Margaret Humphreys
Encyclopedia
Margaret Humphreys CBE
OAM
(born 1944) is a social worker, author and whistleblower from Nottingham
, England
. In 1987, she investigated and brought to public attention the British government programme of Home Children
. This involved forcibly relocating poor British children to Australia
, Canada
, New Zealand
, the former Rhodesia
and other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations
, often without their parents' knowledge. Children were often told their parents had died, and parents were told their children had been placed for adoption elsewhere in the UK. According to Humphreys, up to 150,000 children are believed to have been resettled under the scheme, some as young as three, about 7,000 of whom were sent to Australia.
Saving money was one of the motives behind this policy. The children were allegedly deported because it was cheaper to care for them overseas. It cost an estimated £5 per day to keep a child on welfare in a British institution, but only 10% of that, ten shilling
s, in an Australian one.
Humphreys' research began in 1986. As a social worker involved in post-adoption support, she received a letter from a woman in Australia who said that, at the age of four, she had been shipped from the UK to a children's home in Australia, and was now looking for help in tracing her parents in Britain.
under English law. The Trust was later established as an incorporated body to comply with Australian regulations and opened offices in Melbourne and Perth.
Empty Cradles, Humphreys' account of the formation and early struggles of the Child Migrants Trust, was published in 1994. Its sales of 75,000 copies helped to fund the work of the Trust at a critical time when British government grants had been stopped. Empty Cradles has been dramatised as the 2011 feature film Oranges and Sunshine
directed by Jim Loach with Emily Watson
, Hugo Weaving
and David Wenham
in the leading roles.
The primary aims of the Trust are to enable former British child migrants to reclaim their personal identity and reunite them with their parents and relatives. A key feature of the work of the Child Migrants Trust has been a sustained attempt via the mass media to develop public awareness of this previously obscure chapter in the social history of all the countries concerned. Humphreys took part in the British television documentary 'The Lost Children of the Empire' screened in 1989 and later broadcast in Australia. A popular history book with the same title was published to coincide with the documentary.Its description of child migration policy begins with Britain's early involvement which started in the 17th century when children were sent from London to boost the population of Virginia — the first British outpost in America. Child migration continued over the next 350 years across three continents,incuding North America and Africa, ending in Australia in 1970.
and Queensland
where child migrants were housed and allegedly abused. The Western Australian Legislative Assembly
passed a motion on 13 August 1998 apologizing to former child migrants.
in 1996 by Nottingham Trent University
in recognition of her work. She was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 1997 by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
"in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world". On 30 May 1998 an honorary Master's degree was awarded to Humphreys by the Open University
as an "ambassador both for Nottinghamshire and for Britain".
Both Kevin Rudd and Gordon Brown, the Australian and British prime ministers, in their public apologies in 2009 and 2010 thanked Humphreys for her campaigning and contribution to the cause of UK child migrants and their families.
In the 2011 New Year's honours list, Humphreys was awarded a CBE for services to disadvantaged people.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
OAM
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 1944) is a social worker, author and whistleblower from Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In 1987, she investigated and brought to public attention the British government programme of Home Children
Home children
Home Children is a common term used to refer to the child migration scheme founded by Annie MacPherson in 1869, under which more than 100,000 children were sent to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa from the United Kingdom....
. This involved forcibly relocating poor British children to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, the former Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
and other parts of the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, often without their parents' knowledge. Children were often told their parents had died, and parents were told their children had been placed for adoption elsewhere in the UK. According to Humphreys, up to 150,000 children are believed to have been resettled under the scheme, some as young as three, about 7,000 of whom were sent to Australia.
Saving money was one of the motives behind this policy. The children were allegedly deported because it was cheaper to care for them overseas. It cost an estimated £5 per day to keep a child on welfare in a British institution, but only 10% of that, ten shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
s, in an Australian one.
Humphreys' research began in 1986. As a social worker involved in post-adoption support, she received a letter from a woman in Australia who said that, at the age of four, she had been shipped from the UK to a children's home in Australia, and was now looking for help in tracing her parents in Britain.
