Saturday 10 October 2009

The Origin of the McTimoney Technique

John McTimoney fell from the top of a ladder when, as a farm labourer, he had been thatching a hayrick, and subsequently began to suffer severe problems with his health, especially both of his arms.

He was cured by Mr Ashford, a chiropractor in Birmingham who had been trained by the originator of chiropractic, D D Palmer in Davenport, USA. My father was fired with the ambition of becoming a chiropractor himself, but Mr Ashford stuck to the rule which meant training could only be obtained in America. However my father had the great fortune to talk, and talk to Mr Ashford, a great link with the originator himself.

My father was later led to study under Dr Mary Walker in Oxford, who felt that training needed to be established in England. In approximately 1930 Dr Walker had sold up everything to go to America to train under the originator’s son, B J Palmer.

My father was to develop the treatment further so that it became a distinctive approach and a separate branch of Chiropractic. With some chiropractors using vigorous techniques in the 1970’s, we felt it necessary to give the method a name, simply to help patients to realise that chiropractors may work in different ways.

It is my intention to write about my late father and how he came to fulfil what seems to have been his destiny and purpose. Find out how YOU may be able to help!

Sunday 20 September 2009

John McTimoney was my father. It was his wish that after his death his three children, would become ‘Guardians of the McTimoney Chiropractic Technique’ since he knew we knew him best and he felt he could rely on us to speak for him.

Sadly my brother Russell has passed away and my sister, Cynthia has suffered impaired health I feel it is down to me to put on record as much as I can about my late father’s life and work, in particular what influences formed his ideas and led him to become a pioneering chiropractor.

If you would like to help me build a accurate record I would be most grateful if you could contribute any memories of the man himself; Hilda, his wife; the Birmingham Jewellery School which they both attended; Mr Ashford, the chiropractor in Birmingham who cured my father of severe pain in his arms; Dr Mary Walker in Oxford who trained my father and Ruth Drown who helped her; Dr Joan Nind also trained by Mary Walker; Mr John Hall, the farmer in Swerford for whom my father worked as a labourer; Eric Stanley of Hook Norton – the butcher for whom my father delivered meat, those who attended the woodwork class in Banbury where John McTimoney taught in 1953; those who were treated by him or whose friends or relatives were; those who studied under him in the Oxfordshire School of Chiropractic; and so on.

I would welcome contributions from the world of horses (my father having found that the type of adjustment he used worked well on horses). Also those who have had their dogs treated.

I particularly liked one lady to whom I spoke who commented “yes, I did go to your father - DIDN’T HELP ME AT ALL!” This just shows that he could not negotiate or succeed with everyone and such reactions are as useful to me as praise.

Other peoples’ voices enrich my memories. So any memories, please. You may e-mail here, leave telephone messages or texts on 01865 863006, and or contact me at Wytham View, Oxford Road, Farmoor, Oxford OX2 9NN

You may, of course, comment on how you, your family and/or animals have been helped by the McTimoney Technique even, if you did not meet the man himself.

Thank you for reading this.