Marjorie – Too Afraid to Cry
Saturday 21st September at 2.00 pm
The Lyttelton Theatre at the Birmingham & Midland Institute
(Margaret Street B3 3BS, near to the Council House)
Free Admission, no pre-booking required
Approx 1 hour duration, includes a Q&A session.
In February 1937, ten-year-old Marjorie Arnison was admitted to The Birmingham Middlemore Emigration Home with her three siblings. Six months later Marjorie and 9 year-old Kenny were emigrated to The Fairbridge Farm School in British Columbia, Canada, their 8 year-old sister Audrey joined them a year later. They left behind their beloved sister Joyce, because at 13 she was deemed too old to join them. She was, in fact, only 12. And it would be over 30 years before she saw any of her siblings again.
Pat Skidmore is the daughter of Marjorie Arnison and will be flying in from Canada to present this fascinating story of her family’s experiences as British Child Migrants. What started out as a form of therapy for her mother, became a passion for Pat and she was able to unearth masses of documents, photographs and testimonies that covered every aspect of her mother’s childhood.
Marjorie’s story went on to feature in two books: Marjorie Too Afraid To Cry (2012) and Marjorie Her War Years (2018). Marjorie was only one of two former British child migrants from Canada invited to attend the UK’s Official Apology in 2010 by the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Gordon Brown provided a Foreword in both books.
This emotional slide-show presentation gives a unique insight into life at The Fairbridge Farm School, and the psychological wounds that scarred many Home Children for life.
Note: this talk is being held as part of The Lost Children Exhibition at the BMI from 14th to 22nd September 10am to 4 pm.
