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About the Collection

Walter Canner was born in Lincoln in 1880, trained as a missionary at St Paul’s College in Burgh le Marsh (near Skegness) in 1902 and travelled to China to become the Superintendent of the Murray Hill Institute for Blind Children in Beijing from 1921-1938. 

Walter’s aim was to teach the children a trade, so that they could become self-sufficient, learning skills such as weaving, printing, basket weaving and shoe making. 

When he returned to Lincoln, he brought with him a treasure trove of artefacts which have since been passed down through his family, some of whom are still living in Lincolnshire. 

 

Library Display

In 2017 Walter’s grandchildren collaborated with the Special Collections Librarian to produce a display of their heirlooms to celebrate the charitable work of their grandfather and the impact he made whilst in China, which were on display from July to mid-October. At the time the School of History and Heritage was running a module entitled ‘China and the West’.  

Photograph of Walter Canner

Image: Walter Canner (Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/1/2)

The family’s collection of items made by the children was brought together for the display, including handmade silk shoes, embroideries, a model Chinese house, writing implements, abacus and books plus Walter’s photographs of the children at work and play.

Rosemary Saunders kindly gave permission for the photographs to be digitised after the display ended, some of which have been added to the catalogue plus printouts, which can be viewed in the Zibby Garnett Library. She also supplied a copy of Walter’s History of the Hill Murray Institute for the Blind, Pa-Li-Chuang, Peking (Ref: WALTER CANNER/2/1) and other notes on the history of the institute compiled by Rosemary. 

 

Accessing the Collection

You can access this collection by searching on the Special Collections catalogue. Please contact the Special Collections Librarian for more information and to discuss your research requirements.



Library display case of Walter Canner's collection of Chinese dolls, shoes, embroidery and a combImage: Walter Canner's collection of Chinese dolls, shoes, embroidery and a comb from the Library display in 2017

Photo Gallery

Black and white photograph of 6 girls sitting on a seesaw in 1932

Six girls sitting on a seesaw in 1932 

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/4/5)  

Black and white photograph of 2 Chinese girls baking in long white aprons

Two girls baking

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/6/1) 

Black and white photograph of four boys making cane furniture

Four boys making cane furniture 

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/7/3) 

Black and white photograph of a weaving workshop

Weaving workshop 

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/12/3) 

Black and white photograph of a toy double-decker bus with the word 'General' written along its side

A toy bus 

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/8/2)

A room of a model Chinese house with wooden table and shutters at the window

A room from the model Chinese house displayed in the University Library in 2017 and used by Walter Canner’s grandchildren 

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/15/2-3) 

A room of the model Chinese house with wooden furniture

A room from the model Chinese house displayed in the University Library in 2017 and used by Walter Canner’s grandchildren 

(Ref: WALTER CANNER/1/15/2-3) 

Extract from Walter’s diary 

 

1929 
"Three lads are employed here, and they are kept busy preparing shoes for our somewhat numerous family. We want to try making leather shoes sell outside, in the coming year. By means of a generous donation given by a Chinese businessman, and by the sale of toys, we have been able to purchase a further heavy sewing machine for working on leather and canvas, which will of great use in the shop. We have also tried our hands at reupholstering furniture, with a fair amount of success. We have also used about 289 feet of canvas, working it up into beds, chairs, bags, etc., both the material used in upholstering and the canvas came off our own looms."

 

Pen drawing of a plan of the compound of the Hill Murray Institute for the Blind detailing boys and girls schools, vegetable garden, arable land and a gymnasium surrounded by a wall Image: A plan of the compound 1923 (Ref: WALTER CANNER/2/3)