Rehabilitation at Sidcup

This is no ordinary necklace. 

It was made using discarded cigarette packets. WW1 Soldiers undergoing reconstructive surgery at The Queen's Hospital, Sidcup made this and similar items in on-site workshops as an early form of occupational therapy. Occupational therapy such as this was devised for many reasons. Harold Gillies realised that it was not only important to reconstruct the physical consequences of severe injures. It was necessary to return the servicemen to being useful and functional members of society, to give them an occupation after the conflict had ended. Reconstructive surgery at this time proceeded slowly, involving several operations over several months. Gillie also wanted to keep his servicemen patients "occupied" and feeling usefull. The servicemen having recovered from the immediate aftermath of surgery had many weeks or months to participate in activities which rehabiltated them, excercised injured hands and gave them new skills which may be useful in "civvy street".

A series of rehabilitation courses were set up at Sidcup. They became quite well-known. The toymakers even sold their wares to the Royal family. 

Artist John Hobson Lobley undertook several oil on canvas studies of the Servicemen and their time at Sidcup. His work "The Toymaker's Shop" from 1918 is owned by the Imperial War Museum, where it is currently on display in the Blavatnik Gallery

Contributors: MC, Andew Bamji and Libby Gavin