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Colin, thank you for putting my story on your web site, it's all true. I wish we could do something about it. Due to lack of care, my sister almost lost her life. When I left Barnardos I asked for information but received very little help. They must've known I had brothers & sisters; I could have visited them on one of my many trips to the UK. How can the hierarchy in Barnados close their eyes to what is being disclosed now, perhaps they're ashamed of the truth. Children in their care being abused not only by the staff but also by visitors. One of our chores was to take morning tea trays to staff and visitors in the morning, there was a photographer who tried it on. Who could I tell? Sorry for off loading this onto you but it truly helps. June (Nee Bradley)
Hello Colin,Hope this note
finds you and your family well. Just wanted to give you update.
The Trisha show
contacted me regarding my Aunt and the twins. They were able to
contact my Aunt and she pre-recorded
on the show Friday August 24th, the show is supposed to air in
4 weeks.Thought
you might be interested to watch. Hoping with all the info. they will
be able to locate the twins. My contact @ the show was Alice, you may
be able to contact her if needed any exposure regarding Barnardos.
Just an idea. I wish I could see the show.Well just wanted to give
you an update. Will close for now. Take care:)
Melody
It's nice to see that I am not the only person around who thinks Barnardos owe some sort of explanation for the way they treated the children in their care, although I have always said I can forget what they did to my body I will never forgive them for what they did to my mind, they destroyed my life, & they seem proud of it. Ian (Charton Park and Woodlands Canterbury 1958-1972)
Does anyone know the reason why children who had such a disorientating childhood were uprooted from their Homes and schools and then sent to a boarding school - its really weird and I'd love to know the thinking behind it all because none of it makes any sense to anyone I speak to about it. The two houses in Scotland where evil deeds were done to us were Blairhill and Glasclune,both of which I understand burnt down ages ago - a good thing too - they held ghastly memories. My sister, who lives in Australia (through choice as she married an Aussie) was so pleased to hear of our site and will be contacting you. Colin you are a gift from the heavens. Regards Yvonne
Thank you for bringing to light the cruelty endured by children in Barnardos care. At age 66 one would've imagined time would have healed bad memories BUT NOT SO. The whippings, water torture, being rolled under wardrobes to sleep, walking up stone stairs until you dropped, animal mash to eat because you spoke at the table, nothing can erase such memories. We were moved a lot but our torturers moved with us, I'll never forget their names. I've asked for an apology but to date have received no answer, My sister has raised a complaint without satisfaction. Girls from Blair Hill, Glasclune & Joy Cottage, I'm sure will remember all the happenings. My younger sister & myself were among children singled out for punishment. Who could we tell of our plight? When Ms Chavasse came on one of her Queenly visits, all was sweetness & light. But the light soon went out. Thank you Colin, I am grateful for your web site. June (Nee Bradley)
Thank you for your prompt reply, I have very
strong feelings about my time in Barnardo's, I knew who my parents
were, they're both dead now. I'll always carry the hate I feel toward
them, and the hate I feel towards ******
********** {the
superintendent of Corris
House, during
my time there.}for the beatings I got from him. it's true to say we
were well fed & dressed well, good Christmases, holidays etc, but
some of the beatings were something else. I got my records some 2 to
3 years ago, it was worse than I thought. I won't go into that though
it's before Barnardo's. Shortly after getting my records I had a
visit from 2 Telford CID officers who traced me somehow as an ex
Corris House boy. They were investigating **********
I made a short statement about my occasional
beatings. They told me what I stated was similiar to other statements
made by others who they could not name. Several weeks later I got a
letter from Telford CID telling me they had very reluctantly ended
their investigation because ********** had
died. I telephoned Tanners
lane with
this information, but they denied any knowledge of an investigation.
I'd really like to find some of my old mates again. My life now is
good, I've got a really good wife and three fine girls of my own,
twins of 9 and 1 who is 14. I've been married for 20 years this year.
