OUR HERITAGE
A family owned and run business which traces its history back over 5 generations. Discover more about our history and how the business has changed with the times over the past 130 years.
Raymond Wyatt Arnold
Born in 1906 in Southsea, son of Charles Arnold an Ophthalmic Optician himself whom along with his brothers ran a prestigious Chemists and Opticians on the corner of Elm Grove in Southsea. Raymond was a keen golfer, playing in Pro-Am competitions and even beat the great Bobby Locke in competition. Raymond trained by correspondence course and when qualified worked in the family business in Southsea. With his brother (another Charles) he branched out to Petersfield, running rooms initially in Lavant Street, before taking on the lease of the original Exchange Buildings in 1928. The practice was much smaller then only occupying the side which is now the clinical testing equipment side nearest Cubitt & West. During the war Raymond drove ambulances in Portsmouth, whilst his parents moved to Midhurst and rented a cottage to escape the bombing. Whilst volunteering he met Joan, a Petersfield girl, who had trained in nursing, and they eventually married. Raymond passed away in 1974 passing the business onto his son Richard whom had qualified in Ophthalmic Optics in 1966.
Richard Charles Arnold
Richard Arnold was born in 1944 and followed in his fathers footsteps by training as an Ophthalmic Optician at City & Islington University, London. He qualified in 1965 and having worked in Steyning for a short period joined his father in Petersfield in 1966. Not letting the grass grow under his feet and with a significant input from wife Margaret, they expanded their practices to include Midhurst (Initially in partnership with John Phillips) and then Cowplain.
The partnership grew the Petersfield practice also, taking on the lease of the next door unit and doubling the size of the practice, and then once more took on the lease of the third unit making the practice, spacious and with a traditional yet modern feel. Richard has always been into the advances of Technology. Early as a High Street Optician in taking on technologies such as Optomap and OCT scanning which has meant that the practices have always been ahead in terms of their clinical understanding of their clients ocular health.
Richard retired in 2016, and has been enjoying his love of motorsport and gardening. He maintains a ever constant presence in the background offering support and advice to the practice, although he has given up his GOC registration so won't be back testing eyes.
Charles P G Arnold
Born in 1972 Charles took a different route initially from the family tradition and studied 'Fine Art & The History of Art and Design' for his first degree. Having always been brought up around the family business he gravitated towards it post graduation. Training as a Dispensing Opticians by correspondence Charles qualified and eventually took up the role in Petersfield and then Cowplain, running Cowplain for many years with Andrew Billington (Optometrist). Eventually Charles worked between and Midhurst, when in 2009 he purchased the two practices away from the family business, setting up Arnolds Opticians Ltd. When Richard Arnold retired the opportunity arose to join the Petersfield practice again, now Charles is director of the two companies. Taking off from Richards lead on technology, the practices all now enjoy the same levels of tech, all having Optomap, OCT and now Petersfield has DNEye scanning, whilst Midhurst and Petersfield have digital measuring devices called Impressionist towers aiding the dispensing teams to provide greater accuracy in all their measurements.
The Videos above show spectacle lens manufacturing across the ages and shows the advances in technologies over the years. Each very familiar with the generations of the family. The first shows lens manufacture from the 50's, the second late 60's and the third shows Rodenstock's latest Freeform lens generation. Interestingly there are still very labour intensive processes to the most modern of lens manufacture. Charles visited the Klatovy site in 2019 where Rodenstock manufacture much of the lenses for European market, they still employ more then 1000 people in their production plant, with much of the final quality control being done by hand and human eye.
Working with family.
Sarah Arnold
Sarah Arnold has been working along side the family management team as an Optometrist. She is highly skilled and committed to Optometry. She has held a number of other roles outside of the company also. She has been senior lecturer at Portsmouth University and was instrumental in help design the Optometry Degree. She was put forward for University Lecturer of the year which she narrowly missed out on. Sarah also writes articles for the Optical press and has joined forces with Debbie Young to provide DSE screening software and clinical expert witness services. Sarah continues to be one of the most valuable assets to the company and is extremely popular to the clients she sees.
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