Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Politician's wife severely paralysed in the IRA Brighton bombing, known for her resilience and work with victims of sudden injuries.
On the island
Eight records
Our first record is Glen Miller and String of Pearls, which is just a marvellous time for dancing, albeit not with my husband. He's not a dancer. Glen Miller and String of Pearls just brings back lots of happy memories of youth.
The Magic Flute: Ach, ich fühl's
Ah, this is Kiri singing the aria from the magic flute. And this gives me great memories of one last night of the proms which she invited us to, and that was a splendid night up.
Earther Kit, Just an Old Fashioned Girl, which was one of our first very few records that we had. And I can always remember we still laugh about it now, we've still got the record. And we're playing it at different speeds. And the fact that you could get really long, low, slow Earth a kit and then a really high pitch as well as a delightful singing as well. And it always reminds me of mad times when you're very broke but very happy.
Morning Has Broken, I think, um, Cat Stevens, which is a marvellous song, and during the time I was in hospital this was one of the songs that frequently came back into my mind.
Harry Seecomer, who I admire terrifically, actually, and his voice as well as personality. And God be in my head, I think I might need it.
The Band of the Coldstream Guards
Ah, the trumpet voluntaries. This is really as a reminder of all those marvellous royal occasions, particularly the one in Westminster Hall, the Silver Jubilee celebrations. A fantastic experience.
Ah, Frank's sonata and my wife. Well, I mean, it's self-explanatory, really, isn't it?
NocturneFavourite
Julian lied Weber with the cello because it's gentle. Soothing. Also William did start to play the cello, so it would be a reminder of what he ought to have um perhaps stayed at a bit longer.
In conversation
Presenter asks
1:29Do you blame anybody for the position in which you find yourself?
No, I don't think I blame people. I don't completely forget or forgive. But one has to completely look forward.
Presenter asks
1:44Was that [positive] attitude from the beginning, or have you had to work towards that attitude?
No, I think really from the very beginning I was angry, but not angry enough at times. … I found it quite hard to be angry'cause I was just I felt hanging on to life at that point and hadn't got any excess energy to devote to anger. And you could always see people in a spinal unit far worse off than you were.
Presenter asks
3:20Has there ever been a moment or perhaps several when you felt that you might give in to it all and go under?
At times, I felt quite depressed. And if I'd felt that I couldn't communicate with people, I know I would have ended my life if I could have done. … It's the fact that you can still speak and feel and love and live, albeit not quite like I would sometimes like to live.
The keepsakes
The book
The Royal Horticultural Society magazines bound with Hillier's Dictionary of Plants
and that would keep me occupied, and I could really read it from cover to cover, which I swear I'll do, and never seem to get round to it.
Presenter asks
5:16What mobility do you have, Lady Tebbit?
Yes, I can take my weight through my legs if I'm supported and held well. I can move my legs in bed. I can kick my husband now, which is great help. I can move my arms. I can take drinks and I can pick up some things as long as they're not too heavy.
Presenter asks
8:15The dependency that you have on other people must be deeply frustrating.
It is. I think that's the hardest thing actually. I can't get to bed on my own or get up on my own or get my own meal or anything like that.
Presenter asks
18:14What was the first you knew [of the Brighton bomb]?
I sleep very deeply and I can remember the curtains blowing and loud wind and things as as I thought and then um this enormous um crash. and sort of Norman grabbing my hand and we just fell. and landed with the mattress over my back, I think. And I was sort of in the sort of fetal position, you know, sort of hands and feet almost touching, and a terrific amount of weight on my shoulders with rubble and things sort of falling on me, and just that sort of sensation of, well, just being crushed, really.
“I felt far worse about [being mentally ill]... I'm happy and I'm balanced now, and I know what it is to feel unbalanced and to feel absolutely desperate.”
“I knew my shoulders were killing me, and that's really where the worst in injury has been for me. You know, you feel a lot of pain at the beginning, but then when I couldn't feel any pain, I realized what had happened.”
“I do think you're a bit of a social misfit in a wheelchair. Very difficult for some people to find, even if their house is perfectly suitable and you know it is, um who find it very difficult.”