General Chat

A very good film is on BBC2 tonight called Oranges & Sunshine it is based on the book Empty Cradles by Margaret Humphrys ( excellent read) its about the children who were taken as "orphans" from this country , if you had relatives who this happened to can recommend the film but the book is excellent but would recommend a box of tissues while you read it

Pam

Pam

Like you I have read the book and seen the film.

Very interesting film as it shows how children were taken away to OZ without their parents consent and how some of the people were reunited after around 50 years.

As Pam says Massive box of tissues needed.

Thank you for posting this Pam.

I have read the book years ago and managed to find somewhere showing the film a while ago, but would like to watch again.


Gwyn

Thank you Pam.

If OH doesn't want to watch it, I might record it for viewing when he is out one day.

If you wait long enough, something you never get to see at the cinema turns up on TV :-)

I recently spent a weekend at Fairbridge in Pinjarra in Western Australia which is now set up as a community type accommodation village.

I spoke to some of the camp staff who had been there themselves as 'orphans' and were now acting as volunteer staff.

Their stories were heartbreaking, but when I mentioned that I was trying to trace a relative who had been sent to OZ by his family to avoid a court appearance and may have been sent to either Fairbridge, or Bindoon, run by the Christian Brothers, they said that what took place at Fairbridge was nothing compared to Bindoon

Thank you Pam I have read the book, I will look forward to seeing the film, I will record it tonight.

I am glad I noticed this thread as I recorded the film and watched it later, very sad and an absolute scandal that those children were lied to and removed from their homeland and possible contact with their families.

There have been some dreadful things done to youngsters over the years, I hope those who arranged such things in the name of Christianity and care, will have suffered themselves in retribution. No child deserves such awful treatment.

Lizx

In 1950 I was in care it was a RC home in Manchester. We heard rumours that some of the boys were being sent to Australia, those that had no relatives. I remember my brother would not be going because we had an aunty living.In 2006 a gentleman returned to Manchester to see if he could find his mother, he had been sent out to Bindoon Australia. Sorry to say he did not have any success though I noticed when I googled his name he had published a book about his time in Bindoon titled "Who am I"

Maureen

im going to watch it today, i recorded it last night