Report of the Committee of Management and Medical Director : 1945 / Papworth Village Settlement.

  • Papworth Village Settlement (Cambridge, England)
Date:
1945
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Committee of Management and Medical Director : 1945 / Papworth Village Settlement. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/16 (page 11)
    PAPWORTH INDUSTRIES / 6. Tallyn, General Manager. A great and eventful year, one never to be forgotten in our lifetime. Just as in 1939 we had, in the country’s interest, to change from peace-time products to armaments, so now had the change-back to be made. As was the case with most large business firms, this had been foreseen, and as far as was humanly possible provided for. The selling machinery ofour organization had already been overhauled. Contracts were entered into with an eminent firm of industrial designers to re-style and, where necessary, re-design our pre-war products to be ready for the industrial drive which, it was felt, was bound to come. As a result we were able to make a ready response to the Government’s call for articles for the export market. By the end of the year the Leather Goods Department had made and exported to various parts of the world 60,000 articles of travel goods ranging from business folios to wardrobe trunks. The Woodworking Departments were kept busy throughout this difficult period of change¬ over in making standard kitchen and bathroom units, prefabricated house sections, utility furniture and building joinery. Already in the Printing Department the letterpress machines were heavily engaged on work of high priority for H.M. Government, whilst a steady but rapidly growing business was being built up in the Bookbinding Section with many famous firms of English publishers. This latter section of our activities was the latest to be developed and unfortunately, therefore, is not as highly mechanized as we would wish, a fault which is, and will be for some time, extremely difficult to put right. Nevertheless, it has done, and is doing some very fine work, and is one of our most useful adjuncts, absorbing as it does much of the female labour which comes to us from the institution. During the war also, despite the many difficulties, we were able to complete the building of three pairs of cottages, and lay the foundations for another two pairs. Unfor¬ tunately, this is a long way from meeting the large demand. The labour capacity in the workshops greatly exceeds the supply. Given the necessary housing, hundreds more dis¬ abled persons could be given opportunities for rehabilitation. This would undoubtedly be a very useful contribution to the national problem of the Rehabilitation of the Disabled. Another problem, too, confronting us at the moment is the return from the Armed Forces of many of the sons of our Settlers who have seen service on many fronts throughout the War. Some of these have married and have children, and are in urgent need of houses. It has been agreed by the Committee of Management that houses should be provided. A percentage of the personnel of the Indus¬ tries must be fit and strong, and it Is hoped that these young returned sons will form the major proportion of that percentage. A record of the splendid work done by the Industries in the War years Is being compiled, and it will be a pleasure to forward a copy to any interested reader on application. In conclusion, I would like to record my grateful thanks to each and every member of the staff and peisonnel of the Industries who have so unstintingly given of their best to complete another successful year. THE SOCIAL LIFE It is difficult in the short space of this report to give a full and comprehensive pic¬ ture of the social life of the Settlement, and to those who are interested in all the facets of our community, I would recommend the Papworth Annual, the annual magazine now in its twenty-fourth year, which within its covers gives a true picture of one of the most im¬ portant aspects of rehabilitation. The Edi¬ torial Committee, headed by Matron, receives contributions from patients and settlers, past and present, and staff, and the magazine, although much reduced in size, provides an excellent medium for the dissemination of news of personalities and events. I think it is sufficient here to say that all the various activities of the residents have not abated ; whist drives, dances, cinema shows, W.E.A. classes, flower shows, billiards leagues and so on. V.E. day and V.J. day were both celebrated in the proper manner, commencing with services of thanksgiving and ending with bonfires. [II]