSL) users, as well as people with a dual sensory loss (deafblind).

2021

Exterior of Weston Park Museum in Sheffield

Our celebration 160th Anniversary Dinner on 17th September 2021 (delayed a year because of the Covid pandemic) took us back to our roots at Weston Park (the former home of our founder), the same date the first workshops opened in 1860.

2024

Group of people in front of the sensory garden at Graves Park in Sheffield

In 2024 Councillor Safiya Saeed, The Deputy Lord Mayor of Sheffield, officially opened the SRSB Heritage and Sensory Garden at Graves Park in Sheffield. She was joined by staff, clients and volunteers from the charity, funders and representatives from Sheffield Parks, to unveil a sign that explains about the garden and Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind’s long history in Sheffield.