This index is a summary of key information relating to permits of exemption issued to workers who came within the scope of the Ready Made and Wholesale Bespoke Tailoring 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
T371Link opens in a new window	1920	40	Male	Mr. J. Dunn	194 Great Dover Street, London, SE	"Deformed"	40 shillings (50 hours)	Officer from a previous application stated "the worker's infirmity is of a permanent and settled character and his progress nil. He is a skilled trouser hand but unable to use the iron."
T410cLink opens in a new window	1920	22	Male	Buckley & Sons Ltd	Leeds	"Severe physical defects"	9 pence per hour (48 hours)	Medical Certificate states "he suffers from severe physical defects which render him incapable of doing work consistent with his age. His general physical development is bad, he is pigeon-breasted with a displaced heart to the left, he is knock-kneed." and "His earning capacity I should say is that of a boy of 15 years". The firm stated he "is very small and badly developed for his age" and "being physically unfit, the youth is unable to carry out the duties usually performed by boys of his age"
T5788Link opens in a new window	1920	68	Male	W. Dixon & Co.	Nottingham	"Age"	70 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer stated "worker was found to be prematurely aged and admitted he was unable to do as much work as formerly; he does not appear strong".
T5789Link opens in a new window	1920	76	Male	W. Dixon & Co.	Nottingham	"Age"	70 shillings per week (48 hours)	The Firm states "he cannot do as much work as a younger man". Officer reported "He is slower in his movements as compared with younger men, but appeared a very careful, reliable and steady worker, and, though he is worth at least the present minimum wage, his value to the firm will certainly not increase".
T8017dLink opens in a new window	1920	76	Male	Albion, Ltd.	Leeds	"Advanced Age"	1 shilling 3 pence per hour	Officer stated "worker is very feeble looking even for his age". Firm states "worker is not suffering from any physical injury, but on account of his advanced age we do not consider him an ordinary worker".
T8802dLink opens in a new window	1920	36	Male	L. Jones & Co.	Leeds	"Amputation of thigh"	1 shilling and 1 1/2 pence per hour (48 hours)	Medical Certificate states "suffering from amputation of the thigh, is unable to do a full day's work." Officer states "this man has one leg only and cannot get about well or stand long at his work"
T8805dLink opens in a new window	1920	32	Male	S. H. Cliff & Co. Ltd	Leeds	"Right leg amputated above knee"	1 shilling and 1 pence per hour (48 hours)	Army Form states "worker was rejected as medically unfit at the time of presenting himself for Army medical examination (Feb. 1916). Firm states "is not able to earn 50% of which an ordinary worker earns". Officer states "this man has only one leg and is consequently seriously hampered in his work."
T32344/20Link opens in a new window	1920	27	Male	S. H. Cliff & Co. Ltd	Leeds	"Deaf and Dumb"	1 shilling and 3 pence per hour	Officer states "his chief fault is his inadaptability ... he is not mentally deficient and is a good steady worker of normal health. His only fault is this limitation in his capacity which makes it impossible to put him on any work except under-pressing, as he is a complete failure if put on pressing off."
T2345/20Link opens in a new window	1920	34	Male	G. Brownson Ltd	Hyde	"Deaf, Dumb and Blind in one eye"	1 shilling and 5 pence per hour	Officer states "in addition to being deaf and dumb, he is quite blind in one eye and has very bad sight in the other. He is clearly very myopic and without his glasses he is as good as blind; even with them he feels for door handles, etc." Foreman states "output as just over half of a normal man"
T112Link opens in a new window	1920	62	Male	Greengate and Irwell Rubber Co. Ltd	Salford	"Ill health"	60 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 47 hours)	Medical Certificate states "is ill and fit only for light work". Foreman states "worker is suffering from old age and is very slow and nervy. He cannot be hurried in any way and is left to work at his own pace."
