Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Sir Brunel COHEN KBE (1886-1965)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Major Sir Benn Jack Brunel Cohen KBE, politician and campaigner on behalf of disabled people, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at his home in London’s Portland Place.
Cohen served with the King's Liverpool Regiment after the outbreak of the First World War, and at his own request was sent to France in early 1917. He was promoted to Major in June 1917, but was wounded at the Third Battle of Ypres, and both legs were amputated above the knee. He used an electric wheelchair for most of his life afterwards.
Cohen was elected as MP for Liverpool Fairfield in December 1918, and remained in office until he stood down at the 1931 general election. His maiden speech in February 1919 was on the needs of disabled former servicemen, and he devoted much of his time to advancing the cause of disabled people, particular the war wounded, including problems of employment, training and war pensions.
He was involved in the discussions which led to the founding of the British Legion in 1921, and would serve as an army welfare officer for the Auxiliary Territorial Service in the Second World War. He chaired the Ministry of Labour's national advisory council on employment for the disabled, which spurred the passing of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, mandating employers to give jobs to disabled people. He became vice-chairman of Remploy in 1946, and its chairman in 1955.
programme details...
- Edition No: 161
- Subject No: 162
- Broadcast live: Mon 24 Apr 1961
- Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
- Venue: BBC Television Theatre
- Series: 6
- Edition: 32
on the guest list...
- George Sharp
- Col Albert Buckley CBE DSO
- Miss Gertrude Edgar
- Mr Gibney
- Rt Hon Emanuel Shinwell MP
- Alfred Hughes
- Major Dorothy Fowler
- James Wade
- Stanley Pedrick
production team...
- Researcher: Nickola Stern
- Writer: Liam Nolan
- Director: Michael Goodwin
- Producer: T Leslie Jackson
a cross-party celebration
Brunel Cohen with guest James Wade on This Is Your Life
Series 6 subjects
Leonard Cheshire | George Bennett | David Sheppard | Sybil Thorndike | Clarence Wolfe | Charles Coward | T E B ClarkeHelene Jeanty-Raven | Cyril Smith | Victor de Spiganovicz | Bill Hartley | Ellen Martha Field | Anthony Deane-Drummond
John Mills | Richard Bancroft | Freddie Mills | William Simpson | Alan Herbert | Madame Vacani | Elizabeth Ambridge | Robert Fawcus
Flora Robson | Edward Chad Varah | James Zarb | Maryan Rawicz and Walter Landauer | James Chipperfield | Anthony Kimmins
Thomas Cosmo Jones | Jessie Matthews | Helen Wilson | Charlie Chester | Brunel Cohen | Godfrey Winn | Billy Wright