This index is a summary of key information relating to permits of exemption issued to workers who came within the scope of the Corset Trade Board - individuals who were regarded as being "affected by any infirmity or physical injury which renders [them] incapable of earning that minimum time-rate". The data is taken from summarised applications for permits of exemption submitted to members of the Board. Click on the case number to see a digitised version of the original source - this can include more information.

Archives at the Modern Records Centre include historical terminology used to describe medical conditions or aspects of disability. This language reflects the context in which the material was created, and may be considered offensive today.

Number	Date	Age	Gender	Employer	Location	Reason	Proposed wages (week)	Other info
K11454/20Link opens in a new window	1921	30	Male	The Kettering Corset Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	Kettering	"Dizziness"	52 shillings (48 hours)	"He is subject to fits and in consequence has a good deal of broken time"
K5337/20Link opens in a new window	1921	57	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Chronic rheumatism and very lame"	40 shillings (48 hours)	-
K5335/20Link opens in a new window	1921	26	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency"	54 shillings (48 hours)	"...a sub-normal worker and the Secretary of the Company stated that his Army papers were endorsed "Discharged on account of idiocy"."
K23333/20Link opens in a new window	1921	52	Male	Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.	Desborough	"Mental deficiency"	3 pounds 6 shillings and 6 pence (48 hours)	"…worker has been slightly deranged for years although capable of doing a certain amount of work".
K491/20Link opens in a new window	1921	54	Female	R. K. Smith & Co.	Glasgow	"Chronic gastric catarrh with malnutrition"	6 & 1/2 pence per hour	"The stomach symptoms have been present for a period from 10 to 15 years. It is my opinion that this disability with its resulting malnutrition prevents her from earning the wage which she would otherwise do if she had normal health".
K444/20Link opens in a new window	1921	65	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Age"	10 & 1/2 pence per hour (44 hours)	-
K24067/20Link opens in a new window	1921	64	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Age"	1 shilling & 5 pence per hour	-
K3111/20Link opens in a new window	1921	38	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Epilepsy"	1 shilling & 1/4 pence per hour (43 & 1/2 hours)	"He is unable to work for 2 or 3 days every full moon but no deduction is made for such absence".
K3670/20Link opens in a new window	1921	70	Male	O. Grosse & Co.	Hackney	"Defective eyesight & advanced age"	55 shillings (46 & 1/2 hours)	-
K18150/20Link opens in a new window	1921	26	Female	The Cheshire Corset Company	Altringham	"Curvature of spine"	24 shillings (48 hours)	-
K15846/20Link opens in a new window	1921	52	Female	Mr. Lorrette	Islington N.	"Neurasthenia occasionally"	34 shillings (48 hours)	"Suffers with neuritis which affects hands"
K7666/20Link opens in a new window	1921	67	Male	Johnson & Macleod	Glasgow	"Age"	50 shillings (46 hours)	-
K5339/20Link opens in a new window	1921	35	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mentally deficient"	34 shillings (48 hours)	"This worker may be described as "simple"….is evidently sub-normal"
K5340/20Link opens in a new window	1921	55	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mentally deficient"	34 shillings (48 hours)	"…fits occasionally cause stoppage of work in the Whole Section. She was obviously sub-normal…"
K2617/20Link opens in a new window	1921	70	Male	Chappell Allan & Co.	Bristol	"Old Age"	35 shillings (44 hours)	-
K604/20Link opens in a new window	1921	21	Male	C. Bayer & Co. Ltd.	Bath	"Mentally deficient"	30 shillings (42 hours)	-
K7100/20Link opens in a new window	1921	24	Female	Gresham Dorset Manufacturing Co.	Homerton	"Fractured right shoulder, defective growth of scapula and arm and hand"	6 pence per hour	-
K18150/20Link opens in a new window	1921	25	Female	Cheshire Corset Co.	Altrincham	"Curvature of spine"	24 shillings (48 hours)	"Bad spinal curvature - dwarfed, hump-chested and hump-backed…Deformity very pronounced and obviously a very delicate girl."
