Father of the Blind - A Portrait of Sir Arthur Pearson

[Anneca]

Father of the Blind - A Portrait of Sir Arthur Pearson, by Andrew Norman

In August 1914, Arthur Pearson, a former newspaper magnate, learned of a Belgian soldier who was languishing in a London hospital. The man had been blinded by a rifle bullet during the siege of Liege, and Pearson felt sympathy for him, having himself been blinded by glaucoma. He resolved to work to prevent blinded Allied servicemen from returning home, only to slip into ‘hopeless and useless lives’. He opened St Dunstan’s in 1915, a hostel where returning soldiers could ‘learn to be blind’ where they were taught Braille and a trade, equipping them to re-enter society as useful and self-respecting citizens.

Pearson made two visits to France during the course of the Great War, the first in late 1916 at the request of the King, to inspect a number of scattered institutions which the French had established for their war blind. In 1917 Pearson wanted to experience what it was actually like on the Western Front so that he would be more able to empathise with the blinded men. It was at Vimy Ridge that he miraculously escaped shelling, overcoming the fact that as a blind man on the battlefield he would be regarded as more of a liability than an asset.

I found this an interesting book about the founder of the Daily Express, the early chapters covering his childhood, his help in assisting Baden-Powell to launch the Boy Scout Movement and his search for the Giant Sloth. The later chapters deal with his founding of St Dunstan’s which gave hope and purpose to the blinded British and Allied soldiers of the Great War.

[Sue Light]

And to go alongside that - 'My Story of St. Dunstan's' by Ian Fraser, Baron Fraser of Lonsdale. Ian Fraser was a Captain in the KSLI blinded in July 1916 on the Somme, and later taken under his wing by Sir Arthur Pearson, becoming his assistant at St. Dunstan's. When Pearson died suddenly in 1921, Ian Fraser took over as Chairman of St. Dunstan's and held the post for more than fifty years. It's a very inspiring account.

Sue

[Anneca]

Yes Sue, Ian Fraser is mentioned several times in Norman's book: "When Captain Fraser was wounded by a bullet to the head he walked to the field dressing-station with his company commander, unable to see, and believing his blindness to be only temporary, but he would never see again." "At Pearson's invitation he started his training and rehabilitation but Pearson had already decided to train him up to assist him in his work. Fraser created the aftercare department which continued to assist all who had passed through St Dunstan's for the remainder of their lives." Ian Fraser is also described as "the able, young former army officer who succeeded Pearson as Chairman at the age of 24".

Thanks Sue for letting me know about Ian Fraser's book which I will now look forward to reading.

Regards, Anne

[MikeyH]

Found these touching postcards yesterday, they were intended to publicise or possibly raise funds for St. Dunstan's or the National Institue for the Blind.  The rear of one of the cards states the 'Suitability of Massage as a profession for the blind' and goes on to say that 'in the past four years 88 students, 62 being blinded soldiers from St. Dunstan's, have passed the examination of the Incorporated Society'.

 

The artist Richard Caton Woodville jr., was a prolific painter of military subjects.  He committed suicide in 1927, and was buried in an unmarked grave.

 

Mike.