| Title | : | The Last Orphan: The Heartbreaking True Story of Britain's Last Child Mirgrant |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 161 |
| Publication | : | First published March 18, 2019 |
In the early 1970s, Rex and his brother Kevin were believed to be the last orphans to be transported to Australia under the Child Migrants Programme, which began in the 1930s and was thought to have ended by 1967.
With a promise of a better life and a brighter future, the two innocent boys were sent to the other side of the globe, unaware of what this cruel world held in store for them.
But they would soon find out...
For the first time ever Rex, the survivor, will tell his story of childhood innocence, unforgivable abuse at the hands of the people who were meant to care for him, and his long journey back to England to seek the truth of what really happened to his mother, and why he was sent away in the first place.
The Last Orphan: The Heartbreaking True Story of Britain's Last Child Mirgrant Reviews
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The Last Orphan by Rex Wade was absolutely heart-breaking. Kevin and Bruce were his brothers, and Rex was the middle child. He and his brother were taken from the woman they believed to be their mother and sent to live in Australia with the promise of a better life. Life does not always end as promised however and it wasn’t long before they realised for themselves that those promises were empty. Rex felt cheated and angry and he began to rebel. He get in trouble and turned to alcohol in an attempt to forget the trauma they suffered. They suffered hardship and abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to be caring and protecting them. They were only children, sent to Australia from Britain as part of the Children’s Migrant Programme. This programme was supposed to end in the late sixties but Rex and his brother migrated in the early 1970’s. The British government practised this forced migration of children for four decades. What benefit they thought it served is beyond me but that, like many other barbaric practices they forced on people in Britain and in their colonies served to do nothing other than destroy the lives of all those concerned. Rex Wade wanted answers. He wanted to know his mother and what happened to her. The British government robbed him of this. The Last Orphan is a very tough read. It is well written and I felt as if I was sitting, speaking to Rex at times as his words are so heart felt. It’s a book that will remain with me long after reading the final chapter.
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The Last Orphan
The heartbreaking true story of Britain's last Child Migrant
by Rex Wade
Mirror Books
Biographies & Memoirs , Nonfiction (Adult)
Pub Date 21 Mar 2019
I am reviewing a copy of The Last Orphan through Mirror Books and Netgalley:
It was the early 70’s and Rex and his brother Kevin were believed to be the last orphans to be transported to Australia under the Child’s Migrant’s Programe, a programe that started in the 1930’s and was supposed to have ended in 1967!
The boys were made to believe they were going to have a better life on the other side of the world, not aware of the cruel world that they would face!
But soon they will find out!
In this book Rex, a survivor will tell a story, his story of childhood innocence as well as unforgettable abuse at the hands of the ones who were charged to care for him. He will share of his journey back to England to find out what really happened to his Mother and find out why he was sent away in the first place!
I found The Last Orphan to be a powerfully written and heart wrenching story of abuse at the hands of the very people who were tasked with providing for and keeping these children safe!
I give The Last Orphan five out of five stars!
Happy Reading! -
Maybe because this is the first time I heard about these migrant children, this was an eye opener. I am shocked how did people think that sending children abroad to "homes" was the end of their problems. That the truth of the foster parents was the only one that mattered. How many nowadays adults have been through horrible abuse and have been affected by it for a lifetime.
Rex tells his story, which is just one of many. But still gives you a horrible sickening reality of what happened to him and how this affected every next step.
The sad thing of it all is the lack of acknowledgement and responsibility of the UK/England (at least up till this book was written).
Children are the future. Always. So they should be treasured. -
A very difficult book to review as it is written in the first person. Rex Wade tells of his harrowing life sent to Australia as an orphan in 1970. it beggars belief that this practice was carried on by the British government. The book made me angry and it is a difficult read but all respect to the author for relating his story. I don't know how to rate this book so I give it 5*. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
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I volunteered to read this book before publication. In 1970 2 brothers were sent from the U.K. to Australia as part of the child migration act. They were the last children to be sent. Before leaving and upon arriving in Australia, both children suffered severe abuse and trauma. This is the story of one of the brothers. It's one of the saddest books that I have ever read. It also makes me very angry at the failure of the institutions to help him find his mother! It's truly astounding how this man suffered as a boy. I couldn't put it down.
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The author wrote a raw and honest account of what life was like for him as one of the last orphans sent to Australia under the Child Migrants Programme in the 1970s. He was abused by those that were supposed to be caring for him. This memoir shows the bravery it took to survive such a horrible childhood.