K17678/20Link opens in a new window	1921	19	Female	C. J. Russell & Sons Ltd.	Bow	"Epilepsy"	17 shillings per week	-
K3670/20Link opens in a new window	1921	70	Male	Grosse & Co.	Dalston	"Old Age"	50 shillings (46 & 1/2 hours)	"He has good health but is slightly deaf and his rather bad eyesight prevents him doing any fine work or very close work."
K18150/20Link opens in a new window	1921	26	Female	Cheshire Corset Co.	Altrincham, nr. Manchester	"Curvature of spine"	24 shillings (48 hours)	-
K3670/20Link opens in a new window	1921	70	Male	O. Grosse & Co.	66/68 Hertford Rd., Hackney	"Defective eyesight and advanced age"	55 shillings (46 & 1/2 hours)	-
K7666/20Link opens in a new window	1921	68	Male	Johnson & Macleod	360, Abercrombie St., Glasgow	"Advanced age"	50 shillings (46 hours)	-
K4772/20Link opens in a new window	1922	61	Female	Miss H. Keating	17, South Molton St., Brook St., London W1	"Old Age"	22 shillings & 6 pence (41 hours)	"…is not strong and is unable to do hard work…She has been months ill…and has poor eyesight."
K9014dLink opens in a new window	1920	48	Female	J. B. Kleinert Rubber Co.	London	"Rheumatism - causing infirmity of fingers"	24 shillings (46 hours)	"…suffers from rheumatism in her hands which are mis-shapen and prevent her working with anything like normal rapidity."
K8642dLink opens in a new window	1920	63	Male	F. G. Clarke Ltd.	Portsmouth	"Valvular disease of the heart"	30 shillings (36 & 1/2 hours)	-
K8643dLink opens in a new window	1920	51	Male	F. G. Clarke Ltd.	Portsmouth	"Rheumatism"	35 shillings (41 hours)	"…is suffering from Rheumatism which affects his right hand and in consequence he is not able to use it fully".
K443/20Link opens in a new window	1920	71	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Age"	37 shillings & 6 pence (44 hours)	-
K444/20Link opens in a new window	1920	64	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Age"	38 shillings (44 hours)	-
K442/20Link opens in a new window	1920	65	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Age"	55 shillings (46 hours)	"deformity of the right wrist joint due to an accident 20 years ago. He is, owing to age and physical infirmity, unfit to be classed as an ordinary worker…"
K8200dLink opens in a new window	1920	34	Female	Mr. J. W. Murray	Hanley	"Mental weakness"	18 shillings & 3 pence (44 hours)	"…is a sub-normal worker (mental weakness)"…."has been mentally deficient from birth. There is nothing physically wrong with her although she is not strong."
K438/20Link opens in a new window	1920	77	Female	Mrs. M. A. Plant	Manchester	"Age, bronchitis"	7 shillings & 6 pence (14 & 1/2 hours)	-
K730Link opens in a new window	1920	66	Female	R. & W. H. Symington & Co. Ltd.	Manchester	"Old age"	18 shillings (46 hours)	-
K1177/20Link opens in a new window	1920	71	Female	Rylands & Sons	Manchester	"Old age, bronchitis and debility"	17 shillings & 7 pence (47 hours)	"…is in good health for her years but grows increasingly feeble."
K1176/20Link opens in a new window	1920	65	Female	F. Longden & Co. Ltd.	Derby	"Old age"	28 shillings (48 hours)	"…She works very slowly and drops asleep at her work frequently…"
K1175/20Link opens in a new window	1920	17	Female	F. Longden & Co. Ltd.	Derby	"Epileptic fits"	19 shillings (48 hours)	-
K3756/20Link opens in a new window	1920	55	Female	The Forward Manufacturing Co.	Birmingham	"Old age"	28 shillings (48 hours)	-
K491/20Link opens in a new window	1920	53	Female	R. K. Smith & Co.	Glasgow	"Chronic gastric catarrh with malnutrition"	22 shillings (44 hours)	"The stomach symptoms have been present for a period from 10 to 15 years. It is my opinion that this disability with its resulting malnutrition prevents her from earning the wage which she would otherwise do if she had normal health".
