The Fairbridge organisation operated child migration schemes for underprivileged British children in Canada, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), West Australia and New South Wales from 1912 until 1980.
The Fairbridge Farm School near Molong operated from 1938 until 1974 during which time about 1000 boys and girls passed through the school and were trained to be “farmers and farmers’ wives”.
Thousands of parents were persuaded to sign over legal guardianship of their children to Fairbridge and the Farm School, Molong. Now many of those children have decided to speak out. Physical and sexual abuse was common. Loneliness was rife. Food was often inedible. The standard of education was appalling.
This remarkable book The Forgotten Children by David Hill was published by Random House in 2007. It is a tribute to the children who were betrayed by a migration scheme that went terribly awry. Research was supported by the Centre and Heritage Office in the Department of Planning (NSW). The book is available for purchase through Random House and all good book sellers.
View Fairbridge Farm School memories and view personal mementos and photographs in our Belongings exhibition » and read oral history transciptions in our tribute to The Forgotten Australians »