I now feel that my life has come full circle. If I can ever be of
help regarding Corris
House feel
free to ask. thanks again, Carl
Go for it Colin!!, my husband , when he first
asked for info on his parents, was only told the first two
names of his father. He took it that the second Christian name was
his fathers surname. We spent years tracing the wrong man!
By the time Steve was allowed to see "all"
(third party censored) of his file and therefor see for the first
time the full name of his father, it was too late, his father
had passed away. Like wise his mother changed her name by deed poll.
She had signed papers relating to Steve in both her names.
Barnado's never told Steve that it was a change of name by poll. We
spent years looking for a marriage to some one of that name. Again,
when we did fine out the truth, it was too late. Gillian
Williams
Dear colin, have just got back from holiday and
had no idea of all that had unfolded. i must congratulate you on your
dedication to what you are trying to achieve.like you,i'm lost for
words at the response you recieved from Anne Newill,although it
doesn't surprise me.
as for barnardos "aftercare"...it's
always been a joke to me.my experience when i left "dickies"
left a hell of a lot to be desired and was a major factor in my
migration to australia aged 20.the two lots of digs they got me were
with people that wanted nothing more than an unpaid servant,the
second one so bad that i ran away and slept rough for awhile (not
easy in the cold)until i found my own. when i was 15 and about to
start work the govenor of dickies (vernon paul...we never forget do
we?)called me into his office and "asked" me what i wanted
to do for a living,when i told him i wanted to be a commercial artist
he laughed,turned to me and said "you've got two
choices...the local brush factory or the co-op" The
things these people did with a flick of the hand changed peoples
lives forever and i don't think that they gave it a second thought! i
was good at all the subjects required and my teachers thought i was
staying on for the gce exams and showed suprise that i wasn't, but
then i don't think even they realised the absolute power that
barnardos wielded over their charges.at this time dickies was winding
down gradually and i don't think they wanted to keep anyone there
longer than they had to. as for splitting families.....that,s another
story for later when i get it all down. i'm so pleased that you are
going to keep the site going.where else can people like me (and the
thousands of others)vent their feelings?certainly not to the cold
unfeeling juggernaut that is barnardos! as us aussies
say.."give "em heaps!!" Don
Bylett
may your good work go ahead,colin-so many children did have bad experiences-i do appreciate that even though stay at at shelton house was a real haven for me and they do need a champion.my e-mail address was left off my entry in the guestbook on 27 march but i then realised the omission and put it in on 30 march 2001.i have been able to help a few people to find their family members or friends and this has been a blessing to us-we are all one family when all is said and done and we need to help each other .some of us are stronger and are able to help but i also feel like you that we could be helped more by the authorities to get all our records and not censored ones-mine was censored at some most interesting points but what can one do really when they hold the originals-i think we should have the originals and the office have the photocopies for whatever value they might put on them-before i forget my address again it is fionahallisey@aol.com.thanks so much for your help for us all,colin-sincerely-fiona hallisey nee holyland.
From Sue: have been researching this briefly and the whole time i kept wondering where the people were, where are the individuals? As they appear in their photos? went to lots of websites.... glad for this opportunity for people to hear and share how it was and how it is. Don't give up or be discouraged by some responses. People's voices and experiences need place and precedence also
Thank God for someone who states the truth about the cruelty of the so called carers of Barnardos. I am now 63 BUT the past always haunts. The beatings by the sadistic women in charge of us, the fear is still there. So many different Homes & these damned women followed. My sister wrote asking for a simple apology but nothing doing. When I raised a complaint I was told "well it was war time"; did this make a difference???? Any girls at Blairhill or Glasclune (both in Scotland) must remember, although there were those of us who were singled out most of the time & you daren't tell anyone for fear of worse punishment. So Colin Topley thank you for your website - I'm sorry to have offloaded the foregoing onto it but it helps. Ex Barnardo girl YM
My birth family were living in Clavendon Cresent, Paddington when I was born. Doris, my birth mother had at least five other children, living in two rooms. I was born in St Mary's Hospital, Paddington; mother discharged herself after 10 days. Somehow the NSPPC became aware of the family & suggested that Doris place me with Barnardos. I only recently found this out after contacting Barnardos. I was adopted formally in 1953 & moved to Herts. Dad always made a donation to Barnardos at Christmas & said he was still paying for me!! I didn't know there were reunions etc of Barnardos kids - or that there were unpleasant sides to being there. I am learning a lot. I guess I was one of the fortunate ones. I shall keep revisiting your excellent website! Sally
Will we never know why and how our relatives lived before being sent to Canada. My grandma & 4 of her siblings were sent to Canada in 1891 & 1893. My uncle Ernest Proctor was with Dr Barnardos group that left on the Vancouver, arrived in Canada in 1893. My heart breaks for grandma and her siblings, as I will never know anything about their childhood. Marilyn W.
