Mother and Baby Homes - The Hopedean Nursing Home

[bitzar]

Hello Mara Mack

I'm sure you will never receive a 'Sorry' from these people, but I am sorry for the pain and heartache you and all the other women have endured. 

bitzar.

[brigidmac]

Oh mara I feel for you

I.m glad this topic  was revived

 the helpful links addresses and phone numbers will be useful to adoptees new to the boards

Wouldn't it be great if someone got united with family members through here

Just knowing about family mysteries gives solace to some people even if the story is hard to hear

a man told me his father deserted his mother but they lived with paternal family
 noone told him when or where his father  died  (he believed he lived abroad with  a new family)

I.ve been researching for him
I found the death registration  1981 + probate          in ..         .Norfolk.   
 ..just knowing​ that gave him closure


Tomorrow i.ll give him a possible name for a half sister and look at his original birth certificate

[Sally Ann Major]

Dear Mara Mack

On behalf of The Salvation Army, I would like to repeat the offer made to you in 2012 and again in 2015, to contact us so that we can formally investigate your claims made against individuals at Hopedene, and offer you counselling.  Please contact:

        Director of Safeguarding
        The Salvation Army
        101 Newington Causeway
        London
        SE1 6BN

       
Regards
 
Kevin
 
Major Kevin Pooley
Social Historian
The Salvation Army
International Heritage Centre
William Booth College
Champion Park
London
SE5 8BQ

Direct Line (020) 7326 7806
Switchboard (020) 7326 7800

[Mara Mack]

Hi Annie,

Thank you for your kind compassion and caring.

To answer your question.

LOOSING MY BABY TO ADOPTION...MY EXPERIENCE IN HOPDENE

SEARED ME TO THE MARROW

YOU NEVER RECOVER...its was a psychological tsunami...the legacy is the mantle that bears its ugly head throughout life.

[River Tyne Lass]

Hi Mara Mack,

I am so sorry to read of the abuse you have endured.  The way you and others were treated was totally wrong. I agree that there should be a public apology forthcoming.

I feel so sad for you at the thought of all you have suffered and are still suffering.  What you have written sounds heartbreaking.

I hope one day (the sooner, the better) you and others who suffered such vile treatment will get the apology that is owed.

[Sally Ann Major]

Dear Mara Mack

If you are not going to comment on this forum again, I would urge you to contact our safeguarding unit at the address above, even if you do not want any form of counselling, so that they can look into your case for you.  We cannot do anything for you unless you make contact.

Regards

Kevin

[River Tyne Lass]

I have come across another site on which another writer documents her harrowing time at Hopedean.  The writer records this place as having been a "house of horrors".

I hope one day there will be apologies with regard to what people such as Mara Mack were subjected to.  It pains me to think that when they most needed compassion, care and support they were subjected to cruelty, contempt and punishment instead.  I can imagine how very easy it would have been to get someone to agree to give up their baby for adoption once they had succeeded in making them feel like the lowest of the low like this.

https://movementforanadoptionapology.org/your-stories link updated thanks JenB


That said, I do think that Sally Ann Major's Kevin does genuinely sound concerned and would like to help.  However, I do appreciate Mara Mack, that your suffering has probably ground you down over the years and therefore finding the energy to take things further and not let this all be swept under the carpet, will likely be very difficult.

 

[Sally Ann Major]

Hello River Tyne Lass

I've not been able to follow the link you posted, and I keep getting an error message:

ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED

which doesn't mean anything to me.  Could I ask you check to see if the link as it appears on the forum works for you?

Regards

Kevin

[River Tyne Lass]

Sorry, I have just tried myself and I also can't get the link.  You should be able to Google this instead.

The Hopedean account is at the bottom.  This story and Mara Mack's are truly heartbreaking ...