Bristol Blind Asylum
'Bristol Asylum for the Blind', also known as 'Bristol Royal School and Workshops for the Blind', was established in 1793 to train visually impaired people for future employment. They specialised in crafts such as basket and mat making, the best of which were sold to the public. From 1838-1900, the asylum was based at the top of Park Street, roughly where the Wills Building is now. After World War II there was a huge rise in the number of pupils attending the school, peaking at 126 and then declining throughout the 1950s. Improved medical care helped decrease visual impairments and the school closed in 1968.