Child Migrants Trust
Humphreys' investigations led to the exposure of the child migration scheme in two major articles by Annabel Ferriman in the Observer newspaper in July 1987 and to the establishment of the Child Migrants Trust, initially financed by Nottinghamshire County Council, her employer, and later by the British and Australian governments, and constituted as a registered charityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
under English law. The Trust was later established as an incorporated body to comply with Australian regulations and opened offices in Melbourne and Perth.
Empty Cradles, Humphreys' account of the formation and early struggles of the Child Migrants Trust, was published in 1994. Its sales of 75,000 copies helped to fund the work of the Trust at a critical time when British government grants had been stopped. Empty Cradles has been dramatised as the 2011 feature film Oranges and Sunshine
Oranges and Sunshine
Oranges and Sunshine is a 2010 drama film directed by Jim Loach with screenplay by Rona Munro.-Plot:The film tells the story of Margaret Humphreys, a social worker from Nottingham who uncovered the scandal of "home children", a scheme of forcibly relocating poor children from the UK to Australia...
directed by Jim Loach with Emily Watson
Emily Watson
Emily Watson is an English actress. She gave an acclaimed debut film performance in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves.- Early life :...
, Hugo Weaving
Hugo Weaving
Hugo Wallace Weaving is a Nigerian born, English-Australian film actor and voice artist. He is best known for his roles as Agent Smith in the Matrix trilogy, Elrond in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "V" in V for Vendetta, and performances in numerous Australian character dramas.-Early...
and David Wenham
David Wenham
David Wenham is an Australian actor who has appeared in movies, television series and theatre productions. He is known in Hollywood for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Carl in Van Helsing and Dilios in 300 and Neil Fletcher in Australia...
in the leading roles.
The primary aims of the Trust are to enable former British child migrants to reclaim their personal identity and reunite them with their parents and relatives. A key feature of the work of the Child Migrants Trust has been a sustained attempt via the mass media to develop public awareness of this previously obscure chapter in the social history of all the countries concerned. Humphreys took part in the British television documentary 'The Lost Children of the Empire' screened in 1989 and later broadcast in Australia. A popular history book with the same title was published to coincide with the documentary.Its description of child migration policy begins with Britain's early involvement which started in the 17th century when children were sent from London to boost the population of Virginia — the first British outpost in America. Child migration continued over the next 350 years across three continents,incuding North America and Africa, ending in Australia in 1970.
Christian Brothers
In 1998, a British Parliamentary Select Committee began an inquiry into child migration schemes, and published a report in August that year, which criticized the policy in general, and particularly certain Roman Catholic institutions in Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
where child migrants were housed and allegedly abused. The Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
passed a motion on 13 August 1998 apologizing to former child migrants.
Australian affairs
In 2007, both the Queensland and Western Australia governments announced redress schemes for those who as children were abused while in State care. These schemes allow former British child migrants to apply for financial compensation if they do not wish to or cannot pursue civil litigation claims against the State.Honours and recognition
Humphreys was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in March 1993 and an honorary Master of ArtsMaster of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1996 by Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
in recognition of her work. She was named a Paul Harris Fellow in 1997 by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
"in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world". On 30 May 1998 an honorary Master's degree was awarded to Humphreys by the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
as an "ambassador both for Nottinghamshire and for Britain".
Both Kevin Rudd and Gordon Brown, the Australian and British prime ministers, in their public apologies in 2009 and 2010 thanked Humphreys for her campaigning and contribution to the cause of UK child migrants and their families.
In the 2011 New Year's honours list, Humphreys was awarded a CBE for services to disadvantaged people.
Film
- Oranges and SunshineOranges and SunshineOranges and Sunshine is a 2010 drama film directed by Jim Loach with screenplay by Rona Munro.-Plot:The film tells the story of Margaret Humphreys, a social worker from Nottingham who uncovered the scandal of "home children", a scheme of forcibly relocating poor children from the UK to Australia...
, a British-Australian co-production based on Margaret Humphreys' book 'Empty Cradles'.