Successful legal actions for compensation are virtually impossible due the effluxion of time. Withholding records and poor record keeping by authorities obstructs justice. The literacy and psychological capacity of victims, the emotional strain of reliving their trauma, access to and emotional strain on potential witnesses, and the high costs associated with any attempt to access legal remedies, discourage attempted claims.
Stolen white children, denied healthcare, education, employment opportunities, and permanently damaged by deprivation and abuse, were left to struggle through life without assistance or benefits of any kind --- not even recognition. Many who survive are now ageing in poor health due to abuse and deprivation in childhood. Many are desperately poor, and all still struggle with psychological damage caused by the wrongs they suffered.
Although a totally factual biography would be impossible given the effects of trauma on memory and the sensitivities of some of the characters involved, this story was written to expose the ugly truth.
FOOTNOTE: Although only one sister is mentioned in this story --- at the specific request of the man on whom the character Paul Wilson is based --- in fact three children were taken: a boy aged 7, a 9-year-old sister, and a 5-year-old-sister.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Little of worth is ever achieved alone, and what we do in isolation rarely brings much joy.
I owe a debt of gratitude to my editor, Robb Grindstaff, for his helpful advice and encouragement, without which I doubt this work would have ever been completed; to Barbara Scott of A Woman’s Write, whose encouraging words motivated me to make yet another critical revision; and to Diana Hockley, who so generously gave her time and expertise to help me apply that all–important final coat of polish to the manuscript. Also to all my wonderful friends on Authonomy who have been so supportive.
Thanks are due to my wonderful family: my mother, daughters Suzie and Danie, son Garrick, sons–in–law, daughter–in–law (now, tragically, deceased) and adored grandchildren for their love, encouragement and support.
Most importantly, I owe a huge debt to my wonderful husband, Peter, who throws his untiring support behind my every endeavour, and whose love and companionship makes waking every morning a joy. Only his insistent modesty prevents me naming him as co–author. He is “the wind beneath my wings”.
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DEDICATION
This book is dedicated to the memory of Lesley and Edith Tuck, in humble recognition of their dedication, generosity and hard work loving and caring for homeless children.
I attended a reunion of some of ‘their boys’ a few years ago. One of those present proposed a toast to Les and Ede. It brought tears to my eyes when over two dozen men, middle aged and older, raised their glasses and, with no prompting, chorused “To Mum and Dad”. There could be no more fitting tribute to the memory of a couple who gave so much to kids who had so little.
In the words of one of those who loved them, “If they aren’t saints in heaven, they’ll do me until some come along”.
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To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight.”
E.E. Cummings
“Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide.”
Napoleon Bonaparte
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BACKGROUND AND DISCLAIMER
Until around the mid–1970s, government policy across Australia was to remove children they considered to be “at risk” in their home environment. The story of “The Stolen Generation’’ is now well known internationally, but the whole truth hasn’t been told. Children weren’t taken solely because of their race. They stole white kids too.
Welfare legislation authorising the removal of children from poverty–stricken homes was enacted by people who were untrained and unable or unwilling to acknowledge that lack of money did not mean a bad home life. Children were removed to institutions where they suffered deprivation, abuse, separation from family and withholding of affection that scarred them for life.
Financial benefits accrued to welfare workers and churches through increasing the number of wards of the state. Increased government funding of welfare departments meant more jobs, and churches profited by keeping children on subsistence diets and dressed in rags, spending far less than the government allowances provided for the children committed to their care.
This is the story of one of the victims of this policy.
Although the story framework (the journey with the lawyer) is fiction, and details have been changed, most of the incidents related happened as described. To create a story --- and because memory is sometimes unreliable, interpretations and perspectives vary, and access to detailed knowledge of some incidents is limited --- creative licence has been taken in describing some people and places and relating details of events and conversations. Names of people and places have been changed, but some characters are named, or may be recognisable as known persons.
The story is told from diverse observations and fragmented and sometimes unreliable memories, including memories of individuals whose perspective was shaped by trauma and years of suffering pain, struggle and cruel injustices. There is no intention to defame or criticise individuals about whose life, other deeds, endeavours and deeper motives and intentions neither the author nor the protagonist has knowledge. Rather, the goal is to expose how their thinking and conduct in specific situations was influenced by a flawed system and the social prejudices of the day; and how it was perceived by, reacted to and affected the victims of society’s failure.
The condemnation of those who continue, today, to misrepresent history, to discriminate based on race, and to deny victims fair reparation and assistance is, however, deliberate and made without apology.
The author endeavoured to be true to the protagonist's memories and representations, and to accurately reflect his thoughts and feelings, although her own experiences and emotions inevitably influenced the way this story was written.
THANK YOU FOR READING. Please email me your feedback, comments and questions, or connect with me online at https://www.facebook.com/lcobcroft.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lorraine Cobcroft was born in Australia and, after an eventful life living in four countries, is now semi-retired and lives in beautiful seaside Pottsville, NSW. Married to Peter, she has three children and five grandchildren.
Lorraine spent much of her life as a business, technical and instructional writer, but now finds time to venture into the worlds of fiction, creative non-fiction and writing for children.
In the autumn of her life, she has become courageous and outspoken, embracing controversy. She admires the courage and personal strength of those who stand fearlessly for their beliefs.
Lorraine’s heroes are the unsung battlers: those who suffer quietly and with serene acceptance of that which is unacceptable - man's inhumanity to man - yet continue to love, to give, and to hope. She finds herself yielding to a furious yearning to use the pen to ''nudge the world a little'' - while entertaining readers, to expose and hopefully inspire remedy of social injustice; to applaud unsung heroes; and to expose the amazing strength of the human spirit, and the power of love.
"The Pencil Case" is substantially Lorraine’s story. She has been married to the protagonist for over forty years, and shared his struggles, his pains, his joys and his triumphs. She is in awe of his strength and his capacity to love and to forgive. She is in awe of the father who was his hero and his inspiration.
His is a story that had to be told.
Lorraine also authored “Melanie’s Easter Gift”, a picture book for children aged up to 12 years, and has authored a number of short stories, some of which have been featured in Anthologies published by Fairfield Writers Group, of which she has been an active member for several years.
Lorraine also ghost writes, and has pr
oduced over 40 informational ebook titles under the names of clients.
As at the date of publication, Lorraine had commenced writing a novel, Mortgaged Goods, and was hosting a website community for authors at www.rainbowriter.com.
See Lorraine's other works here.
The Pencil Case Page 38