Remembering a most remarkable resident

THERE will be few people nowadays who are familiar with the devastating effect of the ‘polio’ virus, and even fewer people who could conceive having to live imprisoned inside an ‘iron lung’ which breathed for them, if paralysed by this cruel disease back in the 1950s.

As the new beat bobby for Wash Common in the 1970s, I was amazed to be told that part of my duties was to be on the emergency call out list to manually pump such a machine for one of the residents on my beat in the event of a power cut – and thus I met the amazing Doris Page at 39 Essex Street, Wash Common.

Unable to lift even a finger and relying on a machine for every breathe, Doris had taken on a world which had decided that disabled people had no right to a home life or family, had campaigned tirelessly from inside her ‘carapace’ and changed not only the medical view of her limitations to live successfully at home, but changed the law and availability of disability benefits to support such people in their own environment – which until her ground-breaking efforts had been denied to anyone whose incapacity doomed them to life in an institution.

She completed a degree in journalism and drawing on her own experience, wrote extensively for many local and national papers and journals, published two books and in 1968 was awarded an MBE for her campaigning for disabled people.

In the 1960s there was growing interest in space travel and ‘astronauts’ whose life depended on machines to breath in space and Doris founded a magazine for those who also needed a machine to breath for medical reasons, coining the inspirational title The Responaut.

Newbury Town Council now have a well established ‘heritage blue plaque’ scheme to recognise Newbury people who have made significant contributions to the world around them – and conscious that such recipients are often perceived as bewhiskered white middle-aged men, I was proud and pleased to submit Doris’ name for such recognition, and delighted for her and her family – and the many thousands of people whose lives her efforts made immeasurably better – that it was accepted.

The mayor of Newbury will be unveiling her plaque at 1pm on Thursday, May 5, at her old home – from where she changed the world – 39 Essex Street, Wash Common.

Anyone who knew her or has an interest in the rights and issues of disabled people is welcome to come and show their support. DAVE STUBBS

Wash Common