K2368/20Link opens in a new window	1920	49	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	London	"Age"	8 pence per hour	-
K2370/20Link opens in a new window	1920	72	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	London	"Age"	8 pence per hour	"This worker has very bad eyesight..."
K2369/20Link opens in a new window	1920	23	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	London	"Impaired sight"	7 & 1/2 pence per hour	"…worker is very short sighted…"
K2371/20Link opens in a new window	1920	66	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	London	"Age"	7 & 1/2 pence per hour	"…she moves very slowly and in the Officer's opinion is sub-normal…"
K7100/20Link opens in a new window	1920	23	Female	The Gresham Corset Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	London	"Fracture of right shoulder"	6 pence per hour (47 hours)	"…is suffering from old standing fracture of the right shoulder, defective growth of the scapula and arm and hand, limitation of movement at shoulder joint."
K7099/20Link opens in a new window	1920	66	Female	The Gresham Corset Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	London	"Infantile paralysis (right leg), general debility"	4 & 1/2 pence per hour (47 hours)	"…worker's general health is good. She wears glasses but stated her sight was not bad…."
K5378/20Link opens in a new window	1920	61	Female	Maison Clerin Ltd.	London	"Age"	20 shillings (44 hours)	-
K3111/20Link opens in a new window	1920	36	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Epilepsy"	45 shillings (43 & 1/2 hours)	"He is unable to work for 2 or 3 days every full moon but no deduction is made for such absence. His work is disturbed for some days before the actual outbreak of epilepsy occurs".
K4191/20Link opens in a new window	1920	65	Female	Madame Lorette	London	"Age"	25 shillings (48 hours)	-
K2409/20Link opens in a new window	1921	27	Male	R. & W. H. Symington & Co. Ltd.	Market Harborough	"Long illness due to hemorrhage from the kidneys"	47 shillings & 6 pence (45 hours)	"The worker is mentally deficient and suffers from curvature of the spine. He has always been delicate."
K23[8]12/20Link opens in a new window	1921	58	Male	R. & W. H. Symington & Co. Ltd.	Market Harborough	"Suffering from effects of a stroke."	64 shillings (45 hours)	"…had a stroke and since has never been quite as good a man physically…"
K7100/20Link opens in a new window	1921	25	Female	The Gresham Corset Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	Homerton	"Fractured right shoulder, defective growth of scapula and arm and hand"	6 pence per hour (47 hours)	"…able to use one hand only..."
K604Link opens in a new window	1921	21	Male	C. Bayer & Co. Ltd.	Bath	"Mental deficiency"	32 shillings & 6 pence (4[0] hours)	"…poor physique, somewhat mentally deficient…"
K[8]339/20Link opens in a new window	1921	35	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency"	34 shillings (48 hours)	"...simple…"
K5340/20Link opens in a new window	1921	55	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency"	34 shillings (48 hours)	"…fits occasionally cause stoppage of work in the Whole Section. She was obviously sub-normal…"
K996/24Link opens in a new window	1924	54	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	Sidney Road, Homerton	"Age"	6 pence per hour	"…this worker wore glasses and her movements were very slow…"
K999/24Link opens in a new window	1924	38	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne, Derbyshire	"Mental deficiency and delicate health"	8 & 1/2 pence per hour	"...simple…"
K998/24Link opens in a new window	1924	63	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne, Derbyshire	"Very lame"	7 & 1/2 pence per hour	"…has a club foot and is suffering from rheumatism…"
K1001/24Link opens in a new window	1924	57	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne, Derbyshire	"Mental deficiency"	6 & 1/2 pence per hour	"…fits occasionally cause stoppage of work in the Whole Section. She was obviously sub-normal…"
K1000/24Link opens in a new window	1924	28	Female	The Cheshire Corset Company	Oakfield Road, Altrincham	"Curvature of spine"	20 shillings (48 hours)	"…bad spinal curvature and is hump-chested and hump-backed…Deformity very pronounced and obviously…. a very delicate girl."
