Elizabeth Gilbert and Her Work for the Blind Part 8

CHAPTER VIII

ROYAL BOUNTY

... "From the cheerful ways of men Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair Presented with a universal blank Of nature's works."...--MILTON.

We must remember that Bessie's scheme was at first a private matter, and that there is no reason why a blind lady's accounts should be kept like a tradesman's books. Bessie Gilbert had arranged that her weekly bills should be copied by members of her family rather for their information than for her own. So far as she was concerned she could remember what she gave, and had only to take care not to exceed her income. This seemed at first a simple matter, but before long the increased expenditure in connection with "the Repository" began to be a source of anxiety. The sale of goods entailed very serious loss. The workmen received the full selling price of articles minus the cost of material, and Bessie bore all charges and expenses, so that any considerable development of the trade would have left the promoter of it penniless.

Moreover, it was inexpedient to pay workmen as wages what was in reality a gift. If they had received trade prices they could not have lived on what they earned. Their work was much slower than that of the sighted, and they had less of it. These conditions made the scheme an experiment; and in the meantime the difficulty of the workmen was surmounted by giving them everything.

They executed an order for the trade or for an individual when it was obtained, lived on the money, and waited for another order. This seemed inevitable at the time; but the mistake was that for many years the men considered the large sums paid as wages to be really their due. Now if wages had from the first been fixed on the ordinary scale, and an additional sum given as bonus, many subsequent difficulties might have been avoided.

About five-sixths of the articles produced by the seven workmen were sold in the trade at a discount of from 25 to 40 per cent, the latter being the ordinary sum demanded and allowed. A further discount of 25 per cent was allowed to the blind salesman. Thus a deficiency of from 50 to 65 per cent had to be made up on all articles sold to the trade, to which must be added the cost of rent, manager's salary, printing, porters, etc.

To the blind lady and her a.s.sistant the only method that suggested itself for the reduction of expenses was, that the articles manufactured should be sold to the public and not to the trade. They must have, not a repository but a shop, and a shop in a public thoroughfare. They must make appeals for _custom_, and then income would suffice for the expenses of management. It is doubtful whether Bessie ever wrote a letter after 1855, save to members of the family, without an allusion to the urgent need of customers.

The work of the inst.i.tution grew steadily, the number of applicants for work increased. In reply to appeals for custom, donations were beginning to come in, offers of subscription also, and it was evident that the enterprise, begun in the cellar, was to grow and develop. Bessie found that to make provision for supplying work, only in the homes of the blind, would seriously restrict the industries to be carried on, some of which required a special workshop. She saw that much more would be done for the blind in a shop or factory, where they would find the requisite material, often bulky as well as costly, and the requisite appliances.

These could not be provided in the single room of a blind man with a wife and family. There was also a daily increasing demand amongst the blind, not for charity but for work. It was not men only who applied.

Poor, respectable women, condemned by blindness and poverty either to beggary or the workhouse, began to turn to her, to implore her to save them also, to teach them a trade, and enable them to earn an honest living. The opportunity for the employment of women was not to come for a year or two, but the appeal issued on the behalf of work for blind _men_ was changed to one on behalf of blind _persons_.

After six months in the Holborn cellars and eight months in the little room in Cromer Street, it was decided that Levy should take a house and shop at 21 South Row, New Road (now Euston Road), and that in the first instance four rooms should be rented by Bessie at 26 a year. Levy was henceforward to receive 12s. 6d. a week as manager, and his wife was to serve behind the counter and to have, as a temporary arrangement, 25 per cent on all articles sold in the shop.

This increase in the expenses made it necessary that Bessie should obtain help from the outside public; and the change of her work from a private to a public undertaking was anxiously discussed in her own home.

The Bishop urged that there should be a Committee of Management as soon as subscriptions were asked for; and pointed out to his daughter the responsibility of administering money belonging to others. Having done this he left the matter in her hands, and she, like a dutiful child, submits her case when she has come to a decision. She writes on her Foucault frame in July 1855, from 31 Queen Anne Street:--

MY DEAR PAPA--I wanted to have spoken to you about what I am now going to write, but had no good opportunity before you went. The situation of the shop in Cromer Street stands very much in the way of the sale of my mats and baskets. No one goes into that street unless they go on purpose, therefore I am sure it would be better to move into a really good situation, which I cannot do without subscriptions.

Mr. Taylor has said a good deal about the situation being a great hindrance to the sale of the work, so have several people, so now what I wish to tell you is that if you see nothing to the contrary in the meantime, I shall begin on Monday to ask for subscriptions.

I have three promises, four rather, and I know I should soon get more.... I remain, ever your dutiful and loving child,

BESSIE GILBERT.

