Obituary for Mr Franklin Brook FRCSLT

Franklin Brook

Franklin, who died last year at a very advanced age, was a great friend of the BSA and a true crusader for the cause of stammering at a time when very little was known about it. He stammered from the age of six through to his late teens and during the 1920s there was no therapy for children who stammered. Left to his own devices to try and understand what was happening to him he tried to find information about his speech in the public library in Huddersfield. As nothing was forthcoming there, in the 1930s he set up a self help group for other interested young people and worked with them on trying to improve his and their confidence and speaking.

In 1939 Franklin began a speech and language therapy training course but his war service prevented him from completing the course until 1947, when he took up a post in Huddersfield as a therapist at the Child Guidance Clinic. He maintained his interest in stammering, by seeing clients, giving lectures and publishing 'Stammering and its treatment', in 1957. His theories on stammering, its cause and treatment were advanced and unique for their time and can be seen at www.stammering.org/brook.html.

Franklin's dream was to provide specific treatment for children who stammered in a supportive school environment and in this he was supported by his wife, Brenda, an educational psychologist. Together they worked in various business capacities to raise money and in 1968 his wife opened Blaydon House School in Derbyshire, followed by Alderwasley House School and a number of others. These schools developed a reputation as one of the largest providers in the country of education for children with speech, language and communication needs. Franklin was Chief Therapist there until his retirement and kept up his links with therapy, and stammering in particular, for many years after that.

Franklin and Alderwasley School supported both financially and practically the development of my first BSA training resource for teachers on CDs, which were distributed to schools in England in 2001. I met Franklin then a number of times, as he still retained the lively interest in stammering that infused his professional life. The stammering community has much to thank him for and it was a privilege to have known him. The BSA extends sincere condolences to his remaining family and friends.

Cherry Hughes, BSA Education Officer

From the Summer 2011 issue of Speaking Out, page 16.