History

The J.A.D. Binders had its genesis as a Skills Training facility to train deaf youth in the craft of presentation and renovation bookbinding. It was conceived as a centre that would provide vocational training in a profession which was compatible with the hearing impairment disability, and offer an avenue for the natural artistic expressions of the Deaf.

The Bindery was founded by Mrs. Valerie Facey, and actually grew out of the Verona Bindery which she owned and operated during the 1960’s from a small plaza in Half Way Tree. Mrs. Facey, who was then a publisher by profession, promoted all aspects of book making and in particular the preservation of books, as she firmly believed that books maintain the history of every society and allow us to construct a sense of our past. Book binding was a nascent service around that time, and there were very little binding services available in Jamaica. Mrs. Facey recognized that the general public did not have access to book restoration and binding services, and she wanted to meet the needs of entities such as The Jamaica Archives in Spanish Town, The National Archive Library, and the University of the West Indies.

As a result of her association with the Deaf from around 1954, Mrs. Facey recognized that they were uniquely gifted with the dexterity and creative skills that were essential ingredients to successfully master the Fine Hand Binding trade. As a first step toward making this dream a reality, she invited a Peace Core Volunteer to train the first cohort of Fine Hand Book Binders in Jamaica. Thereafter, she engaged Dr. John Ingledew, a retired university professor, to design and implement a formal apprenticeship programme that would equip students with the skills to restore books using the finest techniques.

The JAD Binders was formally established in 1995 and managed by Dr. Ingledew and Mrs. Miriam Hinds, who were both recruited by Mrs. Facey. Mrs. Miriam Hinds was a graduate of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston, Jamaica, the L’Ecole de Beaux Arts de Mulhouse in France, and the Winchester School of Art, at the University of Southhampton, UK.
Materials were acquired through the generous donations of friends and patrons of the Deaf including:

Mrs. Valerie Facey
The Late Hon. Maurice Facey
Her Excellency Kathryn Hewlett of the Canadian High Commission
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Hart
The Jamaica Mutual Life Assurance Society
Life of Jamaica Limited
The Multicare Foundation

The Skills Training Programme has enjoyed tremendous success over the years, and has created a strong, continuous cadre of Fine Hand Binders who utilize hand sewing, gold lettering tooling, decorating and polishing to create and restore valued treasures. The core staff have many years of experience in the Bindery, averaging approximately thirteen years, and are highly skilled at providing artistic interpretations for novel gift items and presentation binding.

Future

Through the use of Fine Hand Binding, JAD Binders will continue as a self-sustaining, not-for-profit entity with a strong emphasis on skills training for the Deaf. In addition to educating the public about the value of custom repairing and preservation of treasured books, the JAD Binders aims to meet the increased demand for custom-made leather craft, paper making, textile craft and other creative art designs for souvenirs and gift items related to Fine Hand Binding.