Empty Cradles [Paperback]

Margaret Humphreys (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1996

In 1986 Margaret Humphreys, a Nottingham social worker, investigated the case of a woman who claimed that, at the age of four, she had been put on a boat to Australia by the British government. Margaret Humphreys soon discovered that as many as 150,000 children had in fact been deported from children's homes in Britian and shipped off to a "new life" in distant parts of the Empire—the last as recently as 1967. For numerous children it was to be a life of horrendous physical and sexual abuse in institutions in Western Australia and elsewhere. Margaret Humphreys reveals how she gradually unravelled this shocking secret, how she became drawn into the lives of some of these innocent and unwilling exiles, and how it became her mission to reunite them with their families.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The secrets of the lost children of Britain may never have been revealed if it had not been for [the actions of] Margaret Humphreys.', Sunday Times .'It is a story that defies belief.', Independent .'A truly astonishing, haunting, real-life detective story.', She .'Brought tears to my eyes. It is impossible to read Empty Cradles without thinking "These could be my parents. These could be my children."...Despite the sadness and anger at its centre, hope remains the principal message of this remarkable book.', Terry Waite, The Times .'A modern Florence Nightingale.', Sydney Morning Herald

From the Publisher

'Brought tears to my eyes. It is impossible to read Empty Cradles without thinking "These could be my parents. These could be my children."... Despite the sadness and anger at its centre, hope remains the principal message of this remarkable book' - TERRY WAITE, THE TIMES

'A TRULY ASTONISHING, HAUNTING, REAL-LIFE DETECTIVE STORY' - She (Australia)

'THE SECRETS OF THE LOST CHILDREN OF BRITAIN MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN REVEALED IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR [THE ACTIONS OF] MARGARET HUMPHREYS' - Sunday Times

'IT IS A STORY THAT DEFIES BELIEF' - Independent

'A MODERN FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE' - Sydney Morning Herald

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 383 pages
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers (February 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055214164X
• ISBN-13: 978-0552141642
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,174,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Margaret Humphreys(born 1944) is a British Social Worker who exposed the scandal of Britain's child migration schemes. She founded the Child Migrants Trust(CMT) in 1987 and has worked tirelessly to promote public awareness of the needs of former child migrants- to reclaim their identity and reunite with their families.
Her campaigning was recognised by Australia's Prime Minister,Kevin Rudd, in
his public apology to former child migrants in November,2009 and Gordon Brown who delivered the UK apology in February,2010.
Margaret's book Empty Cradles was written to raise funds for CMT and to increase public awareness of this dark episode in recent history.It became a best seller and fulfilled both of these vital objectives.
It has been made into a full length feature film (Emily Watson plays Margaret) called 'Oranges and Sunshine.' That's what the children were promised when they left their homeland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was weeping, March 24, 2000

By 

saliero (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empty Cradles (Hardcover)

This is a piece of social history which , along with the recording of the experiences of the Aboriginal stolen generation, should be read widely. It is a part of the history of two countries that needs to have the torch shone on it. Margaret Humphreys manages to convey the story with poignance and dignity. That officials REFUSED to acknowledge for so long (and during Humphrey's quest) that any such thing as the forcible 'transportation' of children from the UK to Australia up to the second half of the 20th century, is damning.

Should be on history curricula in both countries. politicians should be required to read it before they can represent their constituents. It should be read alongside 'Bringing Them Home' about the Aboriginal stolen children, forecably removed from their families also well in to the 20th century. As a nation we will reach genuine maturity when we acknowledge and take on board some of the more unpleasant aspects of our shared history.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost Children, February 5, 2002

By 

Michael J. Amphlett (Phoenix, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empty Cradles (Paperback)

Margaret Humphreys with her book "Empty Cradles" bravely took on the plight of the Lost Children, those poor souls shipped from the overcrowded orphanages of Britain to all parts of the then British Empire. My own destination was Australia.

Margaret, undaunted by possible repercussions from the collusion of the governments involved, tells our story with heartbreaking compassion. Thanks to her tremendous efforts, some of us now will meet family we never knew we had.

For all who are concerned with humanity, with simple human dignity, this book should not be omitted from your reading list.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars oranges and sunshine, August 3, 2011

By 

JohnT - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Oranges & Sunshine (Paperback)

A very moving account of the trauma suffered by thousands of children sent from the UK to institutions in Australia, Canada and Rhodesia, often without the knowledge of their parents, and the extent to which the UK and Australian governments and so-called welfare organisations colluded in this practice for decades. The persistence and compassion of UK social worker Margaret Humphries led to many of these children being reunited with close relatives who they had been told had died or abandoned them. The book provides a lot more detail about the callous disregard of these children's interests, the efforts of governments and welfare organisations to conceal what had happened, their attempts to justify it and their reluctance to apologise to or compensate the victims. The book provided the background for a sensitive film with the same title, depicting the plight of these children and Margaret Humphries' campaign to stir the public conscience on their behalf. It is essential reading for anyone caring for childen, their own or other people's.