Page 30 - Community Living Magazine 33-4

moments in history
The words of the voiceless preserved

In 1991, clinical psychologist Maggie Potts and researcher humiliating conditions, beatings,
Rebecca Fido published a pioneering work of oral history told prolonged solitary confinement and
medication with laxatives or sedatives.
by people living in an institution. Susanna Shapland reports Some of these strictures were presented

as inducements to favourable conduct but
were part of an arbitrary informal system
Fit Person to be Removed: Personal of punishment that contributors revealed
Accounts of Life in a Mental could be meted out for anything from
A Deficiency Institution was the result swearing to incontinence to feeling too
of a three-year project interviewing eight depressed to eat.
men and nine women who had spent
most of their lives in Meanwood Park Taken seriously at last
Hospital (the Park) near Leeds, a long-stay As the book progressed, Potts and Fido
institution established as a “mental- shared regular readings of their work with
deficiency colony” in 1920. the contributors.
The authors, clinical psychologist The whole process of being listened to
Maggie Potts and researcher Rebecca and having what they had to say taken
Fido, believed that academic studies of Meanwood Park Hospital: “It’s not true what was seriously proved cathartic and
learning disability had until then been written,” one former patient said empowering for the interviewees, with
preoccupied with institutions and some expressing greater emotion as the
legislation, meaning that the erstwhile physical disabilities) to displaying a lack of interviews and readings went on, and
residents of these places were being general knowledge. Those whose families increasing confidence in the importance
excluded from their own histories when could not support them because of the of sharing their stories.
they had valuable contributions to make death of a carer or financial hardship were Although at times these memories
and a desire to share their experiences. also more likely to find themselves going provoked distress, there was a sense that:
The closure of long-stay hospitals, through the certification process. “I just like people to know so they can
including the Park, gave an added impetus The reality of their experience stands in realise what it was we’ve had to go
to gather the oral histories of its residents contrast to the narrative of the official through. It’s not true what was written
while this was still possible. These documents. Through their testimony, the down! They did it just to keep us locked
reminiscences form the basis of A Fit boredom and loneliness of those branded up, so that people would think we’re
Person to be Removed, a study that “lower grade” and largely confined to mental!” (page 139).
sought to contribute to the history of the their “villa” (ward) were laid bare, as well From the authors’ point of view, the
Park through the memories and as the injustice felt at the strict exercise emphasised not only the
experiences of its residents. segregation of the sexes. importance of hearing about institutional
Those who contributed had spent life from those who had actually lived it,
between 25 and 63 years there – on Reality and the rat-catcher but also the necessity of using their
average 47 years. Five of the group were The contrast is highlighted between the testimony to shape the future.
described as having “severe physical official guidance that staff should build Written at a time of huge change in the
handicaps”, and three required interpretive trust with patients and parents and the care system, A Fit Person to Be Removed
help from friends during the interviews. reality that, for instance, the executive showed what life was like in the Park –
officer who rounded up likely candidates and, indeed, after the Park – for these
A different story for certification was widely feared and individuals, with both good experiences
Through their recollections, an alternative referred to as “the rat-catcher”. and bad. and stressed the need to
history of the Park unfolds. It reveals the The annual reports also boasted of the acknowledge the continuities in systems
arbitrary and callous reality of the many entertainments available at the and attitudes rather than just dismissing
certification process that brought 16 of Park, but did not record that the showing them as belonging to another era. By
them to the of films on site actually curtailed the doing so, they hoped to avoid the
institution then independence of the more trusted mistakes of the past. n
prevented them residents, preventing them from going off
from leaving. site to the local cinema, nor that the films Further reading
Reasons for selected were often old and unpopular, Meanwood Park. Digital archive. www.
certification nor that some of the more physically meanwoodpark.co.uk
ranged from social disabled residents were left out of these Fido R, Potts M (1989) “It’s not true what
was written down!” Experiences of life in a
transgression entertainments altogether. mental handicap institution. Oral History.
(having a child out More disturbingly, the annual reports 17(2):31-34 Chemical Engineer/Wikimedia Commons
of wedlock) to did not say the withdrawal of these Potts M, Fido R (1991) “A Fit Person to be
communication entertainments was part of a punishment Removed”: Personal Accounts of Life in a
skills (especially system that included withholding money Mental Deficiency Institution. Plymouth:
for those with and leave, hard physical labour in Northcote House Publishers

30 Vol 33 No 4 | Summer 2020 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk