Lil Stockdale

(Please note: the term ‘spastic’ is used in the names of organisations in the following article. Dr Eric McPherson explains its use: ‘In the 1960s “spastic” was used to describe a person with cerebral palsy (…). The term “spastic” eventually became politically incorrect and began generally to be used in a pejorative and derogatory way, so much so that it was thought necessary for ‘The Spastic Society’ to change its name to ‘Scope.’  ‘The Altrincham & District Spastic Society’ became ‘Stockdales of Sale, Altrincham and District’ in 2003.)

Many people will have driven past Stockdales on Harboro Road in Sale and wondered about its name. They would probably be pleased to hear that the place is named after Lil Stockdale, a resident of Sale who made an enormous difference in many people’s lives. 

Lily Davies was born on 7 September 1905 in Chorlton. She married Francis Stockdale in Stretford in June 1930. The 1939 register indicates they were living at 67 Barnfield Crescent in Sale. Lil became Sale’s first Liberal Councillor after the war, representing St Martin’s Ward.

Lil raised money for various charities throughout her life. She is probably best remembered for her determination to create a centre dedicated to the needs of children with cerebral palsy and their families, by her own efforts and by her legendary ability to persuade people, including well-known ‘names’, to work for or support the organisation.

In the 1950s, the ‘Sale Spastics Parents’ Group’ was formed with the intention of raising money and starting a clinic where children could play together, get to know each other and obtain treatment. This group, which met at the Sale Child Welfare Centre, went through a number of name changes. By 1954 it was called the ‘Sale Branch of the National Spastics Society’. The founder had to move away from Sale for work reasons and she managed to persuade Lil to take on the role of Chairman. Lil immediately set about re-organising the committee, creating the post of Welfare Secretary to liaise with children and parents. She also persuaded a number of medical professionals to become involved, including William Sayle-Creer, an eminent orthopaedic surgeon who became President of the Society. His presence meant that volunteer physiotherapists were able to offer the children physiotherapy at what was now a clinic, thus avoiding trips to hospital.

By 1955, the clinic had opened up to children from Wythenshawe and this resulted in the need to obtain larger premises. Lil and two of the physiotherapists arranged for the clinic to operate from Timperley Welfare Centre, on Park Road. The organisation was now called the ‘Sale, Altrincham and District Spastics Society’.

Lil’s next project was for the Society to purchase its own premises: this was ‘Pictor House’ at 30 Harboro Road, Sale. It was bought in 1958 with a loan of £2,500 from the ‘National Spastic Society’ and a grant of £2,500. The new clinic, which opened one day a week, catered for children from Manchester, Sale, Altrincham, Hale and Knutsford. At the time, all staff were volunteers, but in 1960 the introduction of paid staff enabled Lil to reduce her presence at the centre.

Under Lil’s guidance the centre was extended in 1960, becoming known as the ‘Lil Stockdale Centre for Spastics’. The clinic was now opening three days a week plus Saturday mornings and catered for around 30 children. Lil was aware of the stress that some of the families of children with cerebral palsy were under and she wished to offer parents the occasional ‘night off’. In 1961, the residential Night Care Service was opened. At the time, Pictor House was the only place in the country offering children these overnight stays.

As the centre developed, it offered specialist teaching for all the children who attended, with links established to local schools, colleges and companies. Lil continued be active at the centre, carrying out administration roles and helping to prepare meals. The widening scope and high standard of work of the centre was soon “nationally recognised as one of the premier innovators and practitioners in the field of education and care of cerebral palsied children” according to Dr Eric McPherson who wrote a booklet to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of Stockdales. 

Lil was a determined fundraiser and managed to persuade well known stars of the period to support the centre. Celebrities such as Pat Phoenix and Violet Carson of Coronation Street were recruited, as was Richard Hearne, known to children of the 50s and 60s as ‘Mr Pastry’. He raised funds for a hydrotherapy pool for the centre and the local Variety Club was persuaded to provide a minibus.

Demand for services was so high, that it was decided to purchase the property next door to Pictor House, number 32 Harboro Road, which would become a school. Pictor School was opened by the Earl of Derby on 5 October 1970.

Lil continued to be concerned for the welfare of parents of children with cerebral palsy. She was aware that relationships could be subject to stress and even break-up when parents were coping with a severely handicapped child. She was determined that the society should help to prevent this and pushed for funds to buy 34 Harboro Road, in order to provide a fully-residential short-stay home. The acquisition was not straightforward, but eventually, after a fraught and complicated process, the Residential Centre was opened in 1973.

At this point Lil decided to resign from active participation in the work of the society. Dr McPherson described how “she had without any doubt been the inspiration and driving force of the society’s activities for 19 years since she took over the chairmanship”. Lil’s connection to the society did not end there however – she remained President of the Altrincham and District Spastics Society until her death.

Lil died at her home on Cecil Avenue on 1 June 1980 after a lifetime of service to others. Her legacy is Stockdales, whose wonderful work continues today, supporting adults and children with learning disabilities throughout Manchester.

Sources

Stockdales

Dr Eric McPherson: 60 Years of Service: The History of Stockdales 1953-2013, (2013)

'Obituary’, The Messenger, 6 June 1980, p.12

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