The Barclay Home and School for Blind and Partially Sighted Girls was founded in Brighton in 1893 by Gertrude Campion, to provide industrial training for blind women. By 1905, there were nearly 40 residents.

The Barclay Workshops for Blind Women, a weaving industry, began in 1905 in premises in Praed St London in order to give employment to women trained in the Barclay Home in Brighton who wished to live in London. The Workshops occupied a number of premises before moving to 19-21 Crawford St in 1919.  The Barclay Workshop was taken over by the London Association for the Blind in 1941.  It is not known why or how these weavers came to be showing their work in Cornwall, or in what connection with the Newlyn Art Gallery.