T7577Link opens in a new window	1920	25	Male	Greengate and Irwell Rubber Co. Ltd	Salford	"Wounded in jaw and arm"	52 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 47 hours)	"Worker came to the firm when a boy and left in 1915 to join the Army with the premise that when demobilised the place should be kept open for him. He was recently discharged ("suffering impairment due to Active Service"). He was wounded in the jaw and arm, the wound in the arm making him slow and only fit at the moment for women's work. He is often forced to have time off on account of the effect of the wounds on his general health".
T8928dLink opens in a new window	1920	70	Male	Scottish Co-operative Society Ltd	Glasgow	"Senile Debility"	55 shillings per week (44 hours)	Medical Certificate states he "is suffering from senile debility (age 70) and is unable to keep pace with younger men at his work. He is in my opinion quite fit for work but at a slower pace than a young man." Officer states "He is obviously feeble and not capable of heavy work. He only handles light materials and all heavy bundles are lifted for him."
T7396dLink opens in a new window	1920	22	Male	Thornlee & Clarkson Ltd	Leicester	"Spinal curvature"	50 shillings per week (47 hours)	Medical Certificate states he "has a spinal curvature (old) which would prevent him from putting in full work at pressing off." Officer states "worker has a bad curvature and is visibly delicate. The work of handling a goose is very fatiguing for him; he has to stop and rest sometimes when his back grows painful; and his output decreases considerably as the day goes on."
T8628dLink opens in a new window	1920	51	Male	Thornlee & Clarkson Ltd	Leicester	"impaired sight, arterio sclerosis, slow cerebration and general debility"	63 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "worker is very thin and frail looking and suffers from eczema periodically for which he has to stay away when it is at its worst. His eyesight is also impaired owing to general debility and he easily gets flurried and spoils material if hurried in any way."
T8627/20Link opens in a new window	1920	49	Male	Thornlee & Clarkson Ltd	Leicester	"Blindness of left eye, impaired sight right eye, almost total deafness, Rhinitis"	63 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "worker is completely blind in one eye and has very poor sight in the other; he is also very deaf and queer tempered. His eyesight is so bad that his work always has to be overlooked and often touched up by the other pressers. When at work he leans down and peers right into the work, his head only a foot away from it."
T2939dLink opens in a new window	1920	46	Female	Holloway Bros. Ltd	Stroud	"General physical weakness"	28 shillings and 2 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "worker is extremely slow and debilitated, crippled in one leg and suffers from Rheumatism and it is impossible for her to work at anything like the speed of other workers on the same process of brushing." Firm "convinced the worker also suffers from some internal malady and that she constantly to be changed from one room to another ... out-put is about one-fifth of that of an ordinary worker."
T5790/20Link opens in a new window	1920	65	Male	Wallis & Linnell, Ltd	Kettering	"Age"	65 shillings per week (47 hours)	-
T113Link opens in a new window	1920	24	Male	R. Clarke & Co.	Bristol	"Amputation left leg above knee, after gunshell wound. Has a Roehampton artificial leg. Left eye, tear of iris, not great interference with vision"	11 shillings and 11/16 pence per hour (48 hours)	Firm states "that previous to worker joining the Army in October, 1915, he was an apprentice. He was discharged from the Army as medically unfit in 1917 and re-joined the firm in 1919." Worker states "I am of the opinion I should get £3 per week… I feel no serious effect from the loss of my leg... I am getting more used to the loss of my limb since I had a new one fitted last January... I experience no difficulty in walking three miles but I cannot lift heavy weights such as rolls of cloth."
T2939dLink opens in a new window	1920	46	Female	Holloway Bros. Ltd	Stroud	"General physical weakness"	28 shillings and 2 pence per week (of 48 hours)	-
T860/20Link opens in a new window	1920	30	Female	Holloway Bros. Ltd	Stroud	"Nervous debility - fits"	29 shillings and 2 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "Worker suffers from epileptic fits (about 3 a month) involving a visit each week to the doctor." "Although the worker in question is clearly sub-normal, in his opinion the amount of wages proposed should be increased."