You see I have taken rather for granted that you would have no objection, and so as there is not much time now before we go, I said Monday; as I thought it would be better to begin as soon as I could.

To this the Bishop replied:

PALACE, CHICHESTER, _6th July 1855_.

MY DEAR BESSIE--Your letter was nicely written, and I read it for myself very fluently. If it must be so, it must; indeed you could not launch into a high-rented house without subscribers. You may put me down low in the list for five pounds [5] a year. I do not think you will do very much now until next spring, but you may make a beginning. It will grow under G.o.d's blessing. You must let me know, before I go into the North, what sum must be left accessible at h.o.a.re's for the wants of E. M. M. G. Levi and Co.--I am, my dearest Bessie, yr. ever affectionate father, R. T. CICEST^R.

On the 13th July Bessie writes again from Queen Anne Street:

MY DEAR PAPA--I would not be troublesome if I could help it, but I cannot help it. I do think it would be well for my undertaking to form a Society, and I want to know if I may set to work to do whatever I can towards it. I send you a list of the people Henrietta [a sister] and I have thought of for the Committee. Would you mention any you think advisable? Of course I cannot tell that any named in this list will agree to the proposal, so that it will be well to be prepared with a good choice. Mr. Green and Mr.

Futvoye I am sure of, and Mr. Green will subscribe five guineas a year. I am very anxious to get all this settled before leaving this year, and as people will be leaving town soon, when once I have your sanction I shall write to the people thought of, to ask them whether they will undertake it. Of course there will only be a few who will really work, but we must have names besides. I send you a copy of the proposed rules. My notion is not to have a public meeting this year, but only to let the Committee meet, and to hire a room for this purpose. Levy suggested that Mr. Taylor should visit the workmen at their homes. I think he would do this well.

Our love to mamma. We hope she is better.--Your loving, dutiful child, BESSIE GILBERT.

The Bishop's reply has not been preserved; but as the first Committee consists of persons selected from the list furnished, he probably had few changes to suggest, and in forming a committee Bessie was carrying out advice he had previously given.

An appeal to the public was drawn up by her, of which the following is a copy. On the reverse was a list of goods made by the blind, with prices.

The public was informed that these articles were superior in durability and equal in price to those ordinarily offered. It was hoped that the circ.u.mstance of their being entirely made by blind men would induce purchasers to encourage the industry of those who labour under peculiar disadvantages in obtaining employment.

a.s.sOCIATION FOR PROMOTING THE GENERAL WELFARE OF THE BLIND.

In addition to the many difficulties which the loss of sight imposes on all blind persons, those whose livelihood depends upon their own exertions labour under three great disadvantages.

1. Comparatively few have an opportunity of acquiring a trade.

2. The trades taught are very few in number.

3. Those who have acquired an industrial art rarely obtain constant employment or a market for their manufactures.

In consequence of these difficulties great numbers are reduced to a state of beggary and degradation. These would, as a cla.s.s, be only too thankful to be enabled practically to refute the prevailing idea that a life of pauperism, or at best of dependence upon almsgiving, is an inevitable necessity of their condition. It is surely the duty of the community at large to afford them an opportunity of so doing, and thus enable them to take their right position as active and useful members of society.

An undertaking was set on foot in May 1854 by a blind lady to ensure regular employment to blind working men. This has been gradually extended, so that the number now employed is fourteen; and a department for teaching new trades has been added, at which there are six pupils, particular attention being paid to the instruction of those who, on account of age, are ineligible for admission to other inst.i.tutions. The mental and religious welfare of the blind is also sought; and a circulating library of books in relief type has been established, to which the indigent are admitted free of charge.

To secure the continuance of the above undertaking, and in the hope of its becoming, under G.o.d's blessing, gradually enlarged, and eventually to a great extent a self-supporting National Inst.i.tution, an a.s.sociation is now formed under the above t.i.tle, whose Committee, including the original promoter of the undertaking, earnestly solicit the active support of all who acknowledge its claims on the sympathy of the public.

Then follow the names of the first Committee.

The Treasurer, Henry Sykes Thornton, Esq., 20 Birchin Lane.

COMMITTEE.

Adams, James, Esq., 2 College Villas, Upper Finchley Road.

Anson, Sir John, Bart., 55 Portland Place.

Dale, Rev. Thomas, Canon of St. Paul's, 31 Gordon Square.

Dixon, James, Esq., 1 Portman Square.

d.y.k.e, Charles, Esq., R.N., 6 Eaton Square.

Elmsley, William, Esq., Q.C., 46 Harley Street.

Futvoye, Edward, Esq., 8 Acacia Road, St. John's Wood.