K2080/1924Link opens in a new window	1924	61	Female	Clarke's Forward Manufacturing Company	Forward Works, Tennent Street, Birmingham	"Age"	16 shillings (48 hours)	-
K5335/20Link opens in a new window	1920	25	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency"	40 shillings (48 hours)	"...a sub-normal worker and the Secretary of the Company stated that his Army papers were endorsed "Discharged on account of idiocy"."
K5339/20Link opens in a new window	1920	34	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency and delicate health"	30 shillings (48 hours)	"...simple…"
K5340/20Link opens in a new window	1920	54	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency and ill health, subject to fits"	30 shillings (48 hours)	"…fits occasionally cause stoppage of work in the Whole Section. She was obviously sub-normal…"
K5336/20Link opens in a new window	1920	[2]4	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Inability of ordinary application, physically and mentally"	40 shillings (48 hours)	"…is of frail physique…"
K5337/20Link opens in a new window	1920	56	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Chronic rheumatism and very lame"	35 shillings (48 hours)	-
K17678/20Link opens in a new window	1920	19	Female	C. J. Russell & Sons Ltd.	London	"Epilepsy"	17 shillings per week	-
K7099/20Link opens in a new window	1920	66	Female	The Gresham Corset Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	London	"Infantile paralysis (right leg), general debility"	5 & 1/4 pence per hour	-
K6056/21Link opens in a new window	1921	27	Female	Johnson & McLeod	360, Abercromby St., Glasgow	"General weakness"	32 shillings & 7 pence (43 & 1/2 hours)	-
K6057/21Link opens in a new window	1921	56	Female	Johnson & McLeod	Glasgow	"General weakness"	32 shillings & 7 pence (43 & 1/2 hours)	-
K6058/21Link opens in a new window	1921	45	Female	Johnson & McLeod	Glasgow	"Suffering from rheumatics"	32 shillings & 7 pence (43 & 1/2 hours)	"…suffering from rheumatism…"
K5214/21Link opens in a new window	1921	58	Female	C. J. Russell & Sons Ltd.	Bow, London E3	"Radicle heart"	1 pound 11 shillings & 5 pence (43 hours)	"…underwent an operation about two years ago and is still under hospital treatment…"
K800dLink opens in a new window	1921	35	Female	John Murray	31, Tontine St., Hanley	"Mental deficiency"	18 shillings & 3 pence (44 hours)	"has been mentally deficient from birth. There is nothing physically wrong with her although she is not strong."
K9888/22Link opens in a new window	1923	21	Female	C. J. Russell & Sons	Roman Road, London	"Epilepsy"	20 shillings (45 hours)	-
K4590/23Link opens in a new window	1923	20	Male	Clarke's Forward Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	Tennant Street, Birmingham	"Trachoma"	30 shillings (48 hours)	"suffering for 2 or 3 years with his eyes and has been..an outpatient and…in patient at the Birmingham Eye Hospital…" "He is suffering from Trachoma".
K2345/23Link opens in a new window	1923	26	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Landport Street, Arundel	"Gun shot wound"	40 shillings (43 & 1/2 hours)	"…suffering from the effects of gun shot wound of the left knee joint. The joint was excised with 1 [&] 1/2 inches shortening…"
K604/20Link opens in a new window	1923	22	Male	C. Bayer & Co. Ltd.	Albion Stay Factory, Bath	"Poor physique and somewhat mentally deficient"	32 shillings & 6 pence (40 hours)	-
K8554/22Link opens in a new window	1923	27	Female	The Cheshire Corset Co.	60, Oakfield Rd., Altrincham	"Curvature of spine"	24 shillings (48 hours)	"Bad spinal curvature - dwarfed, hump-chested and hump-backed…Deformity very pronounced and obviously a very delicate girl."
K8386/22Link opens in a new window	1923	56	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency and ill health, subject to fits"	26 shillings (48 hours)	"…fits actually caused stoppage of work in the whole Section. She was obviously sub-normal…"
K8556/22Link opens in a new window	1923	27	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency"	45 shillings (48 hours)	"...a sub-normal worker and the Secretary of the Company stated that his Army papers were endorsed "Discharged on account of idiocy"."
