The Forgotten Children

I was quite disturbed by The Forgotten Children - Fairbridge Farm School and Its Betrayal of Australia's Child Migrants by David Hill as I found it hard to comprehend that children, and some were very young, could be treated so poorly. The farm school was established in 1938 and continued into the 1970s with its aim to bring impoverished British children out to a better life in Australia. Not all were orphans, and some parents were persuaded to hand over guardianship of their children to this scheme "for their own good". However, the reality was far removed from the way the scheme was presented. Children as young as four were brought to this harsh environment where hard work on the farm took priority over emotional needs. They lived in barracks, ate from metal plates, did not wear shoes, suffered severe punishments, worked long days and had minimal education. The aim was to make the boys "farmers" and the girls "farmers' wives" but they mainly became labourers and servants after the leaving the farm school and found it difficult to adjust socially and emotionally on the "outside". David Hill and his two brothers came out in the 1950s but they were fortunate because their mother came out later and they were reunited. David did not experience much of the suffering that others did so his story is not typical. He researched the archives of the instigators of the scheme and other records to give the reader a complete picture of this blot on our history. It is well written and researched and uses oral history to tell the story of many of the individuals who went through Fairbridge. An enlightening read that makes you wonder how this escaped the notice of fair-minded people at the time. 4 1/2/5.