A man assists a blindfolded person to use a white cane to descend a staircase. This was (and is) a common activity that blindness agencies undertook with sighted staff, to demonstrate (or to practice how to demonstrate) mobility devices.B/W photograph of blindfolded person using a white caneMobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day

RBS client Kevin Stapleton uses a white cane as he descends church steps, crosses a road and walks along the footpath. Another RBS client, Wally Urgacz, walks behind Kevin as he crosses the road in the Sydney CBD. Wally Urgacz steps off the Bondi Beach bus and up a flight of stone stairs using his Hoover long cane, under the purview of Margaret Rihr.5 x B/W photographs of men using a white caneMobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day, kevin stapleton, wally urgacz, margaret rihr

A young lady and man use white canes to navigate Hyde Park North in Sydney, in front of the Archibald fountain.B/W photograph of two people using canes10/70103 M&O - Historical Mobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day

Mrs Walker and Mrs Mealing using their white canes as they walk along a sloping footpath.B/W photograph of two women with white canesMobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day, mrs mealing, mrs walker

An image from a footrace that was held for blind individuals, using ropes as guide lines. Competitors held cloths to prevent their hands from the friction as they navigated the course without canes or a guide. Copy of a sepia toned photograph of footrace trackroyal blind society of nsw, recreation

Joyce Evans demonstrates the ultrasonic guide at St George Girls High School in March 1970.B/W photograph of woman surrounded by schoolgirlsSt George Leader Mobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, joyce evans, st george's girls high school

An older man uses a Hoover (long) cane to descend a wooden stairway.B/W photograph of man using white cane on wooden stairway3/68049 Mobility - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day

An elderly man walks with a white cane along the path outside the RBS offices in Enfield, followed by an O&M instructor.B/W photograph of man using a white cane90002 FF/3royal blind society of nsw, white cane day

Ettore Cipellone with RBS Northern Region Team Leader Bill Casey.B/W photograph of man holding a white cane and using a sighted guideroyal blind society of nsw, white cane day, ettore cipellone, bill casey

Rehabilitation teacher Lynn Gorrie with RBS employee Rob McQuillan in the stairways of RBS Enfield.B/W photograph of man ascending stairs with white caneRehabilitation teacher Lynn Gorrie showing Rob McQuillan how to use the long cane effectively.royal blind society of nsw, white cane day, lynne gorrie, rob mcquillan

Students on a Traineeship Access course are video-taped to asses their interview skills. In this image a male is speaking to a female, whilst a video camera is recording the mock interview.B/W photograph of male talking to a interviewer with cameraStudents on a Traineeship Access course are video-taped to asses their interview skills.royal blind society of nsw, employment

Jack Chamberlain (P.R.O.) feeling a relief map of Sydney's CBD, with Val Hickey (Publicity Officer).2 x B/W photographs of man looking at transit map4/70414 and 6/70414royal blind society of nsw, jack chamberlain, val hickey, maps

Wendy Thompson (right) an RBS Volunteer Course Instructor, helps a blindfolded Mrs Shirley Warboys, feed herself. This exercise was commonly used to demonstrate to staff and volunteers the ways that everyday tasks could be accomplished despite vision loss.B/W photograph of one woman assisting anotherWendy Thompson (right) an RBS Volunteer Course Instructor, helps a blindfolded Mrs Shirley Warboys, feed herself. The point of the exercise is to show Volunteers show lack of sight can be overcome, given special training.royal blind society of nsw, wendy thompson, shirley warboys

Two men stand on a stage, one holding a key wallet out in front of him, and the other with a pair of comic glasses and a hearing aid who appears to be talking to the man behind him. This image was possibly taken from a play performed by staff in the 1970s.B/W photograph of two man performing a sketchA106E5 Mobility - currentroyal blind society of nsw, mitchell street theatre

Ron Goodwin reads a tactile map of Wynyard Railway Station in Sydney's CBD. The map was made at the Sydney Tesol College with wood working machinery and painting/decorating sections. In front of Ron sits a ultrasonic torch.B/W photograph of man looking at relief map of Wynyard Station14/69051 Ann. Report Orientation - historicalroyal blind society of nsw, ron goodwin, maps

A blind man feels model buildings on a relief map of the Sydney CBD whilst two others look on. B/W photograph of blind man using relief mapLearning layout of City of Sydney by raised map Orientation - historical RBS XIroyal blind society of nsw, maps

Ron Bruce reading a Braille map of Sydney's railway network.B/W photograph of man reading braille map1/71016 M&O -historicalroyal blind society of nsw, ron bruce, maps

Room sign for 'Presenters' in white lettering, with a burgundy coloured background. Most likely used at Enfield studios. A braille label 'Reserved for Presenters' is attached to the right-hand side of the sign.Burgundy coloured sign with Braille attachedPresentersroyal blind society of nsw, nameplates

Dame Mary Gilmour was an Australian writer who became a patron of the Blind Book Society in New South Wales.Digital image of metal plaque"These studios were opened on August 15th 1958 A date especially chosen to coincide With the celebration of the 93rd anniversary of the birth of Dame Mary Gilmour Patron of The Blind Book Society."royal blind society of new south wales, dame mary gilmour

