Sheila Bingham

"For example, I went into a shop, shoe shop, I wanted a pair of shoes. My daughter and grandson was with me. I was pushing the grandson in the pram, he was only tiny, and I said, ‘Can I have that pair of shoes in the window?’ and the lady went to Sylvia, not to me, and said ‘Do you realise, does your mum realise, those shoes are for men?’ and Sylvia said ‘Ask her.’She was talking as if I wasn’t there...”  Sheila Bingham

Born 24 July 1931
 
Educated Marple High School, Nottingham; Wilfred Pickles School; People’s College for Education in Nottingham

Sheila Bingham Tape 1 Listen here:
Born in 1931 at home in Ecklington. Not expected to survive the night. At ten months went to Manchester specialist Dr Page. Not expected to learn to walk or talk but toddled when given doll’s pram aged three, then callipers... 00:31:15

Sheila Bingham Tape 2 Listen here:
Lake District market garden: gathering vegetables, helping on stall when it was busy. No-one accepting her for work with children. Interview for nursery nurse training failed as not handled baby less than six months; nor had... 00:30:29

Sheila Bingham Tape 3 Listen here:
1950s assessed by the Department of Employment and sent to a government-run experimental research station near Preston to do gardening. Stayed in digs and met David who she worked with every day. He left to become a teacher... 00:27:39

Sheila Bingham Tape 4 Listen here:
Married in 1963. Moved to a new home in Tadley, near Basingstoke. David got new teaching job. Planned to have a family and got pregnant straight away. Hospital found it hard to deal with disabled expectant mother. Baby girl... 00:30:02

Sheila Bingham Tape 5 Listen here:
Visited London Hilton in 1987 to receive award for long service for ‘Stepping Stones’, Doncaster. Sheila presented flowers to Duchess of Kent. Awards from computer manufacturers were also given to people who had... 00:31:07

Sheila Bingham Tape 6 Listen here:
Born at home four days early, 7 lb 3 oz. Nurse normally present had night off. Parents told by doctors to forget baby. Nurse showed confidence in mother’s ability to cope; baby taken home a week later. Parents never spoke to SB... 00:31:03

Sheila Bingham Tape 7 Listen here
Difficulties in early years of Nottingham 62 Club, including trip to Douglas Zoo: no facilities provided. Child’s pushchair offered for an overweight man. Help of St John’s ambulance workers and loan of wheelchairs from local... 00:30:10

Sheila Bingham Tape 8 Listen here:
After 2½ years at Wilfred Pickles School (WPS), SB enrolled by her mother at college in Nottingham in order to O and A levels. Difficulties faced, e.g. need to catch up with work as started college late. Wrote about trip to... 00:26:44

Sheila Bingham Tape 9 Listen here:
Involvement at Doncaster in Spastics Society, such as organising fairs. Committee included Margaret Baxter; also parents and other carers of people with CP; initially SB the only member who had CP. Encounters with discrimination... 00:31:19

Sheila Bingham Tape 10 Listen here
SOS award ceremony. SB helped by Blue Peter’s Sarah Greene, who also received award. Noel Edmonds and Bob Monkhouse present. Presentation of flowers to Duchess of Kent at Scope AGM in Hilton Hotel with Sue Endicott. Attendan... 00:30:55

Sheila Bingham Tape 11 Listen here:
Second World War: declaration during family holiday in Welsh campsite. Father’s shocked reaction. Recalls seeing and hearing German planes and bombs over Manchester. Father (air-raid warden) spotted bomb falling near Kinders... 00:31:22

Sheila Bingham Tape 12 Listen here:
Sheila relates that she resisted running after a naughty child. She sat quietly and seized opportunity to grab as he passed. Books thrown on floor twice by another naughty child. Next time, Sheila quietly suggested he... 00:03:24

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