Hidden history at Beech House
Stoke Park was potentially ahead of its time
A book published in 1911 advertises the extent of the holistic provision provided for children including schooling, recreation and occupational work experience. At this time there were some 78 boys and 211 girls resident.
The Education Act (1918)
The 1918 Education Act made schooling for all disabled children compulsory. It was a very significant piece of legislation. By 1921, there were more than 300 institutions for blind, deaf, 'crippled', tubercular, and epileptic children.
It was often thought that children with disabilities were better off away from their families. This was considered kind to both the family and the child. So, even though a small number of disabled children stayed in mainstream education, many left home to have permanent residential care and schooling.
These schools often focused on low-skilled work training rather than full education, and many educational regimes were harsh and highly disciplinarian. Parental visits were discouraged, and letters home were censored.
One of our visitors remembers being 16 and having a Saturday job at the children’s hospital at Stoke Park in the 1970s. She recalls there were alternating matrons on duty. On the mornings when the matron was in charge, her job was to stand with a single flannel and wipe the faces of the children clean as they filed by. When the younger, more progressive matron was in charge, each child had a flannel, and her job was to help them do it themselves.
Over time within institutions such as Stoke Park broader societal shifts were made to better understand and support children with disabilities, although much progress remained to be made.
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