Rushton, Edward (1756-1814) Rushton was a poet, slavery
abolitionist and co-founder of the first school for the blind in
the country. Born in John Street, Liverpool, Edward was the son
of Thomas Rushton, a victualler. Apprenticed to a Liverpool
shipping company by the age of eleven, Edward was promoted to
second mate around five years later after demonstrating
outstanding courage in guiding a vessel – which the captain and
crew were prepared to abandon during a storm out in the Mersey
Estuary – back to port. While on a slaver bound for Dominica in
1773, Rushton grew so appalled by the sadistic treatment of the
captives he remonstrated with the captain to the point of being
charged with mutiny. As the only member of the crew willing to
tend to their suffering, Rushton contracted the highly
contagious ophthalmia, which left him blind. Rushton’s Aunt took
him in shortly after his return - his father having now
remarried a woman antagonised by Edward’s presence. The
injustices Rushton observed at sea led to the p