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Friday, December 2, 2016

Albany Museum...

It is nearly 3 months since DH and I had our holiday in Western Australia...time has certainly flown! While we were in Albany we visited an exhibition at the museum. 

The museum precinct has lots of lovely old buildings...

And even a post box that dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria.
A friend had told me of a special exhibition that had opened at the museum which focused on Adoptions. 
Near the entry was a video of a former PM, Julia Gillard, and her speech of apology for the forced adoptions throughout our history.
There were lots of information boards including these which documented adoptions decade by decade.
It made for harrowing reading. As did many such boards spread throughout the exhibits.







How poignant were these 2 next items?


Very moving and sad though this exhibition was, it was wonderful that so many women could tell their story...their heartbreak and often never knowing how their child fared. 
And there was even a section devoted to the fathers...

What a photo...all those babies in that hospital nursery waiting to be adopted.




My mother put up 2 children for adoption; one found his mother. The other child we know nothing of. My aunt not long before she died, mentioned to my cousin that her sister had had another child but she gave us no details, so perhaps she didn't know any more. I can but hope that he or she has/had a good life.

4 comments:

Jackie said...

I can never understand how unwed mothers were treated back in the day. I wish with all my heart that these "forced" adoptions in all countries had never happened.

My Mom told me when I was 20 that I had a half sister somewhere. She was made to give up her baby as well.

I often wonder if I could ever find our oldest sibling.

God bless.

diane b said...

A very interesting post. I was "forced" to give up my baby at 17. However, I did think it was the right thing to do at that time. You can read my story here:
https://diane-adventurebeforedementia.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/the-missing-page-from-my-story.html
If you would like to read more of my story just click on the links on my sidebar under My Story.

Just so not to keep you wondering, I did meet my son when the laws changed. He was 30.

Kim said...

Such a sad but interesting exhibition, Maria. So many poignant stories of young mums having to give up their babies. I cannot imagine the grief and heartache they all must have felt. Who can understand the government's back in the day, thinking. Your family too caught up in all of this. You must often think where your brother/sister is and what life they led. It is all so very sad.

Vireya said...

That's one museum exhibit I wouldn't mind missing. Too sad for me!