Blind and visually impaired workers in Birmingham's past

[Vivienne14]

This painting c1942 of visually impaired workers in a Birmingham factory made me wonder where employment was offered in the past and in what occupations. I think the artist, Percy Frederick Horton, has created a wonderful portrayal of workers carrying out precise work and it set me thinking about the roles that might have been performed. I wondered if this painting (created during WW2) opened up the minds of employers to recruiting workers with limited sight.

 

[devonjim]

Remploy which started in 1940's after WW2 probably took on some of the employment of the visually disabled. There was a Remploy factory in Garretts Green for many years.

 

[Vivienne14]

Hadn't realised that Remploy actually had factories producing products. Thought they were training/retraining providers. But they were obviously much, much more than that. I think there was a Remploy on Soho Road, opposite the DHSS Offices, but I don't think it was a factory.

 

[Stokkie]

Remploy had many factories but was privatised in 2015 and 70% is owned by Maximus, a US service provider and the remaining 30% by an employee trust. I'm afraid Remploy leaves a bitter legacy for many disabled people, but to say more would be political. The BBC and Guardian covered the issues in detail.

 

[Eric Gibson]

Not in Brum but I had a day at the Morris works in Oxford, they had several disabled workers there the most impressive was a blind man assembling fascia panels fitting the clocks speedometer etc.