Transcript

PHIL

Bernadette was born on the 3rd of September, 1950. That was in Watford. I was just over two at that stage, so my memories of that period are a bit scamp, but yeah, two year's difference between us.

I believe my mum went back to the maternity hospital for just a checkup with Bernadette. And she was told that Bernadette was Mongoloid because that was the reference then. And that was quite a shock. And there was no support at that time. So she was told just go home, but put Bernadette in a home, get on with your life, and think no more about it.

So she left the hospital in the total daze and wandered around the town not knowing what to do, nearly walked into the road. And by some miracle, her sister found her and took charge of her, took her home. But that was it. That was how she was told-- and the total lack of support at that time.

Her brothers and sisters were very supportive and were all through their lives of Bernie. And Bernie was just one of the family. Bernadette ended up in Cell Barnes for a period. Now Cell Barnes was a home for Down syndrome and others with learning difficulties. Mum had just had my brother, and I think it was trying to cope with that that they-- it wasn't quite like respite care. I think Bernadette went in to Cell Barnes. And she was there for about eight weeks.

We used to visit once a week, always seemed to be Sunday afternoon. It always seemed to be beautiful weather. The Cell Barnes had lovely grounds, like Parkland. And we used to walk, and have a picnic, or sit in the grass and play all together. And so that was that image, but that contrasted then with when we had to leave.

I have the image of Bernadette being held by a nurse, and just arms outstretched, wanted to come with us. And you see there 60-odd-years on, that's still quite a traumatic memory. I think we coped with that for about eight weeks. And Dad said no, can't deal with that. That's no life for Bernadette, it's no life for us. And so Bernadette came home. And then the next issue was to face the issue of education.