Right from the start, Patricia Skidmore had set the stage for this riveting account of the deception of children and their parents in a horrific scheme that promised them "a better life". Her introduction of Marjorie, her parents and siblings was reinforced early in the novel so that the reader was never in a 'who's-who quandary.
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Marjorie's freedom as a child She had been ripped from her loving albeit poor family Plagued by fear, sadness and anger, she had learned to 'go with the flow', suppressing her emotions to avoid trouble. The inclusion of photographs, footnotes, the historic timeline, and the words of the long-awaited apology of the British Prime Minister had enhanced the story tenfold. I may sound slightly biased here but that really doesnt matter. Pat Skidmore has written the most remarkable, incredible, emotional story that I have ever read. This story is about my family - a very disfunctional, poor, but loving family.
I cant quite understand how this could have happened just one generation ago. My father never knew about this sorry story until he was in his late teens - his family told him that they were sent away because of the war - what a shock to find out the truth. Dad eventually met his sister Audrey and brother Ken in the 's but never had to opportunity to meet Marjorie until after the apology and thanks to Gordon Browns fund. It was less than 2 years ago that my 71 year old Dad sat nervously in my front room clutching a bottle of champagne waiting for Marjories arrival - "I dont know what to say to her" he said, " I know nothing about her".
When she arrived the moment was so touching, so emotional and they just clicked straight away, they had such similar personality traits it was uncanny! A few days later we had a reunion at a local pub where alot of my family came to meet our long lost family member.
They were there for nearly 3 weeks and they saw as much of Canada as they possibly imagine! I couldnt put this book down - I have heard so many stories from various memebers of the family, but reading this just felt like I had stepped into Pats story. The names and places were all so familiar.
But I was so shocked to read some of the facts, I am amazed how Pat found the letters from the archives and was very upset to read the letters my granddad just signed the children away. I only have vague memories of my granddad but they are of a 5 year old child very scared of the angry man in front of me. Pat Skidmore my cousin you are a genious - thank you so much for making your Mums story available, I feel so much for her and the other siblings - what a terrible, tragic tale.
I will treasure this book and read it again and again - it will be passed to my children and their children so this story is never forgotten. Massive praise - Huge congratulations - Amazing achievement - Everyone should read this book!! See all 10 reviews. Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers.
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What other items do customers buy after viewing this item? Take them away, take them away Out of the gutter, the ooze and the slime Where little vermin paddle and crawl Till they grow and ripen into crime. Take them away o'er the rolling sea. Thomas Barnardo's well-known homes. As Patricia Skidmore points out in Marjorie Too Afraid to Cry , the children provided "white stock" and cheap labour for the countries receiving them, while decreasing the number of people "on the dole" in Britain.
Not all of these children were orphans. Many, like Skidmore's mother, Marjorie Arnison, had parents who were persuaded that their children would have a better life in Canada. For many, including Marjorie, being shipped overseas meant loss, "loss of country, loss of records, loss of family and roots. Skidmore's book is unique in several ways. First, the central figure in her story, her mother, Marjorie, is still alive and was able to travel to London in to meet British Labor Prime Minister Gordon Brown when he formally apologized to all child migrants for their exportation.
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Other books, centring on Victorian "home children", cannot provide the closure that Skidmore's book can, nor her "then and now" photographs showing Marjorie both as a frightened child and as a good-looking senior citizen. Skidmore's book stands out, as well, for her solid research and documentation along with her fictionalized account of Marjorie's five years under the guardianship of the Prince of Wales Fairbridge Farm School Society. There are pages of factual information and documentation including the text of Prime Minister Gordon Brown's apology to the child emigrants and pages of historical novella.
When an author is presenting a tragic historical event, especially one which stirs debate as to the scale and level of tragedy, it may be best to write it as nonfiction and back up your assertions by citing sources. On the other hand, fiction can bring a story to life and touch the heart in a way that non-fiction often fails to do. Skidmore, very sensibly, does both.
Marjorie Too Afraid to Cry is also unique for its focus on the harm done by the uprooting of Marjorie and her siblings, rather than on their sufferings in Canada. One cannot deny that many "home children" were exploited in Canada, but for many, like Skidmore's mother, it was the trauma of being ripped from their families that blighted their lives and those of their own offspring.
As a girl, Pat felt rootless because of her mother's reluctance to talk about her past.
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Judging from what Skidmore tells readers, there was nothing much wrong with the Arnison family except that, for reasons beyond their control, they were poor at a time when the world economy was in chaos and the social welfare system was rudimentary. Plaques are strategically placed so that people will know what the buildings were used for when the grounds were run as a school. I have also found out that a reunion is held for t I was interested in this book because I know one of the children that was in this school.
BC Studies no. 198 Summer 2018
I have also found out that a reunion is held for the students, I have been told that go because their fellow students became their family. Local history has always been a fascination for me and I had no idea the school existed until Mar 19, Maureen rated it liked it. The story enlightened me to a chapter of British and Canadian history that I'd been completely ignorant of.
I'm surprised, however, at the shoddiness of the editing, given that it was published by a respectable Canadian publisher. The writing is repetitive and the book is gripping only because the story is so awful for the participants. I would like to have heard more about Marjorie's time at the farm, and, in fact, the author says she looked for that information from her mother after the apolog The story enlightened me to a chapter of British and Canadian history that I'd been completely ignorant of.
I would like to have heard more about Marjorie's time at the farm, and, in fact, the author says she looked for that information from her mother after the apology, but neglected to say how her mother had responded. Skidmore simply repeated material she'd already written.
Is she planning a sequel and didn't want to give anything away? Feb 14, James Smith rated it it was amazing. This book was of interest to me as I am currently researching a similar story about a home child experience. The book was well written with personal feelings imparted by the author about her mothers experience of being torn from her family at an early age.
The research the author put into this book will be appreciated by any person undertaking the same voyage of discovery.
Marjorie Too Afraid to Cry: A Home Child Experience by Patricia Skidmore | Promises of Home
I look forward to reading a sequel to this book in the near future. Jul 10, Gloria rated it liked it. The amount of work that went into this book is quite amazing. There is an extensive section of sources that lead you on to more information. The book itself I found a little dry. The sections on the government apologies were detailed and probably will appeal more to those with a personal or historical connection than they did to me.
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I wanted Marjorie's personal story fleshed out a bit more. I did appreciate the many photographs included. Oct 07, Rose rated it really liked it. This is one of many books been written about the experiences of home children in Canada and brings another unique perspective, this time from the daughter of a living home child. It's of interest to social historians, genealogist and those who can trace their family roots back to a home child. Feb 21, Dreda Corlett rated it really liked it.
I gave it 4 because I know the niece of the author and had heard a lot about it. Lois Yellowlees rated it it was amazing Nov 16, Helen Edwards rated it it was amazing Mar 30, Jun 12, Henry rated it liked it.