The Tree - Person Sheet
The Tree - Person Sheet
NameJohn Alston 
Birth7 May 1778
Death20 Aug 1846
Misc. Notes
Name from “McCaul Family Scotland” compiled in 1991 by Marcia Barbara (Barbara) McCaul, Canada (b. 1932, d. 2002). Barbara was the great-great granddaughter of Gilbert McCaul (b. 1765) and Janet McFarlan (b. 1770). Brian of nzolivers.com is the great-great-great grandson of Gilbert and Janet.
Date of birth and death from typed notes on rear of portrait. One of the founders of the Glasgow Asylum for the blind in 1825 and was Hon. Treasurer of its opening in 1928 till his death in 1846.
John Alston developed an adaption of a Dr Fry’s sans serif version of the Roman alphabet, in 1836. Although John was aware of experiments with arbitrary alphabetic systems, he argued that ‘the more closely the alphabet for the Blind could be assimilated to the alphabet of the seeing, so much a greater boon would be conferred upon them’. He was awarded a government grant of £400 to develop his system in 1839. Two years later he forwarded the first complete Bible to the Queen along with specimens of knitting done by the women of the Blind Asylum. The volumes were graciously received.
Date of birth and death from typed notes on rear of portrait. One of the founders of the Glasgow Asylum for the blind in 1825 and was Hon. Treasurer of its opening in 1928 till his death in 1846.
John Alston developed an adaption of a Dr Fry’s sans serif version of the Roman alphabet, in 1836. Although John was aware of experiments with arbitrary alphabetic systems, he argued that ‘the more closely the alphabet for the Blind could be assimilated to the alphabet of the seeing, so much a greater boon would be conferred upon them’. He was awarded a government grant of £400 to develop his system in 1839. Two years later he forwarded the first complete Bible to the Queen along with specimens of knitting done by the women of the Blind Asylum. The volumes were graciously received.