T8516/20Link opens in a new window	1920	20	Female	Sharrock & Sons	Hindley	"Lame and anaemic"	6 pence per hour (48 hours)	Medical Certificate states she "does not enjoy the best of health being somewhat anaemic. She may not be able to attend her work quite regularly. She was under my care for Anaemia for a prolonged period each year." officer reports "walks with a crutch, her right leg being paralysed. In addition she also suffers from anaemia and is absent from work every Monday to attend the hospital. She is an extremely delicate girl and admittedly has to take great care of herself."
T600Link opens in a new window	1920	53	Female	F. & R. Stone & Co. Ltd	Ayr	"Slowness due to age"	6 and 1/2 pence per hour (47 hours)	-
T1603/20Link opens in a new window	1920	23	Female	F. & R. Stone & Co. Ltd	Ayr	"Anaemia and delicacy"	8 pence per hour	Officer states "She is a delicate girl and has twice been away ill for three months at a time, but if her health were better, she would probably become an ordinary worker."
T2343/20Link opens in a new window	1920	56	Female	G. Brownson Ltd	Hyde	"Deafness with general senile decay"	7 pence per hour	Officer states "worker… is very deaf (having to be shouted at loudly close to her ear or she hears nothing. She also suffers from perpetual catarrh and has bad fits of coughing which cause her to lose time and speed. In addition she has a failing memory and has to have all instructions repeated frequently."
T2342/20Link opens in a new window	1920	32	Female	G. Brownson Ltd	Hyde	"Deaf, dumb and defective eyesight".	7 pence per hour	Officer states "She is deaf and dumb and in addition her eyesight is so bad that she has to be brought to her work and fetched from it every day… she can see her sewing with the aid of very thick glasses by holding her work so close to her eyes…she only sees things at all clearly if held only a few inches from her face."
T7596dLink opens in a new window	1920	21	Female	Mr. Peritz Winik	Liverpool	"Not of a strong constitution"	25 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "applicant…has the physique of a girl of 14 and is very frail and delicate looking. She suffers from chronic asthma and has had pneumonia a number of times … breathing was very bad indeed"
T1388bLink opens in a new window	1920	19	Female	Dickie, Parsons & Co.	Bristol	"Deaf and Dumb"	7 and 1/2 pence per hour	-
T2054aLink opens in a new window	1920	60	Female	Syleham Clothing Co.	Scole	"Bad eyesight and General Debility"	20 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "eyesight was weak and she did not appear at all strong"
T3394dLink opens in a new window	1920	37	Female	Botterill, Seanor & Co. Ltd	Leeds	"Mental deficiency (permanent)"	18 shillings per week (44 hours)	Officer states "worker could neither read or write and was unable to answer questions intelligently."
T4134bLink opens in a new window	1920	48	Female	Lybro, Limited	Liverpool	"Chronic Rheumatism"	29 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "Applicant was crippled with rheumatism and had been for some time in an asylum."
T244Link opens in a new window	1920	18	Female	Burberry's	Reading	"Congenital malformation of the left hand"	27 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "worker… has lost the fingers on her left hand and is therefore unable to do any manual work."
T7591dLink opens in a new window	1920	60	Female	Mr. I. Goldstone	Leeds	"Rheumatism and old age"	7 pence per hour (48 hours)	Officer states "worker is not a strong looking woman." Worker's daughter "My mother is… an ailing woman"
T3767Link opens in a new window	1920	24	Female	Mr. L. Box	Leeds	"Hunch-backed"	27 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "worker is only capable of light work…and there is no improvement in her ability."
