Past, present, future
Jenny Glare
‘Thank you for the reunion. For many years
I had resisted the idea of talking with my
children about where I grew up ... I now
feel that I can acknowledge my past and
talk with others about it.’
These words are taken from a letter written by a woman after she had attended a reunion at a children’s home in Melbourne. The reunion was held at the place where she had grown up, and for the first time she had been able to share the experience with her husband and her children.
During the wars and depressions of the last century, when there was neither parenting allowance nor child support, some parents simply could not afford to look after their children. Thousands of boys and girls found themselves in homes, usually run by churches and charities. It’s not easy to imagine what it was like for them, growing up without their family.
In Victoria, the Catholic homes included St Joseph’s Home Carlton, St Anthony’s Home Kew, St Joseph’s Home Surrey Hills, St Augustine’s Boys’ Orphanage Geelong, St Vincent de Paul Girls’ Orphanage South Melbourne and Black Rock, St Catherine’s Girls’ Orphanage Geelong, and St Vincent’s Boys’ Orphanage South Melbourne. The earliest of these homes dates back to the 1854. They were managed by the Sisters of Mercy, the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St Joseph.
The works that evolved out of these homes were gathered together in 1997 to form a new agency called MacKillop Family Services. Operating in Melbourne and Geelong, MacKillop offers family support, parenting support, foster care, residential care, disability services, special schools, education support services, and a heritage and information service. MacKillop’s Heritage and Information Service provides assistance to adults who were in care as children, as well as caring for the files and history of over a hundred thousand former residents and clients.
During the past twelve months the Heritage and Information Service, along with the former residents associations, arranged reunions for all those who had grown up in the original homes. Over 2000 people attended, including former residents, mothers and staff—notably the Sisters and Brothers who had worked in the homes—and their friends and family.
Sadly, two of the original homes have been demolished. In the other cases, however, it was possible for those attending the reunions to visit and tour through the original buildings and grounds.
‘It was wonderful to walk around the old babies’ home and to see the transformation into a beautiful school. Although I have no memories of the babies’ home, as I was too young to remember, it was good to walk into the former nursery. Thank you for a wonderful day…’
The reunions enabled former residents and staff to remember and reminisce and to renew contacts from their childhood years. This was a very moving experience for all concerned.
‘It was wonderful to attend with my three adult children to show them where I grew up …’
One of the significant aspects of each reunion was a display of group photographs and a collection of photo albums for people to look through. There were photographs of buildings, of the Sisters and Brothers, of the carers and of the children. There were group photos with formal and informal poses, happy and sad facial expressions. The photographs of the children attracted the most interest.
People attending the reunions were desperately looking for photos of themselves as children. Many had never seen a photo of themselves as a child and many had no idea what they might have looked like when younger. Whenever someone found a photo of themselves, or was directed to a photograph by a former carer, there was great excitement.
A central focus of each reunion was a commemoration ritual dedicating a plaque to be placed at the site of each of the former homes. The wording on each plaque described the history of each site, included an acknowledgment of the traditional owners of the land and recorded the numbers of former residents at each site. Each plaque includes wording that ‘commemorates and honours the lives’ of those who lived on the site and ‘acknowledges the site as a special and significant place’.
‘Thank you for the reunion. In the days leading up to the reunion,
I was very apprehensive and nervous, not sure if I would know anyone,
or if anyone would remember me. Thank you for welcoming me and linking
me up with others from my era …’
Many of those attending the reunions commented on the significance of
this and the positive affect this has had on them. They feel that they
are now remembered and acknowledged. Many found participation in the commemoration
ritual to be sad, but also very empowering.
‘The day was a source of healing for me, I now feel a whole person,
I have closed that chapter my life and I can move forward …’
We have been overwhelmed with feedback following each reunion. We have
received many requests for more information and help from our service.
Former residents have also expressed their gratitude in various ways.
‘I now feel at peace with myself knowing I have returned to the place where my life first started …’
‘Walking around the home brought back so many memories for me, some things I had forgotten about, it was good to see the old classrooms, the dormitories but especially the yard where we spent so much time playing and having fun …’
The series of reunions had a great impact on those attending, not only on former residents and their families, but also on former caregivers and on the current staff and volunteers of MacKillop Family Services. Those who are working with children in residential homes today were struck by the long-term significance of their work. They also became more aware of the importance of keeping children’s life stories secure for those later years when, as adults, they might want to find out more about their childhood.
The reunions demonstrated the strengths and inner resources of former residents, and the importance of knowing one’s story, no matter how sad that may be. The reunions also showed that it is appropriate and just for past providers of care to children to continue to have a collaborative and facilitative role with former residents into the future.
Finally, the reunions showed the importance of developing resilience in the children we care for today, especially in enriching their lives and developing their sense of their own story so that they can take that with them into the future.
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