Signs of my Times: A life with deaf people

by Martin Smith

In the summer of 1957, at the end of his service in the Royal Navy, Martin Smith's local labour exchange in Exeter offered him two interviews: for a local insurance post or for a trainee welfare officer post in Leeds in the deaf and dumb department of the local Institute for the Blind and the Deaf and Dumb. For no particular reason he chose Leeds. Sixty years on he reflects on his ensuing lifelong obsession with the Leeds signing community. His forthright observations reflect a deep involvement with the issues that beset deaf people and the systems of social control and educational rigidity that ensured low expectations and poor life chances. This is a frank autobiography interwoven with the long efforts to change attitudes. Inevitably the years were marked by conflict with the dominant authorities and battles eventually won, but he expresses a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to participate in a great adventure.

180 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2018

Reviews

[Kit · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one can speak for d/Deaf people except the individuals themselves, but Martin does a good job as much as a hearing person can in this memoir of his. This was a very interesting history of Martin's working life as a missioner and an insight into what the d/Deaf community (I believe he also mentions the deafblind community) have faced for many years. Reads quite well. He's a good writer.