Stainsby Braille Writer

12 views
Skip to first unread message

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 5:57:43 AMApr 30
to Braillists
Hello,
I work for the Lincoln and Lindsey Blind Society based in Lincolnshire and we have been donated a Stainsby Brailler.  Does anyone know anything about these (as we are more  familiar with Perkins braillers)?  Is it a machine people still use?  If not, do people collect braillers or would it be something a museum would be interested in?
I have attached a photo of the instruction manual.
Many thanks, Ingrid.

mstone@birdnt.local_20240430_094344.pdf

Chris McMillan

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 7:34:18 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com
They were the forerunner of the manual Perkins brailler used up to the 1960s and a friend of mine offered me his in the early 1970s which I declined as they are *so heavy* to operate.  Basically the keys are at right angles to the machine and at the end of each line, you lift the carriage up and place in the next line.  It’s even louder than the original brailler which I happen to have but used as a demo model pre covid, much preferring one of the lightweight manual braillers for my small needs.  Definitely a museum idea.  Only I don’t know where museums devoted to sight loss might be in the UK.  Would think RNIB may have one but I’ve never heard of one being open go the public.  The nearest I’ve come to it is at a museum in Worcester where myself and schoolfriends went for a weekend.  The locals in the group asked this museum if they’d do us a guided tour and they did.  There wasn’t a Stainsby as I recalll: I’m a photographer bore.  :). I’ll find the contact details for you.  The reason for their exhibits was Worcester College of course.  Back later.  Chris

--
If you have any problems posting/replying to the Braillists Forum please email he...@braillists.org with a clear description of the issue and forward on any error messages you may have received.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Braillists" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to braillists+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/90d42f62-850a-47bb-a401-7d903b9d78e9n%40googlegroups.com.

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 7:51:48 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Hello,

Thank you so much for your reply, we have been discussing it in the office and I am going to contact our local museum and see if they want to have a Blind Society exhibition!

Thanks again,

Kind regards,

Ingrid

You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google Groups "Braillists" group.
To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/topic/braillists/-Ppy5cAEXoM/unsubscribe.
To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to braillists+...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/CAMi-b_QnvKenKyM2Sr4AXQkiuR0%3DrMVQR2e21TfNegq0g6Zujw%40mail.gmail.com.

Christine McMillan

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 9:27:15 AMApr 30
to Braillists Forum
Hi Ingrid

The museum I was referring to is the Commandery in Worcester which has historical links with Worcester College.

Best Chris 

tim.p...@btinternet.com

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 9:33:45 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Hi,

 

There are also people on this and other lists who I believe make this type of technology available to organisations in other countries.  Although Stainsby’s were replaced for most purposes, they are excellent for people copying braille books, and were used for this purpose by transcribers working for the National Library for the Blind.  Unlike Perkinses, it is possible to write on both sides of a sheet of paper, and the line spacing is far more accurate than using a Perkins.

 

If you don’t get any response from this list, it might be worth trying the lists administered by either the Technology Association of Visually Impaired People (TAVIP), or the New College Worcester Former Students Association (NCWFSA).

 

Regards,

 

Tim Pennick

developer+john

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 9:43:53 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com
Hi,

Yes, I still have one of these, it is what I first learned Braille on.
One of the most confusing things about this machine is the fingers work
in reverse to the perkins. So your ring finger left hand is dot one and
ring finger right hand is dot four. Where as on the perkins it is dot
three and dot six respectively. The machine is heavy and very clunky. I
believe they went out of business 1970.

