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Interview
7 Margaret Williamson
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Person with diabetesBorn in Stockton-on-Tees in 1928.
Diagnosed Type 1 in Yarm, North Yorks in 1939
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Overview:
Margaret Williamson was brought up in a village in North Yorkshire, the only daughter of an industrial chemist. Her mother was diagnosed with diabetes when Margaret was aged 2, and put on a diet of no carbohydrate with high quantities of insulin. When Margaret was diagnosed, a Newcastle consultant, James Spence, put mother and daughter on a more modern regime of high carbohydrate, which was weighed at each meal. After school, she went to business college in London, and worked as a secretary for directors of scientific institutions. She married a Cambridge research scientist and had two children.
Please note that Overview relates to date of recording Friday, May 21, 2004
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1 She was diagnosed after the outbreak of war, and has vivid memories of her wartime diabetic diet at a boarding school in Harrogate [ 51 secs ] |  | 2 In adult life, she has enjoyed much foreign travel with her husband, but she feels that diabetes has deprived her of spontaneity [ 53 secs ] | |
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| 01 Born North Yorkshire, 1928, only child of industrial chemist. Mother diabetic since I was 2, & spotted that I was. Took me to James Spence at Newcastle. Before that, mother on high insulin & no carbohydrate. Spence put us both on high carbohydrate. | |
| | 02 Weighed food for about 2 years, until could judge without. James Spence frightening but… | |
| | 03 good beginning to managing diabetes. Used letter scales to weigh. Mother taught me to inject. Urine testing with Fehling’s solution. Monitored by parents. | |
| | 04 Friends nearby not bothered by diabetes. Boarding school matron thought it would be a nuisance. Unsweetened rhubarb every day. | |
| | 05 Generous wartime rations. Mother posted eggs to school. School evacuated to castle. | |
| | 06 Castle very cold. Played team sports. Few hypos. Spence didn’t give deliberate hypo. | |
| | 07 Producing urine samples at school embarrassing – sent away for testing. No wartime problems with insulin supply. | |
| 08 No fear of invasion in north.
No longer weighed food, just judged it. Never altered insulin. Ate more before exercise. | |
| | 09 Moved to another school for 6th form. Evacuated to Lake District. Happier because not made to feel different, as in previous school. Took charge of own injection equipment. | |
| | 10 Went to business college in London, then worked as director’s secretary, then university principal’s secretary. At college, lots of ex-service people. | |
| | 11 Food no problem. Got job in Cambridge as scientific laboratory director’s secretary. Married research scientist,1954. Husband did military service at Harwell. Son born in Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, by caesarian. Husband returned to Cambridge job. Daughter born, Addenbrookes Hospital, 1958, caesarian. | |
| 12 Radcliffe nurses knew little about diabetes. I always find I know more. At Cambridge also, diabetic mothers knew more.
Moved to Malvern. Attended diabetic clinic at Worcester. Went up to two injections per day. | |
| | 13 As children grew up, had holidays abroad. Managed to cope with diet & insulin. | |
| 14 Eyes treated in Bristol: cataracts removed. Blood pressure all right.
Medics don’t realise I’ve had diabetes for 65 years.
They’ve always treated me kindly. | |
| 15 Diabetes has made my life ordered, lacking in spontaneity.
I’ve travelled a lot & in 1981 wrote unpublished article about crossing time zones for “Balance”. | |
| | | 18 Continues to read. Travel easier than in 1981 because of ease of blood testing. & disposable syringes.
We don’t mention I’m diabetic until we know friend well. | |
| 19 My youth wasn’t fun, but adult life has been. Have Nabarro & Lawrence medals.
Advice for newly-diagnosed: find out about it.
Diabetes doesn’t dominate my life, but always at back of mind.
Now take isophane twice daily & get exercise walking on Malverns & looking after house & garden. | |
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 and Nabarro medal-t.jpg "Lawrence medal (left) and Nabarro medal")