Opened in 1927, the former Royal Foundation for the Blind Workshop, on Parnell Road extending along George Street, is a rare example of a purpose-built workshop for blind men and women. It was part of a larger complex run by the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, founded in 1890 (later the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind) and the only organisation of its kind in the country. The brick neo-Georgian building is a skilled design applied to a utilitarian building by one of the country’s top architectural firms, Gummer and Ford. The building is a reminder of the breadth of activities carried out on the site, the perceived benefits of employment for the blind, and the focus on the blind residents bringing a financial return to the Institute. It also reflects change in the lives of the blind throughout the twentieth century. As well as deriving significance from its connections with notable institutions and individuals, it is additionally of value for its associations with the many men and women, from throughout the country, for whom this building was a place of work and training.
The Institute first acquired land in this area in 1892, and built its first permanent building in 1909. From its earliest days, a modest income was raised from the work of the blind residents. In the 1920s, the Institute was run by Sir Clutha Mackenzie (1895-1966) who had been blinded at Gallipoli and became a pivotal figure in the development of a universal Braille system. Mackenzie believed strongly that the blind should take an active role in their own welfare and spearheaded a major fundraising drive, which resulted in two buildings, both by Gummer and Ford - a men's hostel and this workshop.
The new workshop contained two wings, at a 60-degree angle, with a colonnade acting as a corridor on its main façade, facing into the complex’s courtyard. A fleche or small spire marked the meeting point of the two wings. Internally, the building was very simple with large open spaces, designed for easier use by the blind; the spaces were divided by gender. Shortly after they opened, the workshops were expanded to the west (again by Gummer Ford) with a three-storey brick addition which further emphasised the Georgian nature of the design.
Building on traditions that went back to 1890s, the blind workers made products from cane, willow and coir, including many domestic objects sold in the Parnell Road shop, and products such as ship’s fenders and cargo nets. Others were engaged in making strawberry chips, and the women were involved in ‘fancy basketmaking’. The income from the workshops became increasingly important to the Institute.
Although the Institute congratulated itself on the workshop’s ‘congenial employment’, not all was happy for the workers. Indeed, concerns over a lack of proper facilities, poor food and bad rates of pay there have been credited with the formation of New Zealand’s first blind advocacy group in 1945. The enclosure of part of the verandah, making a tearoom for the workers, in the 1940s, was a major concession by the Institute. The changing philosophy behind the care for the blind, towards living within the community, meant that the workshop’s operations were scaled down in the 1970s and closed in 1992. In 1993-5 a conservatory was constructed against the southeast side of the building and was converted into retail and hospitality units, for which it is currently (2015) used.
The Institute first acquired land in this area in 1892, and built its first permanent building in 1909. From its earliest days, a modest income was raised from the work of the blind residents. In the 1920s, the Institute was run by Sir Clutha Mackenzie (1895-1966) who had been blinded at Gallipoli and became a pivotal figure in the development of a universal Braille system. Mackenzie believed strongly that the blind should take an active role in their own welfare and spearheaded a major fundraising drive, which resulted in two buildings, both by Gummer and Ford - a men's hostel and this workshop.
The new workshop contained two wings, at a 60-degree angle, with a colonnade acting as a corridor on its main façade, facing into the complex’s courtyard. A fleche or small spire marked the meeting point of the two wings. Internally, the building was very simple with large open spaces, designed for easier use by the blind; the spaces were divided by gender. Shortly after they opened, the workshops were expanded to the west (again by Gummer Ford) with a three-storey brick addition which further emphasised the Georgian nature of the design.
Building on traditions that went back to 1890s, the blind workers made products from cane, willow and coir, including many domestic objects sold in the Parnell Road shop, and products such as ship’s fenders and cargo nets. Others were engaged in making strawberry chips, and the women were involved in ‘fancy basketmaking’. The income from the workshops became increasingly important to the Institute.
Although the Institute congratulated itself on the workshop’s ‘congenial employment’, not all was happy for the workers. Indeed, concerns over a lack of proper facilities, poor food and bad rates of pay there have been credited with the formation of New Zealand’s first blind advocacy group in 1945. The enclosure of part of the verandah, making a tearoom for the workers, in the 1940s, was a major concession by the Institute. The changing philosophy behind the care for the blind, towards living within the community, meant that the workshop’s operations were scaled down in the 1970s and closed in 1992. In 1993-5 a conservatory was constructed against the southeast side of the building and was converted into retail and hospitality units, for which it is currently (2015) used.
