Category — George Lyward and Finchden Manor

George Lyward and Finchden Manor.

Articles from a special edition of New Era in 1974.

George Lyward and the therapeutic community he set up and ran, Finchden Manor, were legendary to those of us entering this work in the 1970's. I regret never meeting him nor visiting Finchden. In a way I felt as though I knew him through listening to Richard Balbernie.

George Lyward wrote very little about his work, as far as I know, which is why this edition of New Era is so special and has been reproduced here in full. His work was extremely influential and these articles from the New Era help us to understand why this was the case.

By George Lyward.

Sallie Roberts, London. Finchden Manor is a community consisting of between 50-60 boys and young men, and some ten members of staff. The boys have always been known as The House; the staff are called by first or nicknames. Mr Lyward was known to many, many people – parents, teachers, students and patients – as [...]

Barbara Smith Director of Special Education Course, Bristol, U.K. Mr Lyward came to the experienced teachers’ course in Special Education at Redland College, in Bristol, as external examiner. The first thought that comes to my mind is a comment in a letter from a former student on hearing of his death. “Dear, dear Mr Lyward; [...]

Simon Auster, Psychiatrist, Virginia, USA George Lyward was a lonely man. To be sure, like the rest of us, much that he did perpetuated that state. But as is true with so many talented charismatic individuals his admirers mistaking the myths for the man, looked no further than the truly inspiring surface of the teacher [...]

Gordon Toplis, School of Architecture, Manchester, UK It is well known that in coastal navigation one may discover one’s position by taking bearings on known fixed objects. These bearings, when charted, should theoretically meet at a point. But of course they never do, except in ideal conditions. They tend, rather, to define an area known [...]