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Lorna Ina Ranby

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Lorna Ina Ranby (8 December 1913 – 4 March 1997) was a New Zealand advocate for children with intellectual disabilities. She was born in Ashburton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 8 December 1913.

The Governor-General of New Zealand awarded Lorna the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1959 “for services in the interests of intellectually handicapped children”.[1]

Lorna built what became the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and King Country branches of IHC New Zealand. The IHC is New Zealand's largest provider of services to children with intellectual disabilities and their families.

New Zealand's first hostel and long-term facility for people with intellectual disabilities were named after her son Christopher in honour of her work.

Christopher was born with an intellectual disability following a brain haemorrhage.

History[edit]

1945: Christopher[edit]

Lorna and husband Beart had three children: Christopher, Paul and Allison.

Their eldest son Christopher was born on 7 June 1945 in Christchurch, with an intellectual disability. He had a brain haemorrhage due to a lack of oxygen at birth.[2] Christopher could not speak but was able to communicate. [3] Doctors said Christopher would not live beyond 20. (He died in his sleep aged 72). [3] They told the Ranbys to put Christopher in a psychopaedic hospital and forget about him. [3] At the time, society kept children with intellectual disabilities away from the public.[4] Instead, Lorna and Beart chose to raise their son like any other child on their small 136-acre dairy farm at Waitoa. [3]

One of Paul’s earliest memories is of Lorna speaking to another parent on the phone. “She said, ‘We have to bring our children out into society and public view and stop hiding them away’.” He says his parents did not seek the limelight. However, their determination to get better support for Christopher and other children "propelled his parents into public roles they were not entirely comfortable with."[4]

1949: South Auckland Branch of the IHCPA[edit]

Lorna and Beart Ranby investigated what support was available to children with intellectual disabilities.[5]

They signed a petition to Parliament asking for action in the formulation of a school for children with intellectual disabilities.[5]

In 1949, Harold and Margaret Anyon launched the Intellectually Handicapped Children and Parents Association (IHCPA) with a branch in Wellington.[5]

The Ranbys attended the inaugural meeting of the Auckland branch of the Intellectually Handicapped Children and Parents Association (IHCPA).[5] Following conversations with Harold Anyon, Lorna took steps to organise the South Auckland area.[5]

The IHCPA went through a number of name changes, finally becoming the IHC New Zealand Inc in 1994.[6] IHC is New Zealand’s largest provider of intellectual disability services.

In 1950, Lorna put advertisements in local papers calling for a meeting of parents of children with intellectual disabilities to meet at the Red Cross rooms in Hamilton.[5] On 14 August 1950, the South Auckland branch of the IHCPA held its inaugural meeting. The branch covered from the Bombay Hills to south of Turangi, to east of the Bay of Plenty, and from Huntly in the north to Taumarunui in the South.[5] It included what would become the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and King Country branches of the IHC.

Lorna rented a car and travelled long distances across the region building branches, creating occupational groups and fundraising committees.[5][3] She helped form sub-branches in 33 towns.[3] Lorna's son Paul told the NZ Herald he believed the national office in Wellington may have been concerned by how fast the branch was growing.[4] Lorna lobbied mayors, Ministers, councillors, civil society, and women's groups.[5][3] Paul describes copies of her speeches as “eloquent, decisive, passionate’.[4]

The South Auckland branch elected Lorna as president from 1950 – 1953.[5][3] Following her first terms as president, she was given “authority to render any service that was warranted to parents and children”.[5] She remained a vital driver of the branch, was active on formal committees and was re-elected president in 1960 – 1961.[5][3] Between 1953 and 1956 Lorna served two terms on the IHC New Zealand Committee.[5][3]

The South Auckland branch awarded Lorna life membership.[5] She was awarded life membership of the national body after being nominated by “no less than three” branches”.[5]

Ross Murray, South Auckland IHCPA branch life member, quotes one of Lorna’s presidential annual reports:

"May god give to each one of us a tender understanding heart, so that we may be enabled to enter into the care of others and hope to bring a measure of comfort to them."[5]

