During the year 1852, and the early part of 1853, Miss Graham and I had much conversation and correspondence about what could be done for the Blind in London, in addition to that which was already being done in the Schools then existing, namely the one in St George's Fields, Southwark, and newly formed one in the Avenue Road, Regent's Park. At length we came to the conclusion that a workshop with a daily attendance of such as would like to come to learn Basketmaking, and to learn reading in our Embossed Books. In the month of June 1853, I offered to go to London for a month for the purpose of setting such a thing on foot, if Miss Graham could find a suitable place in which we could commence the work. Upon inquiry Miss Graham procurred the use of an old Welsh Chapel in Lambeth, and there we assembled, as near as I can remember, six of the blind, two of whom I think were children, the name of one of the men was Cooper. We commenced our labours prayer, which I offered in the little old fashioned pulpit which stood upon the floor and formerly belonged to the good and celebrated John Bunyan.

During the month the pupils made good progress in their Basket work and Reading, and a Basket maker was engaged on my leaving for Brighton, to carry on the work which I had so successfully commenced, and Miss Graham gave attention to the instruction in the Reading. The following Summer I went to London again for a month and the work having in my absence been removed to a room forming a part of the School belonging to the works of Messrs Dalton (Doulton) & Co Lambeth. Some of the pupils had made considerable proficiency in their basketwork, but two difficulties had arisen, one with the Teacher, who, it was discovered was much addicted to drink, and the other, that the stock of baskets had become very considerable for want of proper place for their sale. Up to the present Miss Graham had defrayed all the expenses herself, which she felt she could no longer do, as they now became considerable - After Prayer and much conversation upon the subject we decided that it should be given up and that an attempt should be made to search out more of the blind, and instruct them in reading at their own homes, and Mr Cooper, one of the blind pupils was selected for the purpose, and became the first Home Teacher in London. Thus was originated and established what was afterwards the "London Home Teaching Society for the Blind".

"Home Teaching" was one that I had tried myself, with much success in Brighton when I first became blind in 1840. My personal "Home Teaching" efforts resulted in the School for the Blind, in Eastern Road, near Kemp Town.

During 1854, and 1855, and subsequent years, Miss Graham and I devoted much time when I was in London, in searching out the Blind, as well as interesting persons on their behalf, and in the support of the work we had commenced.

One day, while passing through St Paul's Churchyard and inquiring as usual of one and another, if they knew of any blind, we ascertained of a woman keeping an apple-stall, that she had occassionally seen a little blind girl pass that way pointing in the direction of a narrow street. She had seen her "Come here, and go there" she said. After spending much time inquiring at the various shops, and of persons living in the neighbourhood, we were about to give up the search in despair. A little boy, hearing us making the inquiry at a shop door, said "Oh! I have seen a little girl go up one of the Courts here". By his assistance we found the the place, and a neighbour kindly pointed out the house, and told us to knock loudly three times, and the Mother of the child would answer the door. Accordingly we went and knocked as we had been told, and shortly the door was opened, and we were asked, in no very civil manner 'what we had come for' On inquiring if the woman had a blind child and if we could see her, we were told "Yes, if we would follow her". She led the way up a high and winding staircase till she reached the top, and then took us into a room where we found the child we were in search of and her little sister, who was ill in a small bed in a corner of the room. After a little conversation with the Mother, expressing sympathy about the child that was ill, and the one that was blind, we seemed to have found the way to the Mother's heart. We gave the blind child a lesson with the alphabet we had brought. The child seemed to be quick in learning and before we left was able to tell us some of the letters. On leaving, Miss Graham took another look at the child that was sick and inquired what was supposed to be the matter with her and to our astonishment we found she had scarlet fever. Retiring, Miss Graham said that she would call again and give her pupil another lesson. As we came out of the Court Miss Graham looked to see what might be its name when she discovered it was "Labour-in-Vain Court". Upon finding this, we both laughed heartily, saying it had not been labour-in-vain to us. The blind child was afterwards sent to the School for the Blind at Brighton. She proved to be an apt Scholar, and in time became an Organist at one of the Churches in London. The work of Home Teaching went on with much success - Two of the pupils were little boys who attended the Schools for Sighted Children at Battersea Fields. They soon learnt to read much better than any of their Sighted Companions, and when the Government Inspector came round to examine the Schools these little fellows were always so ready with replies to his questions that he was obliged to tell them 'not you little boys, till I tell,' and when he could not get a proper answer from the others he would turn to them and and almost invariably got what he required.

