Ian Stanton

Ian Stanton (1950-1998) was described in his obituary in The Guardian as the disabled people's movement's "premier singer-songwriter and best-loved activist. His ironic lyrics encapsulated the humour as well as the anger underlying the civil rights struggle of disabled people, and his songs enlivened the public demonstrations ... in town centres across England." He performed his music across the UK and internationally, as well as being an actor on stage and national TV. He worked at the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People as the editor of the Coalition magazine.

Early years and family

Ian Stanton was born in Oldham in October 1950, and educated at the local grammar school. His first jobs were as a printer, which he worked at until developing Berger’s Disease in the 1970s, which led to the amputation of both his legs.[1]

After his time recovering in hospital he went to QEF, Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for the Disabled, a rehabilitation college in Surrey, where he reportedly became the first disabled person to be expelled, which was for producing a newsletter, The Tuppenny Terrible, that was highly critical of the college.[1][2]

On 14 February 1994 at Oldham Register Office he married Audrey Savage, a co-worker at the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People.[3][1] He had one step-son.

Work

After leaving the Queen Elizabeth's Foundation college and returning to live in Oldham, his interest in writing continued when he went to New Vale House, a day centre where he established a newsletter in 1984 which again was highly critical of the organisation.[1][2]

He was employed by the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People in 1986 to be their first Information Worker, and he soon established its journal or magazine - Coalition - which gained a national reputation for the quality of its coverage of disabled people's politics. He also produced a regular Information Sheet with details of local events and contacts.[3] The Coalition magazine was recognised in university-level textbooks and papers as being a key source of knowledge for disability studies.[4][5][6][7][8]

He retired for health reasons in the mid-1990s and continued to edit the Coalition as a volunteer member until his death on 26 November 1998.[3]

Music

His musical career started following a course he attended at the Northern College taught by Richard Stilgoe. He began singing on stage at clubs around Oldham and Ashton, notably The Witchwood live music pub, and subsequently went on to perform in day centres, disability arts cabarets, rallies and at mainstream events.[9][2]

Below are lists of his three albums and his major gigs, notably including Glastonbury Festival, Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, and Cambridge Folk Festival. He toured the USA with Johnny Crescendo (aka Alan Holdsworth) and Wanda Barbara (aka Barbara Lisicki).[10][2]

He was a leading player at the Block Telethon demo in 1992, where the highlight of his set was singing Message from Telethon (to you) (C. Avison / I. Stanton). The words had been written by Cathy Avison, a leading member of the Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, who had died in the spring before the protest.[11][2]

References

Shakespeare, Tom (November 1998). "Ian Stanton Obituary". The Guardian.
Source: The Ian Stanton Collection, GMCDP Archive
Baldwinson, Tony. "Ian Stanton 1950-1998".
Gary L. Albrecht, Katherine D. Seelman, Michael Bury (2001). Handbook of Disability Studies.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Barnes, Colin (2007). "Disability, higher education and the inclusive society". British Journal of Sociology of Education. 28 (1): 135–145. doi:10.1080/01425690600996832. ISSN 0142-5692. S2CID 146258714.
Finkelstein, V. (2007). The 'social model of disability'and the disability movement. Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds.
Beresford, Peter (2000). "What Have Madness and Psychiatric System Survivors Got to Do with Disability and Disability Studies?". Disability & Society. 15 (1): 167–172. doi:10.1080/09687590025838. ISSN 0968-7599. S2CID 143708065.
Barnes, C. (2003). "Effecting change: Disability, culture and art". Finding the Spotlight Conference. 28. p. 31.
Caulfiield, Deborah (2017). "Ian Stanton: the man, the music and the movement".
Cameron, Colin (2009). "Tragic but Brave or Just Crips with Chips? Songs and their Lyrics in the Disability Arts Movement in Britain". Popular Music. 28 (3): 381–396. ISSN 0261-1430.
Baldwinson, Tony (1992). "Cathy Avison 1963-1992".
NDACA - National Disability Arts and Culture Archive (2019). "Ian Stanton".

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[:0-1] Shakespeare, Tom (November 1998). "Ian Stanton Obituary". The Guardian.

[:3-2] Source: The Ian Stanton Collection, GMCDP Archive

[:1-3] Baldwinson, Tony. "Ian Stanton 1950-1998".

[4] Gary L. Albrecht, Katherine D. Seelman, Michael Bury (2001). Handbook of Disability Studies.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[5] Barnes, Colin (2007). "Disability, higher education and the inclusive society". British Journal of Sociology of Education. 28 (1): 135–145. doi:10.1080/01425690600996832. ISSN 0142-5692. S2CID 146258714.

[6] Finkelstein, V. (2007). The 'social model of disability'and the disability movement. Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds.

[7] Beresford, Peter (2000). "What Have Madness and Psychiatric System Survivors Got to Do with Disability and Disability Studies?". Disability & Society. 15 (1): 167–172. doi:10.1080/09687590025838. ISSN 0968-7599. S2CID 143708065.

[8] Barnes, C. (2003). "Effecting change: Disability, culture and art". Finding the Spotlight Conference. 28. p. 31.

[9] Caulfiield, Deborah (2017). "Ian Stanton: the man, the music and the movement".

[:2-10] Cameron, Colin (2009). "Tragic but Brave or Just Crips with Chips? Songs and their Lyrics in the Disability Arts Movement in Britain". Popular Music. 28 (3): 381–396. ISSN 0261-1430.

[11] Baldwinson, Tony (1992). "Cathy Avison 1963-1992".

[12] NDACA - National Disability Arts and Culture Archive (2019). "Ian Stanton".

Ian Stanton

Early years and family

Work

Music

Archive

Discography

Major gigs

Drama, actor

Documentary TV, featuring

Journalism and editing

References