Narbethong School for Visually Handicapped Children and Richard Frank Tunley Collection

Photograph of Frank Tunley creating braille maps and toys for the children of the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950

Photograph of Frank Tunley working on a bagatelle game for the children of the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "Bagatelle Games for Blind Schools. 1/2 blind lad helping to make them".

Proof sheet of photographs of Frank Tunley with his braille maps and globes at the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950.

Stamped on reverse "T.R. Edgar, Photographer, 28 Balis St. Holland Park".

Photograph of children at the School for the Blind, Annerley, Brisbane, playing with a dolls' house created by Frank Tunley, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "This house went to Hobart and a similar one to Adelaide. A smaller one is now ready to go to Perth. The children are not blind, they are my grandchildren".
Stamped on reverse "W.A. Jones and Co., Commercial Photographers, Ann St., Brisbane".

Image of children playing with a dolls' house built by Frank Tunley at the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane. Inscribed on reverse "Dolls house sent to Melbourne Institution".

Photograph of two children playing with a dolls' house built by Frank Tunley at the School for the Blind, Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "Brisbane Dolls House".

Visually impaired student playing with dolls' house furniture made by Frank Tunley at the School for the Blind, Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. 

Photograph of visually impaired girl playing with furniture in a dolls' house made by Frank Tunley at the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. 

Photograph of children at the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane, playing with two large-scale dolls' houses built by Frank Tunley, ca. 1950.

The dolls' house on the left was kept at the Brisbane School for the Blind and the dolls' house on the right was sent to the blind school in New South Wales.

Photograph of two visually impaired children playing with a dolls' house at the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. The large-scale dolls house was later sent to the School for the Blind in Sydney, New South Wales. 

Photograph of children at the School for the Blind in Sydney, New South Wales, playing with a dolls' house built by Frank Tunley, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "Another view of Home No. 2. Sydney children looking at it".

Photograph of three visually impaired children at the School for the Blind in Sydney, New South Wales, playing with a large-scale dolls' house which was built by Frank Tunley of Brisbane, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "Sydney blind children looking at Sunbeam House No. 2".

Photograph of a large-scale dolls' house designed and built by Frank Tunley for the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. 

Photograph of an Indian girl at the Ramabai Mission in the Poona District of India, using a braille map of India created by Frank Tunley, 1948. Inscribed on reverse "R.M. Mission Poona District India. Grumati Jadhow and Miss Craddock 1948. Mr Tunley's map".

Photograph of Frank Tunley with his picture gallery of model motor vehicles and airplanes which were used as teaching aids for the children at the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "Picture Gallery. Articles mounted on slides showing the blind children the shape of things".

Photograph of some visually impaired boys examining model animals and vehicles at the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. 

Photograph of a boy examining a braille ship at the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950

Small boy examining a model organ in an oversized dolls' house created by Frank Tunley at the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950.  Inscribed on reverse "Blind boy Brian 'looking at' a model organ. The flags are brailled for the blind. This is Sunbeam House, No. 2".

Photograph of a visually impaired child examining a model train and other objects at the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. Inscribed on reverse "Blind boy John Hammond 'looking at' Hornby train and 100 other articles mounted up for the Brisbane Blind School. We call it our Picture Gallery".

Photograph of a Braille globe of the world created by Bruce Young for Andre Marshal, a famous blind organist, ca. 1950. 
The globe features French braille. (Description supplied with photograph)
Stamped on reverse "W.A. Jones and Co., Commercial Photographers, Ann and Wharf Sts., Brisbane".

Photograph of a Braille globe of the world created by Frank Tunley for the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950.

Photograph of a revolving braille map of Brisbane created by Frank Tunley for the School for the Blind in Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1950. 

Photograph of a visually impaired man using a braille map of the world created by R.F. Tunley, ca. 1941. 

Photograph of a visually impaired woman using a braille map of the world created by Frank Tunley, 14 January 1939. The map includes the title "Braille Map distorted to show populations. Maps drawn by Bureau of Industry Brisbane. Made by R.F. Tunley".

Photograph of a Braille map of Australasia created by Frank Tunley for the School for the Blind at Annerley, Brisbane, ca. 1940. 

Caption on photograph "Mr. R.F. Tunley M.B.E. 'Grandfather' of visually handicapped children. Unveiled by Mr. G.K.D. Murphy, Deputy Director-General of Education 29.8.64."

Published by The Queensland Braille Map and Model Club, Brisbane, Queensland, Honorary Organiser, R.F. Tunley.

The Queensland Braille Map Makers were successors to the Queensland Braille Map and Model Club which was organised by Frank Tunley.

Braille topographic map of Australia mounted on wood. The map includes aluminium name tags embossed with braille, twined wire indicating major and minor rivers, and wooden pins indicating height above sea level. There is also a legend for the map.
Caption on map "Robinsons Printed Map. Presented by Miss H.B. Philp. Constructed by R.F. Tunley M.B.E. assisted by the staff of this school. Braille by the Queensland Braille Writing Association".

"Between the Three Bridges" Braille Relief Map of Brisbane Showing Main City Streets. The map includes relief outlines showing the shapes of the Story Bridge, Victoria Bridge, and William Jolly Bridge, as well as the three bridges side by side at Indooroopilly: Walter Taylor Bridge; Old Railway Bridge; New Railway Bridge.
The reverse of the map, which is mounted on timber, has been signed and dated by R.F. Tunley.

The map was presented to the Brisbane Braille Writing Association in 1953. Ferry stops and routes are marked, as well as bridges, with metal strips across the recessed Brisbane River. Twined wire indicate tram and rail lines. The map includes a large red wooden bead with marks the location of Braille House at Annerley, home of the Queensland Braille Writers Association.
The map is mounted on timber.

The globe bears the inscription "This globe has been made for and presented to the School for the Blind, Brisbane, by R.F. Tunley, assisted by Miss A.E. Chamberlain and Ken Anderson. The suggestions in the index box recommend the blind to find Great Britain and follow the various routes to Australia. The termini of each route is described. As braille is too large to put many names on the globe, numbers are used and the index is of countries, water and islands. Separate large maps have been made of Europe, Australia, Great Britain, and the World. The globe tilts backwards to enable the blind to read the braille on the lower places. The globe is hollow, being made of laminated rings of pine, and the land portions are cut out of aluminium. Brisbane 1947".

A 3D printed replica of the globe was created in 2019, funded by the Queensland Library Foundation. 

The chart is composed of a timber base with aluminium shapes indicating fractions, and embossed with braille. The timber is marked on the reverse "From R.F. Tunley October 1938" and was made for the School for the Blind, Brisbane.

The sailing boat is mounted on a timber base and includes a moveable metal keel and rudder.

3D printed replica of Tunley's Braille Globe of the World. It was created in 2019 and funded by the Queensland Library Foundation.