General Chat

I watched the film last night, talk about closing ranks within the System!

I didn't know of the film, but my Mother read the book Empty Cradles about 12 years ago, and told me about the mass deportation of children to the Colonies. I had no idea.

Obviously the film could not include everything in the book, but I found it a good watch.

I COULDN'T WATCH IT KNOWING IT BE TRUE,THE THOUGHT
OF HOW THOSE CHILDREN WERE TREATED.

I am sure I have seen this film on tv before, or read the book. I know it rings bells with me, didn't record it last evening as sure I had already seen it, and couldn't face sad stuff at the mo.

So many injustices done to young people in those years, as there were in the past when young 'criminals' were sent abroad. The treatment they got was awful in many cases, and no one seemed to check up on them or care once they were out of this country.

Lizx

I only watched this film sometime last year I think.....touching and heartbreaking film, tissues at the ready.........

This is showing tonight, Saturday 16th August on BBC2 at 11pm

What an amazing woman Margeret Humphrey's is - she should be given a degree in Genealogy in 'Breaking down Brick Walls'

I read the book Oranges and Sunshine, and needed some tissue's.

From the information i have recieved............i am delighted to say, that she was indeed reunited with her family. It was several years later........but, god bless her liikle cotton socks...... she was one of the lucky ones.............she found her way home! x.

PH,

Thank goodness she returned to England and met the rest of her siblings...

Suexx

OOOh PH I'm glad that Emily made it back and I hope she met up with at least some of her family

Wendy x

All thanks to George and the PM he sent me, i now know that my long lost, never to be seen again Ancestor, did in fact return to England to be reunited with her family! Phew! I may be able to watch that film after all.

Cheers George. <3

to Prickly Holly, we are building a site called www.britishhomechildren.org

we have a database on there and encourage descendants and researchers to add or claim their child on the site, please feel free to add your relatives

if you let me know the name of the third sister I will do some digging around online and see if I can find anything on her

George

Three of my ancestors,who were sister's, were sent to Canada as British Home Children. I knew nothing about BHC until i started researching my family tree. Their father died when they were young and the mother kept the two older children, probably to help her with the three youngest children and the three middle daughters were put into care with Dr Barnardo's.
Fortunatley the elder daughter was able to go to Canada some years later in search of her three siblings. She found two of her sister's,and was able to bring them back to England to be reunited with the family but sadly, the third sister was never seen again.
I would like to believe that she had a happy life but somehow i doubt it.
She must have felt abandoned and always wondered why was she there, what happened to her sister's and where on earth was her mother!
As much as i would like to, i am not sure if i will be able to bring myself to watch the film. Brrrrr!
Just for you Emily...... <3

I saw it in Coventry a couple of weeks ago, a very good film which is well worth watching for anyone with an interest or connection to children sent overseas

Daughter and I watched the film in Gulbenkian cinema at Canterbury yesterday.
I had read Empty Cradles many years ago, so knew the general outline of events, but the film brought home the sheer numbers of people involved.

Parents too were told lies, spending a lifetime thinking their child had been given a better chance in life after being adopted by a family in this country, when they had infact been shipped across the world and lived a life hard working in a children's home.

Too many lies and apologies far too slow in coming, but I hope there is still time for those searching to find their true identities.

Gwyn

I have just read the book that the film was based on, 'Empty Cradles' and I can't believe that I didn't know that all those little children were being sent out to Australia without their parents permission. My youngest child was born in 1967 the last year that the children were migrated to a completely different way of life to the one that my children had.

I found the book compelling and I read it in two days.

Wendy

Sue
I'm glad you enjoyed the film.

Daughter and I will go to see it in Canterbury this week.

Gwyn

Well I went to see Oranges and Sunshine this afternoon and it is a good film to watch..

Down to earth and very sensitively done.

She is still searching for some of the people who got sent over to Aus as children and were told their parents had died..

130,000 children were sent from Britain in the 40'/50's and right up until the late 60's.

Great film not a bit weepy.

I really want to see this film but I will probably have to wait for the DVD

I have just booked tickets to go and see it tomorrow , I read the book many years ago, I had a problem finding a cinema in my area that was showing it and have found it showing in Chapter Arts Theatre in Cardiff from tomorrow , dosnt seen that it is going to be shown in any of the large multi screen cinema's in my area. will let you know what I think of it tomorrow , I am taking a large box of tissues with me as I think it wil be rather emotional

Pam

Sue
I'm sure it will be very sad in parts.
I read Margaret Humphreys book a few years ago and found it incredible how the child migration went on until relatively recent times.
So sad for your neighbour and all who suffered through the scheme.

Nicky
I very seldom go to the cinema, but accept this will be like a documentary in parts. One can't gloss over the terrible facts. That's what is at the heart of this film....
I don't think it will be easy viewing though.

Gwyn