best, john
On 2024-04-30 14:27, Christine McMillan wrote:
> Hi Ingrid
>
> The museum I was referring to is the Commandery in Worcester which has
> historical links with Worcester College.
>
> Best Chris
>
>> On 30 Apr 2024, at 12:51, Ingrid Ashton <ing...@llbs.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>> Thank you so much for your reply, we have been discussing it in the
>> office and I am going to contact our local museum and see if they
>> want to have a Blind Society exhibition!
>> Thanks again,
>> Kind regards,
>> Ingrid
>>
>> FROM: brail...@googlegroups.com <brail...@googlegroups.com> ON
>> BEHALF OF Chris McMillan
>> SENT: Tuesday, April 30, 2024 12:34 PM
>> TO: brail...@googlegroups.com
>> SUBJECT: Re: Braillists Forum: Stainsby Braille Writer
>>> send an email tobraillists...@googlegroups.com.
>>> To view this discussion on the web, visit
>>>
>>
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/90d42f62-850a-47bb-a401-7d903b9d78e9n%40googlegroups.com
>>> [1].
>>
>> --
>> If you have any problems posting/replying to the Braillists Forum
>> please email he...@braillists.org with a clear description of the
>> issue and forward on any error messages you may have received.
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in
>> the Google Groups "Braillists" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit
>>
> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/braillists/-Ppy5cAEXoM/unsubscribe.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to
>> braillists+...@googlegroups.com.
>> To view this discussion on the web, visit
>>
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/CAMi-b_QnvKenKyM2Sr4AXQkiuR0%3DrMVQR2e21TfNegq0g6Zujw%40mail.gmail.com
>> [2].
>>
>> --
>> If you have any problems posting/replying to the Braillists Forum
>> please email he...@braillists.org with a clear description of the
>> issue and forward on any error messages you may have received.
>> ---
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>> Groups "Braillists" group.
>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it,
>> send an email to braillists+...@googlegroups.com.
>> To view this discussion on the web, visit
>>
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/VI1PR08MB382346C8C53A21AE92C62362E61A2%40VI1PR08MB3823.eurprd08.prod.outlook.com
>> [3].
>
> --
> If you have any problems posting/replying to the Braillists Forum
> please email he...@braillists.org with a clear description of the issue
> and forward on any error messages you may have received.
> ---
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "Braillists" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> an email to braillists+...@googlegroups.com.
> To view this discussion on the web, visit
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/1BAC41A3-76B7-4A10-818F-DDFE9E478790%40gmail.com
> [4].
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1]
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/90d42f62-850a-47bb-a401-7d903b9d78e9n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=footer
> [2]
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/CAMi-b_QnvKenKyM2Sr4AXQkiuR0%3DrMVQR2e21TfNegq0g6Zujw%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=footer
> [3]
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/VI1PR08MB382346C8C53A21AE92C62362E61A2%40VI1PR08MB3823.eurprd08.prod.outlook.com?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=footer
> [4]
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/1BAC41A3-76B7-4A10-818F-DDFE9E478790%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 9:50:25 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Thanks Chris.

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 9:50:57 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Thank you Tim, I will bear that in mind.

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 9:52:07 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com
Hi John,
Thank you for your email, I have asked our local museum if they would like the machine but it is interesting to know more about it.
Many thanks,
Ingrid
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/35ddc1af99e2d3ffe5a93b356432d13d%40developer.plus.com.

Mary Lea

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 10:08:31 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com
If your local museum don't want it then the museum of typewriters in Derry/Londonderry might be interested. 

To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/braillists/VI1PR08MB3823FA383E4A04C5B33B7BA0E61A2%40VI1PR08MB3823.eurprd08.prod.outlook.com.

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 10:13:00 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Thank you.

Stephanie Sergeant

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 11:01:26 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Thanks Tim,

 

I have emailed Ingrid privately, and as we know several people in Africa who would value a  Stainsby.

 

Alan Thorpe email: al...@eyecan.org.uk

Is happy to service these machines.

 

All the best,

Steph

david...@btinternet.com

unread,
Apr 30, 2024, 11:20:39 AMApr 30
to brail...@googlegroups.com

I think it would be important, if exhibiting Stainsbies or other historical devices, not to give the impression that braille itself is old and clunky.  Ideally, you would have a digital braille display on the same shelf!

 

With Stainsbies, as with hand frames, you have to learn to write upside down and from right to left, an additional barrier for the blind learner.

 

There were two versions of the stainsby, “reverse keys” and “ordinary keys.  With one, you wrote backwards as on a hand frame, with the other you could form the characters the right way round.

 

There were also interline and interpoint versions, with sightly differing bases and clamps.

 

Cheers,

 

David Mann

Tel. 028 9260 7894

07766 302496

Ingrid Ashton

unread,
May 1, 2024, 3:57:16 AMMay 1
to brail...@googlegroups.com

Thank you for your email, I will bear that in mind.

Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages