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Lancashire / Re: Simpson Hill, Bury
« on: Saturday 27 February 21 00:43 GMT (UK) »
Hi all,
I hope you are all keeping well and safe through this nightmare of a time.
I can see this thread is relatively old so not sure if anyone will see this, but just wondered how you have progressed with your search? Have you managed to find out any further info? It's heart breaking to hear some of the stories of separation and the obvious trauma its caused you and your families.
I'm from Heywood, my Grandma lived on Chadwick Lane, right near where the mother and baby home was. My Mum and aunties remember it well. I started researching the Ireland mother and baby homes originally and even more so since January with the heightened media attention around the latest commission report. I then started looking into the England mother and baby homes, there doesn't seem to be much in the media or any pressure for apology or acknowledgement from the government or church as there is going on in Ireland. Confusing and annoying ... on-going with my research in this area ... lockdown and the libraries etc being shut isn't helping.
It surprised me even more when I started learning figures. So in Ireland there was around 18 mother and baby homes, with around 56,000 women being sent through them whilst they were open and obviously many more babies (and this is just the ones recorded). In ENGLAND I have learnt there were approx 172 mother and baby homes with over half a million women being put through them!! What's more unsettling is that even though there is a huge presence at the moment regarding the Ireland mother and baby homes, why is there a lack of acknowledgement over here? Australia have also made apologies for their part in it all and are helping to connect people who were separated when they were sent over there as babies. Apparently it was part of a deal with our government. Australia's foreign population was growing and they wanted good British 'stock' brought back into their population which is where England's adopted babies came in. Disgusting isn't it! This is just the tip of the Iceberg.
I would be really interested to hear from anyone who would like to talk about if you have got any further in your search for birth parents or adopted children, have you found them? I would like to try to help if I can.
I have looked at various old newspaper articles and annual committee reports from Simpson Hill too, seems like they made a good profit from the mother and baby homes. Their 2 main incomes from 'government grants' and 'patient contributions', as well as donations from local events etc.
Thank you.
Louise Rothwell
I hope you are all keeping well and safe through this nightmare of a time.
I can see this thread is relatively old so not sure if anyone will see this, but just wondered how you have progressed with your search? Have you managed to find out any further info? It's heart breaking to hear some of the stories of separation and the obvious trauma its caused you and your families.
I'm from Heywood, my Grandma lived on Chadwick Lane, right near where the mother and baby home was. My Mum and aunties remember it well. I started researching the Ireland mother and baby homes originally and even more so since January with the heightened media attention around the latest commission report. I then started looking into the England mother and baby homes, there doesn't seem to be much in the media or any pressure for apology or acknowledgement from the government or church as there is going on in Ireland. Confusing and annoying ... on-going with my research in this area ... lockdown and the libraries etc being shut isn't helping.
It surprised me even more when I started learning figures. So in Ireland there was around 18 mother and baby homes, with around 56,000 women being sent through them whilst they were open and obviously many more babies (and this is just the ones recorded). In ENGLAND I have learnt there were approx 172 mother and baby homes with over half a million women being put through them!! What's more unsettling is that even though there is a huge presence at the moment regarding the Ireland mother and baby homes, why is there a lack of acknowledgement over here? Australia have also made apologies for their part in it all and are helping to connect people who were separated when they were sent over there as babies. Apparently it was part of a deal with our government. Australia's foreign population was growing and they wanted good British 'stock' brought back into their population which is where England's adopted babies came in. Disgusting isn't it! This is just the tip of the Iceberg.
I would be really interested to hear from anyone who would like to talk about if you have got any further in your search for birth parents or adopted children, have you found them? I would like to try to help if I can.
I have looked at various old newspaper articles and annual committee reports from Simpson Hill too, seems like they made a good profit from the mother and baby homes. Their 2 main incomes from 'government grants' and 'patient contributions', as well as donations from local events etc.
Thank you.
Louise Rothwell