22 Facts About Arthur Dimmock

Arthur Dimmock was born to Eleanor Dimmock on 15 July 1918, in Whitley Bay, Northumberland.

Arthur Dimmock became deaf after a bout of meningitis during early childhood.

Eleanor Dimmock learned the manual alphabet to educate him at home.

Arthur Dimmock had interpreted radio shows and his favourite football matches, which led to Dimmock becoming a voracious reader.

Arthur Dimmock never spoke English as he found it "irrelevant".

In 1925, Arthur Dimmock enrolled at the Northern Counties School for the Deaf and Dumb in Newcastle.

Arthur Dimmock was then sent to a dock in Greenock to do essential war work.

In 1942, Arthur Dimmock returned to London to pass his London Matriculation.

Arthur Dimmock was credited for establishing the Deaf travel industry, during the 1950s and 1960s, by customising international and European travel tours for British Deaf people as well as founding Deaf travel clubs in England.

Arthur Dimmock later wrote, and co-authored, a number of publications that helped to establish a body of notable works on British deaf history, journalism and non-fiction.

Arthur Dimmock was involved with the British Deaf History Society, founded in 1993, that researches and archives the written works of the historical, social and cultural background and achievements of Deaf people in literature, media and history; such as the works of Greek philosopher Plato whose work Dialogue included an essay on whether Deaf people were able to acquire intelligence through sign language.

Arthur Dimmock had an active role in Deaf politics since young age.

Arthur Dimmock was one of the founding members of the National Union of the Deaf, founded in March 1976, to campaign for the recognition and protection of Deaf people's rights, to promote sign language and to raise awareness of deaf issues.

Arthur Dimmock became the chairman of the NUD during the 1980s.

Arthur Dimmock was an active promoter in Deaf sports, which involved him with CISS and Deaflympics for more than twenty years.

From 1943 until 2006, Arthur Dimmock had an international news column "Girdle Around the Earth" in the British Deaf Times, which was later renamed the British Deaf News that has been a British Deaf Association publication since 1967.

In 2000, Arthur Dimmock was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of the Arts from University of Wolverhampton as a recognition of his journalism and works on Deaf matters.

Arthur Dimmock was elected to the executive council of the British Deaf Association and at the 1992 Blackpool Congress, was awarded the BDA Gold Medal of Honour for his 50 years of service to the British deaf community.

Arthur Dimmock was awarded the MBE in 1995 for services to deaf people.

Arthur Dimmock's life was the subject of a BBC documentary as part of BBC1's See Hear series, shown on 16 January, and repeated on 24 January, in 2008.

Arthur Dimmock married Jean Norman in 1943 and had one hearing daughter, Cassandra, who was born in 1948.

Arthur Dimmock later died on 25 November 2007, in Hayling Island, Hampshire.