When staying with Miss Graham we frequently spent whole days in searching out the Blind or doing something on their behalf - sometimes we have left home by 9 o'clock in the morning and not returned till 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening - Frequently we would stop some of the Blind whom we met in the Street and take their names and addresses, and tell them about our embossed reading, sometimes giving a lesson in the street, and frequently to sighted persons, in order that they might teach any blind persons they knew or might meet with. One day we met a blind man near Newgate - Miss Graham began to give him a lesson upon the raised alphabet. A crowd soon collected to see what was being done, when, a policeman coming up, said 'Move on Ma'am, you mustn't stop the way!' But Miss Graham had taught the poor blind man enough for twice afterwards the man had successfully mastered the reading.

Having arranged for one of my periodical visits to London, Miss Graham had appointed to meet me upon my arrival as she had done before, thus saving the necessity of another person accompanying me to town. On reaching the station and not finding me in the train she referred to my letter that I had sent, appointing the day for my coming, She then found that she had mistaken the date and that my visit was to have been on the following day. She immediately went to the various places where she had made arrangements for me to go with her, and on her way unfortunately slipped and fell and dislocated her arm - A poor man, seeing her fall and finding she was unable to rise, went and helped her up. She had cut her face, which was bleeding. The man told her to put her handkerchief to her face to stop the blood and it was then discovered that she had not the power to raise her arm, as it was dislocated at the shoulder. The man looking pityfully at her inquired what he could do? She told him that, if he would kindly assist her to a Public Institution, which was near at hand she would be greatly obliged. On reaching the Matron immediately recognised her and sent for a Medical man who put her arm into position and placed her in a carriage and sent her home. The following day I went to Town and was met by an old Servant of Miss Graham's who told me of her Mistress's accident. On reaching Clapham Common I found Miss Graham greatly recovered, also that a lady, Mrs Cluney, had been sent for by Miss Graham's relations to remain at her house while I was staying there, with strict instructions to prevent our going out together about the cause of the Blind - In the course of the fore-noon Mrs Cluney said she had some business to do in town which she would like to see about if I would promise not to take Miss Graham out while she was gone - Upon my doing so she set out for the City. Having got half way she felt a little misgiving about our remaining at home during her absence and she accordingly returned. As soon as Mrs Cluney had left for the City Miss Graham asked me if I would not like to go across the Common and see Mrs Taylor, a dear old friend of ours. I replied I had promised not to take her out during Mrs Cluney's absence, "Oh!" she said, "I will take you out." So off we set, and I think it was about 12 o'clock. Mrs Cluney returned shortly afterwards and found that the birds had flown. First we went to Mrs Taylor's where we remained a considerable time and had some refreshments, afterwards we went in search of a blind Roman Catholic girl. After much time we found her, and gave her a lesson in reading and promised to see her again. The hours flew rapidly by, unobserved by us, as we were much engaged, and it was late in the evening when we reached home. Poor Mrs Cluney, who had been in great distress at our absence met us at the door, and exclaimed "O, Mr Moon, I did think that you were a man of your word, I did think that you could be depended upon! Miss Graham replied, "O, don't blame him, it was I took him out, and he couldn't come home without me." It was no uncommon thing for Miss Graham, when we were out, to get too late for the train. We generally became so much absorbed in what we were doing that she did not notice the time.- One day, ongoing to see a Missionary, I think it was the Rev Clay, about sending some books to the Blind abroad, we remained a little too long, as usual, and had to run all the way to the station, which was something more than a mile, and we only reached there just as the train came alongside of the platform. We had a quantity of steps to go down to reach the platform, and by the time we reached it the train was again in motion. Miss Graham shouted for the train to be stopped. This being done she got into the carriage, expecting the guard to put me in after her, but on turning round she discovered that he had not done so, but that he had closed the door and started the train and left me upon the platform. Finding this she immediately shouted for the train to be stopped again and began to get out of the carriage. The Guard, finding what had occurred again stopped the train and put me in.