1953: Government Consultative Committee[edit]

In 1952, Lorna played an instrumental role in developing a landmark submission to the Government Consultative Committee. The IHC described her participation as showing “exceptional ability and conscientiousness”.[5] The submission resulted in significant changes for people with intellectual disabilities.[5]

1954: Christopher House[edit]

In the 50s, the Government provided no housing, support or assistance for families with children with intellectual disabilities.[5]

At a meeting on 7 June 1952, £700 were promised for a hostel and education.[7]

On 24 April 1954, the IHC opened the first social housing for people with intellectual disabilities in New Zealand. The branch named the Grey St hostel "Christopher House" in honour of Lorna's work for her son. The Hamilton house provided short-stay accommodation to “give parents a breather”. [3] The hostel was opened by National Party MP and Minister of Welfare of Women and Children, Dame Hilda Ross, who had been a strong supporter of Lorna’s efforts.[7] Lorna was the inaugural chairperson.[5]

At the time, the Mental Health Act (1954) stopped people with intellectual disabilities from living in hostels. The act allowed short stay homes with living up to eight weeks, but not hostels.[7] When Christopher House opened, Lorna sat on the steps of the hostel waiting for the police to arrest her. They never arrived. [3]

The house and education was run by parents without the support of the Government.[5]

Christopher House was the first home owned by Accessible Properties. Accessible Properties, a wholly owned subsidiary of the IHC, is New Zealand's largest social housing provider.[8]

1959: MBE[edit]

In 1959, the Governor-General of New Zealand awarded Lorna the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The MBE was for “services in the interests of intellectually handicapped children”.

1963: Christopher Park[edit]

In 1963, the IHC opened Christopher Park in Hamilton. Christopher Park was the organisation’s first long-term specialist care facility for children. D D Wilson, a local farmer and vet who was "friendly" with the Ranbys, gifted the land.[9] The facility had 32-beds and a workshop, providing respite care and other social services.[9] The park closed in 1989 when the public no longer considered institutions appropriate.[4] After 1989, people with disabilities lived in the community. [3]

1971: Retirement[edit]

In 1971, Lorna and Beart moved from their Waitoa farm to Auckland taking Christopher with them. Lorna continued in a consulting role for the Auckland branches of the IHC.

In 1981, the family moved to Matua, Tauranga but no longer played an active role in the organisation.

When Lorna and Beart could no longer care for Christopher, he went into residential care with IDEA Services (IHC) in Pukekohe. [3]

1997: Lorna's death[edit]

Lorna Ranby died on 4 March 1997, aged 82.[10]

2017: Christopher's death[edit]

Christopher spent the last five years of his life at the Selwyn Heights Hospital wing in Hillsborough, Auckland. He defied a doctor's prediction that he would not live beyond 20, living to 72. Christopher died peacefully in his sleep on 20 November 2017.[3]

References[edit]

  1. New Zealand list: "No. 41591". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1958. pp. 41–44.
  2. "Reunion for iconic facility", The Te Awamutu Courier, p7, 5 August 2010. Retrieved on 29 August 2018.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Yeoman, Scott. "Christopher Ranby, the man who lived 52 years longer than doctors expected", New Zealand Herald, 3 December 2017. Retrieved on 29 August 2018.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Christopher left a remarkable legacy", Community Moves, p7 & 14, February 2018. Retrieved on 29 August 2018.
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 Murray, Ross. "The history of the IHC in the South Auckland region 1949-1988 and of the South Waikato Branch 1987-1999", p38, 2000.
  6. "Foundation of the IHC", NZHistory.govt.nz, Retrieved on 29 August 2018.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Millen, Julia. “Breaking Barriers: The IHC's First 50 Years”, [IHC], Wellington, 1999.
  8. "Accessible properties welcomes new tenants in Hamilton", 7 March 2016. Retrieved on 29 August 2018.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Christopher park" Retrieved on 29 August 2018.
  10. Kerr, Peter. “Founder of Bay IHC dies” in Bay of Plenty Times", 19 March 1997.


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