Guided tour

For visitors who wish to be navigated around the space, please click on the video below for the Guttmann gallery guided tour.

For screen reader users to follow is the wall panel text and audio descriptions for the 3D models or you can download the text as a Microsoft Word document.

Father of the Paralympics, the Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann Gallery

Born in 1899 in Tost, Germany, he arrived in Britain in 1939 as a German-Jewish refugee. He was an esteemed neurosurgeon and expert on spinal cord injuries. After working at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, he was invited by the British Government in 1943 to set up a specialist spinal injuries centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to treat those injured during the war. He was interested in all aspects of patient care, including medical, physical, and mental needs, from the food served, to their career development, from the engineering of equipment for independent living to the creation of communications after they left the hospital. 

Guttmann very early on recognised sport as a means of helping his patients’ physical and mental well-being, to support their integration into society again. He is known for saying, “If I ever did one good thing, it was introducing sport as part of the rehabilitation programme.”

Guttmann organised the first event for wheelchair athletes at Stoke Mandeville in 1948. His sports competitions went from national to international in 1952, and 18 countries participated in the 1956 International Stoke Mandeville Games, as the Paralympics were then called. The Games in Rome in 1960 were hailed as the first Paralympic Games. 
The word Paralympics comes from the Games initially happening in parallel to the Olympic Games.

Dr Guttmann died on the 18th of March 1980, aged 80. His direct style and uncompromising approach enabled him to fight for equality ahead of his time and create a legacy of change for disabled people. Without him, we may not have the Paralympics.

Written by Simon Stiel.

The bust of Dr Guttmann, 2012

The bust of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann was commissioned by the Poppa Guttmann Trust and sculpted by disabled artist Mark Jackson for the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic Games. There are several versions, including a full figure outside the National Spinal Injuries Centre. This one was given to us by the Poppa Guttmann Trust in 2020. You can see a third version in our Heritage Centre. The bust stands as a monument to Ludwig Guttmann as the man who founded the Paralympics as well as a testament to his role in breaking down barriers to disability. 

Written by the Museum Trainees.

Reflection by Thomas McCobb

As a history lover, I particularly like how the bust shows a lifelike likeness to Dr Guttmann and to me acts as a symbol of the Paralympics. It stands as a monument to a great man and his legacy.

Materials: Wood and plaster.
Dimensions: Width 40cm. Height 80cm. Diameter 33cm. 
Weight: 15.3kg.

Co-created audio description

This sculpture is a head-and-shoulders bust of Professor Sir Ludwig Guttmann. It feels chalky or dusty like plaster of Paris. It is off-white and is resting on a square wooden plinth. His shoulders taper down to a point, and he has no arms or back. The plinth is about a foot square; a bit smaller than A4 size; the cube is irregular. It's curved on top; the planes aren't flat; we can feel the grain of the wood. There are some quite deep gouges; we notice the rings in the tree trunk; it's a light oaky colour. It is very heavy but the way the bust comes to a point at the bottom also makes it feel fragile; as if it is balancing on the plinth; it reminds us of Guttmann’s precarious situation when he arrived in the UK as a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany.

Guttmann is wearing a suit and tie. We like the detail of his lapels, especially the way that you can get your fingers under the folds. It's very difficult to create fabric in sculpture; the sculptor has done a good job. We have the sense that the fabric might move; the knot of the tie is intricate; we can put our fingers under the collar. He is wearing glasses made from wire; they are a great touch because the different material makes them really stand out. And it feels like you could take them off. His ears are phenomenally detailed. His head is tilted to one side. He is looking slightly down and to the left. He is not quite smiling but we think he soon will be. He has very deep laughter lines and wrinkles and his cheeks are quite chubby. He has a double chin and a moustache. His nose and forehead are large, and he has hair only on the top of his head. It's receding; maybe slicked back; parted to one side; he has a very distinctive Widow's peak.
 
We can feel how the hair is cut along the back of his neck; there's a bulge of skin between the shirt collar and the hair at the back. His neck is really striking because it's a very different texture from both the hair and the shirt; it is smooth, like a roll of fat. We are very drawn to his not-quite-smile. HIs eyes are very lifelike. We feel like he’s looking at us; following us around the room. He looks kind, stern, trustworthy, gentle, benevolent, businesslike, stubborn, determined and friendly. He looks like he has a story to tell. He is an older gentleman in his late 60s or 70s. 

On the plinth it says Professor Ludwig Guttmann and then “Poppa” in inverted commas. 

This is a model of the life size bronze statue that was made for the Paralympics in London 2012, commissioned by the Guttmann Trust and the Council for Assisting Refugee Academics and created by sculptor Mark Jackson; Jackson was paralysed after a parachute accident. It is now on display at the National Paralympic Heritage Centre. There are several full-scale models like this one, including one at the International Paralympic Committee which is meant to go to each Paralympics.