T487Link opens in a new window	1920	43	Female	Cohen & Wilks	Manchester	"Nervous debility"	31 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 47 hours)	Medical certificate states "is suffering from Nervous Debility (Graves?)". Officer states "worker was employed as a machinist…and then had a nervous breakdown and was away ill for 6 months. When she returned, her nerves were too bad for machinery… her attendance is very irregular on account of her health and she is very nervous indeed; she trembles when spoken to and admits her nerves are still in a very disordered state"
T3666bLink opens in a new window	1920	33	Female	Mr. T. Binns	Leeds	"Slightly mentally deficient"	22 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "her infirmity was really inability to learn other work and she was very nervous about machinery… extremely slow at her work"
T1885Link opens in a new window	1920	29	Female	Mr. M. Goldstone	Manchester	"Paralysis of left arm"	22 shillings per week (44-47 hours)	Officer states "has paralysis of left hand which is withered and twisted round"
T7279dLink opens in a new window	1920	71	Female	Mr. H. Loobliner	74 Cannon Street Road, London E	"Senility"	4 pence per day (9 1/2 hours)	Officer states "applicant is very frail and her eyesight is very bad and extremely slow at her work… can only just see to thread a needle by daylight and has to have it done for her when the gas is alight. She has also very bad rheumatism of the hands and states that her health is rapidly failing."
T5065dLink opens in a new window	1920	67	Female	Newington Clothing Co.	Newington Green	"Old age and sciatica"	28 shillings and 9 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "worker…suffers very badly from sciatica in damp weather and is a constant suffered with it all through winter. She is sometimes away for a few days together when it is so bad that she cannot work.
None statedLink opens in a new window	1920	63	Female	Newington Clothing Co.	Newington Green	"Old age"	25 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "there is nothing the matter with the worker's health except old age… Her movements are very slow… and her output would be considerably lower than that of an ordinary worker."
T8640Link opens in a new window	1920	54	Female	Walton Bros.	Hackney, London	"Age"	25 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "nothing the matter with her except loss of speed due to age."
T8641dLink opens in a new window	1920	55	Female	Walton Bros.	Hackney, London	"Old age"	7 and 1/2 pence per hour	Officer states "worker is admittedly slow and is rather old for her years."
T7574dLink opens in a new window	1920	64	Male	H. Leaning & Co. Ltd	Colchester	"Old age and slowness"	55 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "worker…seems in fairly good health but is very slow
T3630Link opens in a new window	1920	66	Female	Mumby & Son Ltd	-	"Failing eyesight, general debility and old age"	22 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "health of the worker… is failing, she looks rather more than her age and is very frail. She often loses about one day a week on account of her health"
T205 Link opens in a new window	1920	67	Female	Mumby & Son Ltd	-	"Presbyopia and advancing years"	24 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "worker's eyesight in the left eye is very bad and that she has naturally lost speed", "is being kept on account of her domestic circumstances (she has a daughter in the firm who is mentally deficient and two sons in asylums).
T3628Link opens in a new window	1920	63	Female	Mumby & Son Ltd	-	"Age and failing eyesight"	28 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "worker suffers from bronchitis and her breathing is apt to be troublesome. Her eyesight is not so good as it was but does not actually trouble her. She …admits that she is slow and cannot be hurried."
T3627Link opens in a new window	1920	32	Female	Mumby & Son Ltd	-	"Mental deficiency and myopia"	26 shillings and 6 pence per week (of 48 hours)	Officer states "there is no doubt whatever about the mental deficiency of the worker." Foreman states "the mental deficiency takes the form of fits of temper when she sits in the workshop and refuses to work. Worker also has a bad squint, is almost a dwarf and is very fat and myopic, and has a bad stammer."
T3629Link opens in a new window	1920	50	Female	Mumby & Son Ltd	-	"Extreme anaemia and failing eyesight"	26 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "worker suffers from anaemia and failing eyesight, and that in appearance she is jaundiced and unhealthy. Worker states she loses time on account of bilious attacks from which she is a constant sufferer." Foreman states "she is a careless worker and loses time apart from reasons of ill health."
T8770/20Link opens in a new window	1920	42	Male	Todd & Co Ltd, Temple Works	Bristol	"Gun shot wound - two ribs removed"	50 shillings per week (48 hours)	Officer states "served in the Army and was severely wounded in the right chest which necessitated the removal of two ribs. He is totally unfit… and cannot lift anything heavy. At his medical board in June 1920 … he was warned against doing any strenuous work."