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 Q-S
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.
Rachael Romero
Nola Rollinson
![Photocopy of an official black and white document headed 'POLICE'. Parts of the top of the charge document have been crossed out with typed Xs, for example 'Defendant' has been crossed out and replaced with 'Child'. Typed text states the child is 'Nola May Mary Rollinson. The section on remand details has been amended to read [in type] 'Child to be detained in' [in handwriting] 'place of safety'. Two stamps at the left of the document read 'Children's Court, Sydney', dated February 1960.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/358685/Nola_Rollinson_document.jpg "Nola Rollinson police document")
Ron
Leonie Sheedy
Margaret Shields
Garry Shooks
Gabrielle Short
Katie Maree-Sibraa
Patricia Slatterie
Shirley Steans Beaumont
![Exhibition graphic panel of black handwritten text on a light background reads 'I’ve longed to belong to a family and that’s the reason behind all this [reunion]; we were all like one big family and were all like sisters', attributed to 'Shirley Steans Beaumont, 'The Age', 10 April 2006'.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0004/356350/Beaumont-quote-685w.jpg "Shirley Steans Beaumont quote")
Colleen Stevenson
Owen Swallow
Lana Syed
![A cloth doll with a length of orange cord attached to the top of the head with a safety pin. There is a piece of crepe bandage stretched across the forehead and attached on either side by a piece of packing tape. On this are the words 'NOT HARM [?]'. The features of the doll are drawn on the calico in felt pen. On one side are the words 'you all / ignored /us' and on the body 'we fight / for / our / Rights'. A small 'x' in packing tape is on the lower side of the torso. The reverse also has a figure drawn on it with a piece of crepe bandage attached across the forehead with packing tape at either end. On the body are the following words 'NOT / HAPPY / PETER / BE GOOD', and 'COMPO / MUST / REC 39.](https://www.nma.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0008/356435/syed_doll_685w.jpg "Lana Syed's cloth protest doll")
Ryszard Szablicki