Kipper catheter, c.1950s

Ludwig Guttmann was keen that the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville was a site of innovation in healthcare. Named as such because it resembled a kipper fish, this catheter collected urine and enabled patients to be freer from infections that had, in the past, resulted in premature death. Under Dr Guttmann's care his patients became more mobile and the independence this encouraged in them meant they were better able to empty the contents of the catheter themselves, increasing their quality of life. 

Written by the Museum Trainees.

Reflection by Ben Laferlla, Adam Navarro and Simon Stiel

The simplicity of this object is appealing to me. It looks so ordinary and yet it made a huge difference to the lives of many. It is also significant to Stoke Mandeville as a place of innovation and progress for the treatment of people with spinal injuries. 

Materials: Plastic, rubber and metal.
Dimensions: Length 18.5cm. Width 6.5cm. 
Weight: 0.175kg.

Co-created audio description

This item feels rubbery and it is cool to the touch. It smells of rubber, too. It is a type of pouch that has an adjustable belt with a buckle around the middle of it. It reminds us of a hot water bottle; it’s about the same size. It’s oval-shaped with a hose at one end and a triangular piece of rubber at the other end. It feels like a piece of medical equipment. We didn’t really like touching it. 

It’s a kind of pale pink, peachy colour. It is a type of urine catheter and collection bag called a Kipper Catheter that was designed at the National Spinal Injuries Centre in the 1950s. It’s called a Kipper Catheter because it looks like a fish. 

The urine is collected through a tube into the bag, and then there is a valve in the triangular part, the tail of the fish, to empty the bag. The belt around the collection bag allows it to be fastened to the leg. 

Before the opening of the National Spinal Injuries Centre in the 1940s, the average life expectancy for someone with a spinal injury was between six weeks and two years. It wasn’t that the injury was necessarily life threatening, but patients were dying from urinary infections and infections resulting from bed sores. Ludwig Guttmann initiated a regime where patients were regularly turned to decrease the likelihood of bed sores and this catheter was invented to allow drainage and collection of urine for people who did not have control of their bladder. This invention also enabled those with a spinal injury to be more independent and to manage their own care. 

When the first wheelchair marathon was being organised in Russia in 1989, the Spinal Injuries Unit received a letter asking for one thousand of these catheters to give to the athletes, because they did not have access to such medical devices. The letter requesting the donation is in the archive, but we do not have any information about whether the catheters were ever sent.  

Dr Guttmann’s Teaching slides, c.1950s

These slides which were used by Dr Guttmann in his teachings also act as recorded history of the people he treated who informed his research. Some examples of the slides in this box illustrate the position of the spinal injury through x-rays showing where on the spine the injury occurred, e.g. paraplegic (lower) and tetraplegic (higher, nearer the neck). 

Written by the Museum Trainees.

Reflection by Thomas McCobb 

I personally like the slides because they show me how medical recording and documenting were carried out in Guttmann’s day as well as the fact that they are the very slides that he used to record and document and share his research.

Materials: Wood and glass.
Dimensions: Width 7.2cm. Length 20cm. Height 7.5cm. 
Weight: 0.910kg.

Audio description

The teaching slides are inside a rectangular wooden box about the size of a small stationary container. It would fit neatly inside your cupped palms. The box is made of wood which feels smooth to the touch. The grain of the wood is visible, and there are patches where the colour of the wood has faded and there are marks that indicate that some tape has been pulled off, causing the wood to lose its colour. The box has the word ‘spinal’ written on one of its sides in a bold black text. The box has metallic thin handles on the short ends that would be used to secure a lid. These handles are about a finger width and about 2mm big in thickness and are shaped like half squares. The box has a yellow post-it note on it that reads ‘medical slides’. Inside the box there are glass teaching slides. These slides are square and smaller than 3 fingers width across. Inside each slide is a rectangular border and inside the borders are the glass images which are about the size of your thumb.

Snooker cue support, c.1960

The snooker cue support was made to aid people who had high-level spinal injuries, which affected their arm and hand control, to support their snooker cues whilst playing. This meant they could pivot the cue to hit the balls. Snooker was a Paralympic sport from Rome 1960 until the Seoul Games in 1988. 

Written by the Museum Trainees.

Reflection by Adam Navarro

The snooker cue support enabled high-level spinal injury patients to participate in snooker matches, a great, simple invention made in the National Spinal Injuries Centre.

Materials: Metal and wood.
Dimensions: Width 4.5cm. Height 9cm. 
Weight: 0.425kg.

