More than percentages
A pension ledger may list a wound, an award and a dependant. Read together with employer references and household accounts, it shows how disability affected hours, transport and family labour.
Awards changed. Seasonal pain, new employment and medical examination could increase or reduce payment. The ledger records administrative judgement, not a permanent medical truth.
Dependants and care
Mothers, wives and children appear as eligible dependants. Their own paid work often remains invisible, so ledgers should be checked against local employment records.
Appeals
Appeal papers are especially useful because applicants had to explain practical limits. Those explanations can be more revealing than diagnosis alone.
Where to look next
The discharge study shows one man’s route through certificates, while newspaper criticism helps test public claims.