At another time when I had been staying with Miss Graham, the day before I was to return to Brighton, we went to various parts of London about the work of Hove Teaching from quite an early hour in the morning till 10 at night, and so I had to leave for Brighton by the 6 o'clock train the next morning we had still much to settle, so that we did not retire to bed till 2 o'clock. At 5 o'clock we met again after a short rest and found that we had still something to do before I left - All of a sudden Miss Graham observed "it is nearly 6 o'clock." We immediately started and ran all the way to the station and reached it just as the train came up. There was but just time to get the ticket and put me into the train. In the hurry, Miss Graham put something in my hand instead of the ticket and I did not know that all was right until I reached Brighton when I presented it to the ticket collector he said it was not my ticket so that I had to pay my fare again. Immediately I wrote to Miss Graham about it and she went to the Clapham Station and found that some one had picked up my ticket and left it at the ticket office, so that I recovered my money again.

At one of my visits to Miss Graham a dear friend of hers was staying there whose only son had run through two large fortunes and his widowed Mother had not seen him for a long time - On Sunday morning, as Miss Graham and I were setting out for Battersea Fields, where I had to give an address at 9 o'clock at the Sunday School, Mrs S. - said "O that I could see my dear boy again, and that he would go with me once more to Church!" I said, let us pray about it. We did so and when I returned in the evening the poor Mother took me by the hand and said your prayer was answered, my dear boy has been today, and he asked me, of his own accord, if he should take me to Church. He has since become quite a reformed character, and has married, and the last that I heard of him was, that he held a good military appointment abroad. Once while I was at Miss Graham's I was wanting some money for a very special object in our embossing work at Brighton, and I mentioned it to her, she said she had £5 given to her to place to anything that she might desire, and she had made up her mind to put it to something that she had in hand requiring a much larger sum. In the course of the day she praid about it and said she thought the Lord intended that she should give it to me, and she did so, adding at the same time that she felt the Lord would send her something in its stead. In the evening a letter came with £100 from quite another quarter, so that she received twenty fold for what she had done for our cause. She afterwards related a very remarkable answer to prayer which she had about the same time. She was endeavouring to raise some money, towards the erection of some new schools, and she thought that she would call upon a gentleman who lived in the neighbourhood of Clapham Common, but some distance from her own house, and ask if he would give her something towards them - She thought it possible that he might give her £100, as he was a very kind as well as a rich man - She had to leave home early to catch him before he went to the City. The gentleman had a neice that kept his house who did not approve of her Uncle's parting so freely with his money. When Miss Graham reached the house she was told by the niece that her Uncle was just going to the City and would not be able to see her. Poor Miss Graham left the house, and was bending her steps toward her home and lifting up her heart to the Lord about what had occurred when she suddenly heard the sound of a carriage approaching, and presently the well known voice of the gentleman said to her "O Miss Graham, where are you going to so early this morning, can I help you on your way? " She immediately got into the carriage and told him of her visit to his house and the object of her going. As soon as she had related her business, he said "Well, I will give you a cheque for £500." How little did the niece think, when she sent Miss Graham away, that she was accomplishing the Lord's work, and frustrating her own plans.

Numerous other interesting circumstances might be related in reference to our united efforts during the early years of the London Home Teaching Society. It grew rapidly and was greatly moved of God and blessed. The first Home Teacher, William Cooper's sucess, was great, and in six months after a comecement a second Teacher was appointed, and at the present time, (May 1889) 18 Teachers are employed, 17 of whom are blind. More than 5,000 of the Blind have been taught by them to read, and above one million volumes of our books have been lent from the Society's Free Library since the commencement of the work.

Miss Graham was called to her rest and reward a few years since, in a good old age; and like a shock of corn fully ripe, and richly laden for the Master's Her works do follow her.

The Work commenced in London has spread to many other Cities and countries of the world, and I think it may be truely said that the construction of Home Teaching and Free Libraries forms one of the greatest spiritual and intellectual blessings that the Blind have ever had. About 2,200 of the Blind of London are periodically visited by the Teachers of the London Society.