Loss of eyesight and later life Sir Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet

blinded soldiers learning mat-weaving @ st dunstan s

beginning lose sight due glaucoma despite 1908 operation, pearson progressively forced 1910 onwards relinquish newspaper interests; daily express passed, in november 1916, under control of canadian–british tycoon sir max aitken, later lord beaverbrook.

through british , foreign blind association, pearson published pearson s easy dictionary in braille form in 1912. later blind, pearson made president of national institution blind in 1914, raising income £8,000 £360,000 in 8 years. on 29 january 1915, founded blinded soldiers , sailors care committee (later renamed st dunstan s , known blind veterans uk), soldiers blinded gas attack or trauma during first world war. goal, radical times, provide vocational training rather charity invalided servicemen, , enable them carry out independent , productive lives. pearson s dedication work led him receiving baronetcy on 12 july 1916, whereupon took title pearson, 1st baronet of st dunstan s, london. received gbe in 1917.

pearson close friend of pioneer of scouting movement baden-powell, , supportive of efforts in setting movement , publishing magazine scout. when pearson s scheme publishing in braille faltering due lack of funds, on 2 may 1914 baden-powell publicly requested scouts perform turn scout magazine publisher mr c arthur pearson, in order raise money scheme of publishing literature in braille blind.

in 1919, pearson wrote book victory on blindness: how won men of st dunstan s. founded greater london fund blind in 1921, funded establishment of annual geranium day appeal.