About York and District Deaf Society

 It was on the day that the Hon. Secretary of the Social Club for twelve years, John Prest Graham, died after so many years doing his utmost to help the Society and his Deaf fellowmen.

There was another eminent Deaf man, George Hume Brooks, who was involved in the Christian Mission to the Deaf and Dumb at the Y.M.C.A., Clifford Street at the turn of the 20th Century. He lobbied for a place where Deaf people could meet and though many people took interest by giving donations ,there was no permanency. It was in the 1920’s that 14a Ogleforth was rented and run by the then Missioner, William O. Carr when the Committee of the York & District Deaf & Dumb Benevolent Society consisting of councillors and businessmen felt that the work was not conducted in the manner worthy of the importance of the Society or to the best advantage, hence their appointment of a new Missioner, Mr. Robert S. Oloman from South Shields who commenced his duties on 1^st March 1929.

Mr. Oloman, Missioner and Superintendent, completely reorganised the Society and the area covered by the Society grew to cover Harrogate, Doncaster, Scarborough, Goole, and the adjoining and intermediate places. He took services on Sundays at 6.30pm and Wednesdays at 7.30pm at Ogleforth and the Social Clubs were run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. In 1936 he interpreted the broadcast accounts and services of the funeral of King George V to many Deaf people who attended at Bootham House.

In 1929 there were 261 Deaf people with whom the Society was in constant touch which grew over the years. More Deaf children were educated at the Yorkshire Institute for the Deaf and Dumb in Doncaster as well as St. John’s in Boston Spa. Mr. Oloman invariably ran their lives and even arranged marriages! He heartily disapproved of girls with loose morals and once slapped a girl’s face when she entered Bootham before commanding her to leave immediately. He even looked after the wages of some Deaf men by depositing them in the office safe. He interpreted many courts cases and one good thing about him was that he ensured Deaf people were gainfully employed as he was well known to employers, businessmen and councillors throughout York.

Many events and outings were arranged over the years and Deaf Clubs from all over England were encouraged to visit the Society with visitors from as far as Australia who were heartily welcomed. Games and tournaments with local clubs were encouraged.

All this started to change in the 1960’s and early 1970’s when the Welfare system and eventually the Social Services came to the fore. Mr. Oloman committed suicide in 1972, which thoroughly shocked the Deaf Community. One of the first things they did was to request strongly, the removal of the hated word ‘Dumb’ and the Society became York & District Deaf Society.

A Deaf couple, Michael and Dorothy Richardson took over the social side of the Society (Thus later forming York Deaf Social Club) and Dorothy became the first Deaf person to sit on the YDDS Committee, followed by Joseph Thomson. Michael eventually became the first Deaf Chairperson of the YDDS and by the time Joseph Thomson took over, the YDDS Committee members were predominantly Deaf.

It was in 2012–2013 when the finances for the Society became precarious with the increasing costs of upkeep and maintenance (it was a listed building) and it was with utmost reluctance that Bootham House was sold in 2013 after nearly 80 years of ownership. It was the end of an era. In the meanwhile, the Social Club were fortunate to use the Acomb Conservative Club for its evening events until the new premises were purchased in 2014. The following year at the YDDS A.G.M. it was voted that the premises be named Oloman House in memory of Robert S. Oloman who made all this possible.

The present Chair of the Society is Albert Thomson, the elder son of Joseph Thomson, who is now reorganizing the Society to meet the needs of the diverse Deaf Community in this 21^st Century and leads a Deaf-Led composition of Trustees of YDDS.

Robert G. Hofschroer