Co-created audio description

This quirky oddity came out of a drawer in one of the matron's desks over in the spinal unit. 

It’s about the height of a tennis ball. The base is covered in soft, green felt, similar to the material on a snooker table. It’s polished brass, very cold, circular, and it’s heavy for its size. It’s about 3cm in diameter and it would hurt if you dropped it on your toe. 

It’s pleasing to hold and leaves a metallic smell on your fingers. 

Mounted on top of the base is something made of a different material, quite warm to the touch. It’s wooden in the shape of a U or a horseshoe, with the bottom half of the U filled. This replicates the U shape that’s made when you hold your index finger and thumb apart. Bridging the top is a thick metal staple, about the width of a phone charger wire, that tilts slightly from side to side. It’s reminiscent of the handle of a shopping basket. It’s out of place with the beauty of the rest of the object. Has the staple been replaced several times? Maybe originally it did resemble the base. There could have been a really nice piece across there, and for some reason it got broken and they just replaced it with something more functional.

The contrast of the temperatures is pleasing. The cold metal and the warmer wooden part of the U. It's satisfying to feel them both simultaneously.

When the light falls on the surface of the base you can see circular ridges that remind us of a record for an old fashioned record player. They are very slight. You can feel them with your fingertip. It was made by a craftsman and the ridges possibly result from the machining process. It’s not mass produced. Despite being functional, it still looks ornamental. It reminds us of a chess piece. 

The wood is fastened to the base using a really strong glue. There’s varnish on top, there's a slight shine on the woody grain. The staple and wood have tiny blemishes as a result of use. 
 
It's a snooker cue support for somebody with a high-level spinal injury who would have limited use of their hands. It was made in the engineering centre here. It's very likely this would have been made by one of the patients. The top would stop the cue from coming out if there was a control problem. It's a reflection of the care of the staff and team at the spinal unit, to enable people to do the things they love to do, whether they are going to be professional or not. It's about adapting things. 

It's a really good example of something which was designed as an access tool, but is actually also beautiful.

‘Poppa mug’, date unknown

Sir Ludwig Guttmann is often remembered as being direct in his manner, but he was also described as a father figure by patients, staff and those leading the Paralympic Movement alongside him. There were often disagreements, but he was always respected. This mug is inscribed with his nickname, Poppa, which reflects the worldwide respect that was held for him.

Written by the Museum Trainees.

Reflection by Ben Laferlla, Thomas McCobb and Simon Stiel 

Sir Ludwig Guttmann’s mug is a symbol of the respect people had for him. Despite his change in circumstances due to World War II it did not stop him, perhaps it even motivated him to go on and save the lives of soldiers and civilians. He gave them the same life expectancy as everyone else through his pioneering work on spinal injuries, fighting not only for medical support but also social inclusion. This makes him a true saviour.

Materials: Ceramic.
Dimensions: Width 12cm. Height 12cm. Diameter 9.4cm. 
Weight: 0.420kg.

Audio description

This object is shaped like a standard mug but slightly larger than the average and it features a flared top. The mug has a bit more weight to it than a normal mug. The handle of the mug is about the width of a thumb. The surface of the lower part of the mug has a glazed stipple pattern on the surface which catches the light with a subtle sheen. It is earthy brown in colour. The upper flared section is lighter, a glazed clay colour. There are ridges encircling surface of the mug. The word ‘Poppa’ is heavily engraved on the front of the mug, above which are 3 interlocking wheels, also engraved.

Canadian cap, 1979

Ludwig Guttmann’s cap was a gift from the Canadian Paralympic team in 1979 to celebrate his 80th birthday and thank him for his work in disability sport. 

Written by the Museum Trainees.

Reflection by Thomas McCobb

I really like this cap as it looks very modern and shows that Ludwig Guttmann was greatly admired and loved all over the world for everything that he achieved as well as his personal side. It is a simple and common object and reminds us that he was an ordinary human like all of us, capable of making change happen.

Materials: Fabric.
Dimensions: Width 25cm. Height 12cm. Diameter 20.5cm. 
Weight: 0.060kg.

Audio description

This cap is shaped like a baseball hat. The front part has the visor in cobalt blue, and the white design above the visor or peak, features the text ‘Sir Ludwig written in black, along with the text ‘1979 STOKE MANDEVILLE’ in the same cobalt blue, in a bold font. At both sides of the cobalt blue text is a red design of a Canadian leaf. The back of the cap continues to use the same cobalt blue but it is made from a plastic like net fabric. The peak and white fabric at the front feel soft and smooth while the netting feels plasticky and rough with an uneven texture.

Thank you

Volunteers Lisa Redford and David Reynolds for their contribution to the audio recordings.

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