WARNING: This website contains confronting and disturbing content, and names and images of deceased people. It may not be suitable for children under 15 years. Many of the historic images show an official, sanitised view which did not reflect reality. The faces of some adolescents have been blurred to protect privacy.
Personal stories M-P
This website uses words, photos and objects from people who spent time growing up in Children's Homes, orphanages and other 'care' institutions.
These pages feature personal contributions to the National Museum of Australia's Inside exhibition. They tell only a small part of each person's story.
A-B || C-F || G-L || M-P || Q-S || T-Z
Hugh McGowan
![Exhibition graphic panel of white handwritten text on a grey background reads 'When I was twelve I was asked if I wanted to go to Australia. At first I was excited … [then] I told the cottage father that I had changed my mind and didn’t want to go. His words still ring in my ears — ‘Too bad, you’re going’, attributed to 'Hugh McGowan, 2010'. At right is a black and white photo of a group of adults farewelling children as they catch a train. Typewritten text underneath reads 'Hugh McGowan (bottom left) and other child migrants are put on a Glasgow train for London to board a ship for Australia, and are farewelled by their cottage mothers. September 1961'. In smaller text, on the left-hand side of the image, in a vertical direction, reads 'Courtesy Hugh McGowan'.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0006/356955/mcgowan_compile.jpg "Hugh McGowan Polaroid")
![A typed letter reads: 'Dear Miss McGowan, We have been invited to send a small party of boys to a Home not unlike our own in Australia and where we have some boys already. After a time there the boys would be placed in suitable employment and altogether we feel it would be a very good chance for the boys selected, especially when their outside contacts in this Country are not so strong. Having regard to these circumstances would you be willing to allow your son, Hugh, to be submitted to go to Australia? I should, of course, like to make it clear that investigations are, at present, only in the preliminary stages. I would, too, like you to know that Hugh is very keen to go. I should be glad to hear from you as soon as possible. Yours faithfully, Superintentent'. The letter is signed 'Hector C. [illegible surname] and dated 11th January, 1961, on a 'Quarrier's Homes' letterhead. An envelope addressed to 'Miss S. McGowan, Camberley, Surrey' is at the top. The letter is stamped and postmarked and stamped 'Return to sender' and '[illegible] be found'.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0007/356956/McGowan_letter.JPG "Miss McGowan letter")
Douglas Mann
Peter Martin
Mary Mason
Lynette Meyers
Maria Monaghan
![Exhibition graphic panel of black handwritten text on a cream background reads 'It was a safe place for me. [Before that] I was in Wilson [Youth Hospital] ... Kedron Lodge was my first happy place', attributed to 'Maria Monaghan, Kedron Lodge, Kalinga, Queensland, 1970s'.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0003/356709/monaghan_quote.JPG "Maria Monaghan Kedron Lodge quote")
Andrew Murray
John Murray
![Exhibition graphic panel of white text, all in capital letters, on a dark background reads 'A known list of the experimental agents run through the orphanages of Australia ...[includes] vaccines for diphtheria, whooping cough, herpes, polio, influenza, measles, rubella, quadruple antigen, and human pituitary hormones', attributed to 'John Murray, Minali, Lidcombe, New South Wales, 1970s'.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0010/356995/Murray_quote.jpg "John Murray medical testing quote")
William Nelson
Michael O'Donoghue
Mary Owen
Nigel Owen
Joanna Penglase
Anna Phillips
Warren Porter
