BVUK History

UPDATE: as of September 2018, this account is no longer active. Please follow @blindveterans which will continue to feature images and stories from our history.

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

#OTD in 1918 King George V reviewed 35,000 WWI ex-servicemen in Hyde Park and then wrote to them. We have one of the letters in a photo album compiled by one of our WWI VAD nurses, Kathleen Gamble, held in our archives. 📃 #BVUKhistory

[Freddie_GuideDog @FreddieGuidedog]

@Tony_Robinson @BlindVeterans @NetworkRailMAN My dad, @jamie_weller, and I were so proud to be at this event on Tuesday. He lost his sight at 20 years old while serving in theRoyal Navy @RNASYeovilton., and @BlindVeterans helped him rebuild his life again. #VictoryOverBlindness

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

During and after #WWI Avis Spurway was a Sports Sister at @BlindVeterans Regent's Park centre in London. This interview appeared in 'The Review' in April 1983 and is a wonderful account of her time there together with some wonderful photographs from our #Archives @BritishRedCross

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

During #WWI at @BlindVeterans Regent's Park centre, #Crafts such as mat making played an important part in the #Retraining programme for servicemen. Their work was sold to raise funds and many went on to set up their own businesses on leaving. @CraftsCouncil

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

#FridayFunny An oldie and a goodie? from our @BlindVeterans 'Review' magazine September 1920 @RealTimVine @HistComPod @unikentstandup @comedy_scms

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

Remembering Harold Adler, centre in pic, who served in the Rifle Brigade in WWII and died in 1942. A fund for @BlindVeterans was set up in his memory. Harold is here with twin Paul, brothers Bobby, Alan & brother-in-law Teddy. Alan's daughter-in-law Dianna now volunteers with us

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

The fascinating story of Canada's Edwin Baker, blinded in WWI, is told in this online exhibition https://t.co/3cjYBBFkb1 #cnib100 #TorontoStories @CNIB @CNIB_Ontario @LibraryArchives

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

Just a reminder that we'll not be tweeting from this account after the end of this month. However, there will still be regular tweets and images from the archives on our main @BlindVeterans Twitter, so if you're not already following us there, please do so

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

@RAFTug @englandtugofwar @BlindVeterans @sportinghistory Thank you @RAFTug it does indeed, We will confer with colleagues and get back to you.

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

This photograph of @BlindVeterans and VADs in Regent's Park is titled "Summer 1918" It looks like a very successful summer based on the number of trophies on the table 😄 Most likely the trophies are for rowing or tug of war or maybe both 🚣 🕶 #rowing #tugofwar @sportinghistory

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

Our early @BlindVeterans received invaluable tuition in reading and writing Braille from women volunteers from the National Library for the Blind (now part of @RNIB), headed by Ethel W.Austin, who was one of our founding Committee members @RNIBLibrary @BrailleInst @BraillePress

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

Driver Joseph Culshaw of the RFA brought a young goat into @BlindVeterans Regent's Park base in September 1916. He presented it to our Matron, Frances Hughes. The goat was named 'Dunstan' @EverythingGoats

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

From September we shall no longer be maintaining this Twitter account and instead our tweets will go out as part of our main @BlindVeterans account. If you're not already doing so, please follow us there!

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

This portrait of @BlindVeterans founder Sir Arthur Pearson is one of many items on display in 'Rebuilding Lives after Sight Loss' at the Charge! Northern Cavalry gallery @Discovery_Mus in Newcastle. You can also listen to recordings of current blind veterans from the north-east

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

This photo from our #Archives shows our #WWI @BlindVeterans and staff, VADs and other helpers enjoying a day out on Marine Parade, Brighton circa 1920s @TheKeepArchives @CoolBrighton @BrightonIndy @bhcitynews

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

#OTD 1945 #WWII effectively ended with surrender of the Imperial Japanese Forces #VJDAY. This notice issued to prisoners of the allies is in our #Archives @FEPOW_History @wwiimemories

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

This splendid article, Improvements in Welfare of the Blind, by Niall Herbert for @Voices_WW1 gives much useful background to our early work https://t.co/MZHBdoxnUG It also features several photos from our archives @BlindVeterans @FWWCareNetwork @N_D_Herbert

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

#OTD 1917 Bomb. W Storer of Royal Garrison Artillery arrived at our base in Regent's Park. Wounded in France the former hosier retrained as a poultry farmer #royalgarrisonartillery #poultryfarming #WW1 🐔🕶

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

#OTD 1917, Pte James Holgate Rawlinson of 58th Canadians joined us. Wounded at Vimy Ridge, he retrained as a shorthand typist & telephonist and wrote a book about his experiences - https://t.co/fvxgIFygs4 - later he worked in the Govt of Canada offices in London @Canada @CNIB

[BVUK History @BVUKHistory]

#Photography Sgt. Ernest Jones Hetherington of #NorthumberlandFusiliers was the doorman at @BlindVeterans Regent's Park centre in #WWI. He lost an arm serving in France in 1914 & we have have now discovered that he took many of the photos of servicemen & staff in our archives