A Tragedy All Round,

[emmie]

this is an appalling story, and one that should be out in the open, upwards of 250 thousand women over three decades forced to give up their babies, because they were born out of wedlock. I watched the news on BBC, where i couldn't find a link but the Guardian has run it.


https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/may/26/hundreds-uk-women-demand-formal-apology-forced-adoptions?via=webuproar

[emmie]

many did, they were taken directly after giving birth. i wish i could find the BBC report.

[burlyshirley]

emmie I don't understand why you think the Government should apologise ! Yes, what happened to these poor girls and young women was awful, but it was mostly the parents who made them give up the babies, generally feeling it was 'best for the baby'. I don't particularly agree with that, but it's the way the world was then. It's got absolutely nothing to do with the Government of today and what exactly would they be 'apologising' for ? Of course this doesn't mean that I don't feel sorry for the ones who had to give up their precious babies, because I do.

[emmie]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57274323

[emmie]

the BBC gives a more in depth report.

[gness]

It is a tragedy, Emmie. Much like the one the churches and government here are responsible for.
Let's hope those in this report did go on to a better and happier life unlike the 800 babies and children who were thrown, by nuns, into a septic tank in Tuam and where their remains still lie.

[roopower]

Agree with bhg, have hardly heard any mention of the babies grandparents. Watching Long Lost Families more often than not the baby was given up as one or both of the mothers' parents wouldn't have the baby in the house or support it.

[emmie]

gness, that's appalling. I'm not sure what i can add.

[burlyshirley]

You've missed out my comment then emmie ?

[emmie]

because i have linked it to the BBC report, which means that this matter isn't going to go away - that its important that its being taken seriously. If the government have set up an enquiry, then one hopes that there is an historic apology. If the churches have apologised then that's not before time. and one i hadn't seen.

[emmie]

what was best for the baby would have been left with the mother, not taken away, the girls didn't have any say in this.

[emmie]

can you imagine this happening now, surely there would be a public outcry

[ladybirder]

In those days they weren't given a flat to live in and looked after financially as they are now. Lots of them probably wouldn't have had a roof over their heads.

[Thisoldbird]

To be pregnant out of marriage in the 50s for me bought shame on the family..I was hidden upstairs when visitors came to the house. My parents found a home for unmarried mothers that I was sent to at 7 months pregnant. It was a hell hole. The girls were treated like naughty school children. I was made to scrub the steps of this huge house at 7am every morning.

I could go on, but it wasn't the government's fault, I can't see why they need to apologise.
If anyone need apologise it's the church. They alone caused me more anxiety by accusing me of "been with men, many men"
Then refusing to christen a child "in those circumstances."

The home was run by the Church of England.

[Vagus]

Who should apologies, and why?
It was different days, different times, different attitudes.
No one today needs to apologise for what happened then.

[burlyshirley]

The matter probably won't go away, nor should it, but it's not the government's fault. It was the fault of society back in the day, the Churches who ran the homes and the parents who wouldn't let them keep their babies. I was lucky, my Mum and Dad had lovely parents and married very young when Mum was pregnant with me, there was no chance whatsoever of me being given away. A shame not all were so lucky.

[cashier]

This will have happened in most western countries. The number in Canada is huge, and the number for here will be more than stated. Think of all the babies born to unmarried mothers after the war. As others have said it was society's attitude to unmarried mothers and the stigma of shame brought upon families for whom "I wonder what the neighbours will think' was their motto. I can't believe you've not heard about it before, you're in your sixties and it's never been a secret. This government have nothing to apologise for it's the churches and the grandparents who forced it.

[LadyCG]

I agree with you, Emmie, it was appalling. What those women were put through doesn't bear thinking about.

[Toorak]

@thisoldbird

What an awful experience for you - I do feel for you. And I also admire your courage and fortitude for not jumping on the ‘government must apologise’ bandwagon when the situation you found yourself in was not politically driven: Often government ‘apologies’, while arguably well-intended, seem tokenistic to me.

[tamborine]

17y Sis had illigitimate dter 1956 that was reared by my parents till sis later wed. Babe was baptised by our RC church with father's name on cert.

1966 flat mate berthed dter that she left in hospital for adoption - coz her parents refused their support.

Cant blame others for ignorant parents!

[Peter Pedant]

there is an awful lot of rewriting History these days

why have nt we had child labour in factories 1800-1820 - or the eviction of crofters ( in Scortland silly) 1850-1900 - or is that to come?