Anne Pridmore

"So I taught myself to get in and out of bed. It was quite dangerous because I was in the wheelchair, I had to stand up and hold on to the bedrail, swing round, and I had to lift my legs into bed, and it would take five or more attempts to get them in. Anyway it was better than being dictated to, so mostly I would let them come and get me undressed, but then I’d go to bed when I wanted to, but it was difficult to have any sort of social life, well it was impossible.” Anne Pridmore

Born 29 October 1939
 
Educated school for "physically handicapped" at Bromley Hall

Anne Pridmore  Tape 1 Listen here:
Born in 1939 in Stockport. First child. Difficult birth. Visits to health professionals: professor of brain surgery, physiotherapists, orthopaedic hospital for about 18 months aged five. Learning to walk. Splints... 00:31:25

Anne Pridmore  Tape 2 Listen here:
Fell into river with three-wheeler. Wearing out shoes because of dragging feet. Keeping hens in wartime. Food. Pocket money of half a crown. Going to the cinema. Youth clubs. College for disabled people in Devon. ... 00:31:24

Anne Pridmore  Tape 3 Listen here:
In hospital at age five for 18 months. Plaster of Paris splints. Wearing callipers with two walking sticks. Special school emphasis on physiotherapy and getting children to walk. Returned to mainstream education... 00:31:17

Anne Pridmore  Tape 4 Listen here:
At 44, Anne had to organise care from a hairdresser who was paid £12 a week. The district nurse would come between 8pm and midnight. Difficulty getting in and out of bed. On income support. Rigid care plan. Getting around... 00:29:56

Anne Pridmore  Tape 5 Listen here:
Disability politics. Moved to the Leicester Centre for Integrated Living and got involved as a representative for the British Council of Disabled People for five years before becoming chair of the BCoDP. Rachel Hurst from... 00:31:25

Anne Pridmore  Tape 6 Listen here:
Six-month trial periods for PAs. One woman had a problem with standing transfers. Travel all over Europe. In Scandinavian countries no 24-hour care funding unless on life support. Croatia has Direct Payments. Organisations for ... 00:31:23

Anne Pridmore  Tape 7 Listen here:
Good self-image due to her mother’s nurturing. At school, the only disabled child but rarely excluded. Left school at 14 to go to business school. Until 1984, when her husband left her, she had no contact with any other ... 00:31:20

Anne Pridmore  Tape 8 Listen here:
Adopted sister visited twice in 20 years. Wedding became a “tragic but brave” newspaper story. Has lived in old people’s accommodation since the age of 23. Full care package. Increased involvement in the disabled movement ... 00:31:20

Download the transcript of the Anne Pridmore interview (PDF, 524kb)