Hello Colin,Thanks for the quick reply to my questions.My mother started off in The Village Barkingside, was sent to Alton & then Warminster. What happened about education & schooling; did they receive any? I have received some info from Barnardos but all it gives me is an entry date for Barnardos & a leaving date,nothing else. I cant believe a child can be boarded out to someone else for 5 years & no record was kept but this is what the aftercare people claim. I can't accept this & have just replied to the aftercare people telling them exactly what i think of Barnardos & the so-called aftercare policy. they should rename it Barnardos couldn't Care Less Dept. Any way once again thanks for your reply & if you could come up with any info on Warminster it would be greatly appreciated . I was born in Birkenhead Cheshire but on leaving the army in 1968 i finished up in Windsor, met my wife there & have lived in Slough since. Regards DJ
Hello again Colin
When Collette Bradford comes would you mind
putting this question to her.
Why is it we were told in the past so many lies
about our background, and why
when relatives were still alive did we not get to
know before they died.
I ask this as I have just found out my
Grandmother did not die until 1952 the
year I left school. And still lived in London as
I did at that time.
We were told "quote" you have no
living relatives only your mother so I can
hear you say why didn't you ask your mother well
I never met her until 1964
and she would not talk about her past and as more
becomes clear we think she
may also have been a home child somewhere very complicated.
As I have said before I have found more relations
via the BHC site and emails
than ever Barnardos had bothered to find for me
and I suspect many others
especially BHC in Canada ETC, Vivian
Hi Colin
l went to hell and back in 59 to Ilex
Cottage Barkingside then in 63 to Pelham House Goldings now that was
hell and very lonely concidering the were 200 or more others.
I think you web page is great and very TRUE
I was on the Old Boys & Girls council
but they (staff) are so hypocritical I resigned, could not take the
bull shit.
Have tried to sign your guest book could not
log onto it
best regards and keep up the good work
steve
Dear Colin
I think your web site is just wonderful.We believe
my grandfather was
shipped to canada,from one of those
"great" agency's can't find a trace of
him prior to his coming to canada. Being just a
grandaughter puts you way
down on list for getting information.My heart goes
out to all children who
went through what some of you did.Best of luck to
you in your future.
sincerely Brenda lbchristianson@hotmail.com
Hi Colin, I am so thankful for the time you have
taken to look up Grandma's last name and to send this to me. I
have been on the first website you sent and I snail mailed my
information to Perry Snow last week for inclusion in his data
base. I will explore the second link - thank you for that.
There was a place name my Mom mentioned to me a day or two ago.
She overheard Grandma when speaking to a friend in England, ask of
this place name and I cannot remember it. I must check on it
and find the location. At this stage of the search any clue is
worth checking. This is a real puzzle, for sure. The more I
read of this, the more I want to keep on looking. My Mom and
her four siblings know virtually nothing about their mother who
passed away in 1998. Grandma destroyed her immigration papers,
with my mom and her sister finding out long after the fact. As I read
I learn the great shame they felt of their youth seems to be a common
feeling among the BHC. The Barnardo's official site is quite glossy
and as I read through it I was surprised there wasn't very much
information about the BHC, but that would be an admission, I
guess. I wish you best of luck with your site. Once again, my
thanks. I will phone my Mom in Ontario this evening and she
will be grateful.
Kindest regards, Janice
Mersey, Nova Scotia, Canada