K8558/22 / K5337/20Link opens in a new window	1923	61	Male	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Very lame and hands bad"	30 shillings (48 hours)	-
K8557/22Link opens in a new window	1923	36	Female	R. Cooper & Co. Ltd.	Ashbourne	"Mental deficiency and delicate health"	26 shillings (48 hours)	"...simple…"
K8102/22Link opens in a new window	1923	36	Female	Mr John Murray	31, Tontine Street, Hanley	"Mental deficiency"	18 shillings & 3 pence (44 hours)	"has been mentally deficient from birth. There is nothing physically wrong with her although she is not strong."
K8165/22	1923	28	Male	R. & W. H. Symington & Co. Ltd.	-	"Hemorrhage of the kidneys and curvature of the spine"	47 shillings & 6 pence (45 hours)	"The worker is mentally deficient and suffers from curvature of the spine. He has always been delicate."
K8167/20Link opens in a new window	1923	51	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	Sidney Road, Homerton	"Age"	6 pence per hour	"…she moved very slowly…"
K8168/20Link opens in a new window	1923	69	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	Homerton	"Age"	6 & 1/2 pence per hour	"…she moved very slowly…"
K3331/22Link opens in a new window	1923	64	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	Homerton	"Age"	6 pence per hour	"The worker's eyesight is bad…"
K9196/22Link opens in a new window	1923	40	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Arundel Factory, Portsmouth	"Epilepsy"	41 shillings & 8 pence (43 & 1/2 hours)	"He is unable to work for 2 or 3 days every full moon but no deduction is made for such absence. His work is disturbed for some days before the actual outbreak of epilepsy occurs".
K444/20Link opens in a new window	1923	67	Male	C. Leetham & Co.	Portsmouth	"Age and disabled hand"	35 shillings (44 hours)	-
K11769/22Link opens in a new window	1923	70	Male	Clarke's Forward Manufacturing Co.	Birmingham	"Neuritis…"	48 shillings (48 hours)	-
K6756/22Link opens in a new window	1923	73	Male	Young & Neilson	Portland Square, Bristol	"Old age and failing eyesight"	3 pound per week	"…owing to age the worker is slow, both mentally and physically…" "found worker to be mentally unbalanced. He had hemorrhage of lungs at end of 1919 and is more or less under constant medical treatment."
K7334/22Link opens in a new window	1923	55	Male	W. Fletcher Ltd.	17, Lion Terrace, Portsea	"Rheumatism"	10 pence per hour	-
K10688/20Link opens in a new window	1920	54	Female	Lillie et Cie	-	"Nervous debility"	18 shillings (43 hours)	"suffering from nervous debility and is physically unfit for any strenuous occupation"
K604Link opens in a new window	1920	19	Male	C. Bayer & Co. Ltd.	Bath	"Mental deficiency"	26 shillings (42 hours)	"Poor physique, somewhat mentally deficient…"
K2617/20Link opens in a new window	1920	69	Male	Chappell Allan & Co. Ltd.	Bristol	"Age"	30 shillings & 6 pence (44 hours)	"…had a slight stroke two years ago and loses time intermittently…"
K7099/20Link opens in a new window	1920	66	Female	The Gresham Corset Manufacturing Co. Ltd.	London	"Infantile paralysis (right leg), general debility"	4 & 1/2 pence per hour (47 hours)	-
K1176/20Link opens in a new window	1920	65	Female	F. Longden & Co. Ltd.	Derby	"Old age"	28 shillings (48 hours)	-
K2409/20Link opens in a new window	1922	28	Male	R. & W. H. Symington & Co. Ltd.	Market Harborough	"Long illness due to hemorrhage from the kidneys"	47 shillings & 6 pence (45 hours)	"The worker is mentally deficient and suffers from curvature of the spine. He has always been delicate."
K23812/20Link opens in a new window	1922	57	Male	R. & W. H. Symington & Co. Ltd.	Market Harborough	"Suffering from effects of a stroke."	64 shillings (45 hours)	"…had a stroke and since has never been quite as good a man physically…"
K331/22Link opens in a new window	1922	64	Female	W. S. Thomson & Co. Ltd.	Sidney Avenue, Homerton E9	"Age"	7 pence per hour	-