The Day I Found One of Our World War II Blinds Still Working
After more than 30 years in this trade, there aren’t many things that catch me off guard.
We often revisit homes and find blinds we made 10, 20, even 30 years ago still hanging, still working, still doing what they were meant to do.
But this week was different.
I visited a home where the owner had grown up. Before I left, she said:
"I’d like to show you something, one of your old blinds."
I followed her, expecting a blind from the 1990s or early 2000s.
Instead, she revealed a WWII blackout roller blind, perfectly preserved and still functioning.
For a second, I couldn’t speak.
I had heard about us making blinds during the second world war.
This was the first time I had ever seen or touched a blind made by my great-grandparents.
The generation who kept this business going through the war.
The people whose standards, skills and values shaped everything we still do in our Leicester factory today.
To be able to hold something they made with their own hands… it was honestly emotional.
Not many jobs give you moments like that.
I love what I do.
I love where we come from.
And days like this remind me why our history and the craft behind it still matters.
About Phil Coleman
Phil Coleman is the fifth generation of his family to run Barlow Blinds, a Leicester business that has been making blinds since 1887. With over 30 years of hands-on experience, Phil has played a leading role in shaping industry standards including being part of the team that wrote the only NVQ qualification for blind and shutter installers. He also serves on the Management Committee of the British Blind & Shutter Association (BBSA), helping to set best practice across the trade. Under his leadership, Barlow Blinds has remained true to its founding principle: “It’s not our job to find customers for our blinds, it’s our job to find the right blinds for our customers.”
