Terry Wiles

Terry (Terrence) Wiles was born in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England on January 12 1962. Andrew (as he was originally named) was one of the most disabled thalidomide babies born in the UK. Terry Wiles has become known internationally through the television drama 'On Giant's Shoulders' and the best-selling book of the same name.

Thalidomide

Thalidomide was a powerful anti-morning sickness drug that had been developed by a German pharmaceutical company in 1953. It was very effective in stopping morning sickness and was prescribed across Europe, Africa, South America and the Far East. Thalidomide, however, had disastrous side-effects, causing the limbs of the child developing in the womb to grow stunted or, as in the case of Terry, not to grow at all. About 12,000 thalidomide babies were born.

Early life

Andy's mother, unable to cope with his severe disabilities, put him into care at birth. Eventually he was placed in the Chailey Hospital in Sussex where Leonard Wiles found him in October 1967. Initially reluctant to meet Andy, Hazel Wiles, the wife of Len Wiles, finally agreed to go to the hospital. Eventually, after initial opposition from Andy's birth mother and Social Services, Hazel and Len were able to adopt Andy. As part of his fresh start with his new parents, Andy wanted to change his name. He wanted to be known as Terrence Wiles. Since that time he has been known as 'Terry'.

Over the years Len Wiles, who was technically-minded and who, during the Second World War had helped to design military equipment, built a series of 'Supercars' for Terry, based on the forklift truck, which enabled Terry not only to move around freely for the first time, but also to go up and down.

After suffering a nervous breakdown at his secondary school, Ernulf in St. Neots where on one occasion some students put him in a bag and dragged him around the room, Terry studied at a polytechnic.

'On Giant's Shoulders'

Then aged 19 Terry Wiles played himself in the BBC television 'Play for Today' film 'On Giant's Shoulders' (1977) which starred Judi Dench as Hazel Wiles and Bryan Pringle as Len Wiles. The film was based on Marjorie Wallace and Michael Robson's book about Terry's life, also called 'On Giant's Shoulders'. This had been published in 1976

Later, Terry, Len and Hazel emigrated to New Zealand. There, for the first time Terry had a home of his own, while Len and Hazel lived nearby.

Recent years

Settling in Hamilton, New Zealand, the Wiles family built a new life for themselves. Here Terry met Robyn, a married nurse, who left her husband to be with Terry. The couple faced a great deal of opposition from both families. Terry's adoptive parents believed that Robyn was only interested in Terry's money, the financial payout that he had received from the company that had manufactured thalidomide. However, the marriage has been a success and the couple are still together.

They continue to live in Hamilton, where Terry counsels others with disabilities. In 1997 the UK's Channel 4 filmed Terry and Robyn in New Zealand for a documentary called 'Fight For Love'.

References

On Giant's Shoulders : the story of Terry Wiles by Marjorie Wallace and Michael Robson Times Books, London 1976 ISBN 0723001464

External links

* [http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/55056 The British Film Institute entry for Terry Wiles]

*imdb title|0079663|On Giant's Shoulders
*imdb title|1015982|Fight For Love

* [http://www.djdchronology.com/ongiantsshoulders79.htm Website about 'On Giants's Shoulders' the 1979 film of the life of Terry Wiles]

* [http://www.terrywiles.20m.com A website about the life of Terry Wiles]

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0958967/episodes BBC 'Play of the Week' entry for 'On Giant's Shoulders' (1979)]

* [http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:PuSFsr4r57cJ:www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950412,00.html%3Fpromoid%3Dgooglep+terry+wiles&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=uk 'Time Magazine' review of 'On Giant's Shoulders']