Socks for stumps

Press, 16 March 1982, Page 38

Socks for stumps

Mr George Craig, aged 77. of Christchurch, with stump socks he has made on one of three machines which make all the stump socks for New Zealand’s 4000 amputees. Mr Craig began making socks for the Rehabilitation League 22 years ago. The task was taken over by’ the Artificial Limbs Centre four years ago. Mr Craig continued working full-time until about a year ago, when he retired. He still returns to the workshop occasionally.

Mr Craig started his working life at 13, as a coal miner in the north of England. In 1926 Mr Craig emigrated to New Zealand and continued as a miner a Runanga. After an accident in a. mine at Lake Coleridge, Mr Craig spent only a few months more in mining before taking up a job making stump socks. ’ Amputees are measured for socks at their local Artificial Limbs Centre and the

measurements are sent to the sock workshop. Most of the sock patterns were made by Mr Craig about 20 years ago. The socks are machine-made using either wool, or wool and orlon. They are made about 10 centimetres longer than required and are sent to Lane Walker Rudkin, Ltd, to be treated — a process that involves shrinkage. Mr Craig is a keen gardener and bowls player, and meets a number of amputees at bowls.