Male sits at a desk, wearing a headset, with his hands on a telephone switchboard and another device to his right. A small black radio sits to his right, as does a pen attached to the desk itself and a piece of paper. Switchboard training was provided to many blind and vision impaired people, who could adeptly operate the switch to connect callers through to employees.Digital image of man operating a telephone exchangeemployment, royal blind society of new south wales

Female holds a cassette tape whilst looking at a sheet of paper in her other hand. The tape has been pulled from a cardboard box which has a reference number (eg: C90), a title and the sequential number (Side 5) listed on the front side of the box. Multiple boxes are nestled on wooden shelves, each with a black band that is attached below the box to assist in pulling them on and off the shelves. Books on cassettes were physically bulky and were stored separately for easy retrieval and return when borrowers were done. When a tape was dispatched, the requisite number of cassettes were removed and placed into mailing pouches for dispatch. Upon return, the cassettes were placed in individual boxes, that allowed staff to retrieve selected parts of a book if needed or incomplete books were returned. Underneath the image is written "Up to date talking book cassette library". Digital image of woman holding a cassette taperoyal blind society of new south wales, talking books

1. Male sits at a desk with a Wang computer terminal in front of him and Optacon device to his left. The Optacon was a device that allowed printed material to be turned into Braille through the use of a small camera connected to a vibrating array that produced the Braille. To his right is a cassette recorder, another computer and recorder, whilst a long cane rests against a wall. The man is possibly wearing a sonic guide and listening to the cassette whilst he types on to the screen. 2. Male sits in an office with an Opticon to his left, which he is using, and a manual typewriter in front of him. The typewriter has the camera of the Opticon clamped into position over the typewriter. Behind the man is a reception desk, with a bell and small switchboard visible on upper counter of the desk, and a coffee mug, portable cassette recorder, telephone books and piles of paper stacked neatly under the upper counter.Digital image taken from pictures on chipboard15 - Group with 13, 14 please - no caption available 12 - Group with 13, Optacon captionemployment, royal blind society of new south wales

An older female and male sit either side of a desk. The lady holds a pen and a sheet of large print music in front of her, with a small pile of similar sheets to her right. The man holds a pen and looks at sheets of paper (presumably music) whilst sitting next to a box with the title 'Family Fun Box Organ course' to his left. In the background are filing racks, The Australian Hymn book and Braille volumes in various bindings. Over time, the RBS built up a considerable music collection thanks to the work of its dedicated supporters such as Dulcie Magnus.Digital image of two people working together to produce braille music Second century 24royal blind society of new south wales, braille music

A silver plated cup with five leaf clover and small flower in in the middle, as well as handles with engraved leaves. Inscribed on the mug is: 2nd World Blind Bowls Tournament. G. Hoppitt. Leicester 1981. A plastic cup rests in the middle of the trophy, possibly a candle holder. When Clarrie Hoppitt attended a demonstration of blind bowling, he immediately offered his services to teach blind people how to play. His wife Grace was just as impressed and also began teaching, leading to her attendance at the 2nd World Blind Bowls Tournament and this cup as a souvenir of her participation in the event.1 silver plated cup with plastic insert2nd World Blind Bowls Tournament G. Hoppitt Leicester 1981nameplates, royal blind society of new south wales, grace hoppitt

Explanation and instruction on the setting out of braille volumes by E. Kell, Secretary of the Braille Writers Association of New South Wales. There are pencil markings on the fourth page.6 pages of typewritten notes with pencil markings on one pageroyal blind society of nsw, braille, braille writers association of new south wales

Recording of La Fiamma for the Talking Newspaper Service in Sydney. 10 negatives of coloured images of narrator in studio and 1 printed proof sheetroyal blind society of nsw, talking newspaper service

As well as assistance in education and employment, agencies also provided support for adapting around the home. In this example, one woman is shown by a worker how to feel the temperature points in a pressure cooker. They stand in a kitchen, in front of an upright Davell cooker, next to a fridge and with steel utensils hanging on the wall behind the cooker.orientation and mobility, royal blind society of nsw

Closed Circuit Television allows people to view items placed upon a board, which slides up, down or across. Developed initially as either a security measure by Leon Theremin (1925) or by Siemans (1947) for rocket launchers, their magnification ability is used for reading by those with a vision impairment. In this image a young person sits in front of a screen which has the words "But Lisa said/Cigarettes just/They're bad" on it. An abstract painting hangs on the brown wall to the side of the desk.royal blind society of nsw, equipment

Cooking often requires skill and adaptation. In this kitchen, a woman with low vision removes a dish hot from the oven of an upright cooker. Dressed in a pinafore and oven gloves, she carefully maneouvres the dish outwards. Above her, a tea kettle sits on the hob, next to the sink. In the background, spice jars are lined up on the bench, each with a large written label on them. Woman is not named, but possibly Joy Kerr, who gave talks and wrote a book on cookery for people who are blind or vision impaired.royal blind society of nsw, education