Stories of volunteers supporting the health service since 1949
Joan Lythgoe MBE - Canvey Island, Essex
Born in London and brought up in Canvey Island, Joan worked as a supervisor for STC (Standard Telephone and Cable) before she co-created BOPH (Business Opportunities for the Physically Handicapped). Initially, she was able to travel to work locally, as STC was based in Canvey. However, STC later relocated to London, which required her to begin commuting to London for work. She and her family were survivors of the natural disaster that was the 1953 East Coast Flood, thanks to her daughter, Jeanie, who startled Joan, and her husband awake on their floating mattress before they could drown.
I said to Jeff, “you know, we ought to get something, let’s see if we can get something started”. Joanne was just leaving school, so there was nowhere for her to go. And I said, if we could find a little place where they could come and mix, and that sort of thing.
Joan felt inspired to create BOPH after her disabled granddaughter, Joanne, turned 16 years old. Joanne became disabled during infancy because of improperly injected vaccinations. Her disability isolated her from her peers, which prompted Joan, in collaboration with Jo Geary, to create a workshop in which physically disabled youth can interact with one another. The workshop hosts engaging activities, and provides work placements for physically handicapped people. She believes that the physically handicapped deserve to be a part of and participate in a community.
Joan has two charity shops to fundraise for BOPH. The shops are run entirely by volunteers, who take turns monitoring them. She has received an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), for her incredible charity work. She is honoured to have been recognised for her work, and it encourages her to continue servicing BOPH.
Interviewer
Could I ask your name?
Joan
Joan Lythgoe
Interviewer
And Joan, I believe you’re 95, is that right?
Joan
Yes, I think I am.
Interviewer
Yes. You’re doing well. And I want to talk a bit about your life, and how it’s helped to create the workshop BOPH. Yes? So have you always lived locally or did you, I think you were born in London, weren’t you?
Joan
Yes, I was born in London, and Mum and Dad brought me down here. I was born, and they brought me to Canvey.
Interviewer
Okay. So you were quite young when you first came to Canvey?
Joan
Yes. Only months old.
Interviewer
And you’ve done a lot, you’ve been around Canvey a lot, haven’t you? You were here when it flooded? And survived that?
Joan
Yes! Jeanie saved our life.
Interviewer
Oh, did she? How did she save your life?
Joan
Well, we were in a bungalow and we had two, three rooms, and like a scullery. And we’d put Jeanie into the other room, and she kept climbing out of her bed, out of her cot. So we put her in a bed. This night we’d been over to my Mum’s. We came home freezing cold. Oh, I must tell you, the bungalow only had gaslight and my dad had just fitted electric. Anyway, we came out freezing cold, put her to bed, but we left the light on in her room, which we never ever done before. And we woke up to screams of “Daddy!” “Daddy!” And she was in the water, like, on the side where she used to climb out of the cot, so we put her in the bed. So she’s there and she’s screaming, “Daddy!” “Daddy!” And we’ve woke up and we are floating on the mattress.
Interviewer
Oh, really?
Joan
Yes! And we could see into her bedroom as we left the light on all night, we saw her go in the water and Jeff jumped out and picked her up. But we could have drowned if it hadn’t been for her.
Interviewer
Excellent.
Joan
Mm-hmm
Interviewer
Did you have a job locally?
Joan
Supervisor at STC.
Interviewer
There we are.
Joan
Yes. And then STC moved up London somewhere. So I used to have to travel there.
Interviewer
And your husband worked locally as well?
Joan
Yes, he was a taxi driver.
Joan
But, at the age of 14, he was a coalman. He started work as a coalman. He used to drive a horse and cart. A boy at 14! You know, and as he drove along the road, if he saw me, he used to call out, “hello darling!” or something like that. And I used to say, “I hate that boy.” He calls me names, you know. But, I liked it really because of interest, you know?
Interviewer
Yes. A bit of flattery.
Joan
Yes. Yes.
Interviewer
So you have a granddaughter, Joanne? And Joanne has some problems. So, were you quite involved with Joanne when she was small?
Joan
Oh yes. Well, anything I could do, you know, but, I was working so couldn’t do that much. But, did Jeanie tell you what happened to her?
Interviewer
No.
Joan
Joanne was born, lovely baby, and she had baby injections. And, they damaged her.
Interviewer
So she had some challenges, and it was a surprise, really?
Joan
Yes. It was…
Interviewer
A shock to the whole family?
Joan
Vaccine damage. You know, and from where she was a lovely baby, she was damaged, couldn’t use her arm.
Interviewer
So she went to a special school locally?
Joan
Yes. Yes. Kingsdown.
Interviewer
And then when she was 16, it sounds like you and Jo Geary decided that you needed to do something to help people like Joanne.
Joan
Well, Joanne, and Jo Geary’s daughter Lucy, was born disabled.
Joan
I said to Jeff, “you know, we ought to get something, let’s see if we can get something started”. Joanne was just leaving school, so there was nowhere for her to go. And I said, if we could find a little place where they could come and mix, and that sort of thing. We found the workshop over Charfleets and we rented that at first.
Interviewer
And it wasn’t the whole space, was it? You only had a bit of it to start with?
Joan
Yes, yes. At the end. Because it was workmen, up front.
Interviewer
So was it a bit rough when you first got it?
Joan
Oh, definitely. Yes. Very rough. They’d done it up for us, you know ,and it was somewhere they could come, but if they’re disabled, like mentally disabled, the other teenagers don’t really want to know, you know? And they don’t get a chance of going out to mix with them. So it was something that they could come there and mix with others, and do whatever they wanted. And we used to do packing and things like that. Somebody gave them a purpose of getting up and coming out really.
Interviewer
So one of the things is, I think you’ve opened charity shops to help fundraise for you?
Joan
Sure. Yes. I’ve got two charity shops.
Interviewer
So how did that start?
Joan
Now, let me think
Interviewer
I’ve just heard from your daughter that your bungalow used to be full of stuff that you were selling.
Joan
Oh yes. Yes, because we’d, you know, take it up there and that, but then shops were empty, you know? In the precinct.
Interviewer
So you probably got the Council or someone to let you have them?
Joan
Yes.
Interviewer
At the charity shop did you employ anybody or were they all volunteers?
Joan
Oh no, they were all volunteers. They’re still up there. The ladies take turns, and go. No one gets paid or anything, you know.
Interviewer
That’s excellent.
Joan
Actually I haven’t seen them for a couple of months, because I haven’t been well enough to go up there. I’m a lot better than I was.
Interviewer
You’re looking well.
Joan
Yes, I’m feeling not too bad actually.
Interviewer
So I believe you’ve got an MBE, is that right? So what did you get your MBE for?
Joan
For the charity work.
Interviewer
Excellent! Nice to be recognised.
Joan
Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes.
Interviewer
And nice for everybody else.
Joan
It was. And I met Princess Anne, and she’s lovely.
Interviewer
Good . Thank you ever so much for sharing your story today. I’ve really appreciated it. Thank you for your time.
Joan
Oh, there’s lots more I could tell you
| Contributor: | Joan Lythgoe MBE |
| Recorded on: | 3 July 2025 |
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| Setting: | Community |
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