Marcelle O’Brien was just four years old when she was sent into slave labour.
O’Brien was transported from the UK to Fairbridge farm school in Pinjarra, Western Australia. She was put to work doing chores.
The little girl was so hungry that she would eat pig swill. She was given no coat or shoes, and would warm her feet by putting them in a fresh cow pat. She was repeatedly beaten with a stick by one of the male teachers. She was also sexually molested from a young age by the deputy principal.
O’Brien was not an unwanted child. She had been living with a foster family in the village of Lingfield, Surrey, since the age of one, and had a foster mother who loved her. She also had a biological mother, who hadn’t given permission for her to be sent to Australia.
Her foster mother didn’t give up on her. She wrote to the Queen, asking if O’Brien could be brought back to the UK so she could adopt her. The villagers even raised enough money to pay for the young girl’s trip back home.
The Palace made enquiries with the Fairbridge Society. But word came back that O’Brien was “happily settled at our school in Pinjarra” and to uproot her would be “not be in the child’s best interests”.
Top Comments
There was a movie made about this a few years ago called "Oranges and Sunshine"... it has haunted me ever since. Just heart-breaking.
To prevent this ever happening again, what must be learnt from these events is that human rights must always be upheld as a priority in any society. Research shows that in countries where women's human rights are not protected, women and children are vulnerable to abuse. Pre-1950's even in the West, men believed their sexual needs were a birthright and justified getting them met by whatever means. Post 1950's men have hopefully learnt that women and children are their equal in value. Mandatory prison sentencing for these sorts of crimes would help reinforce the message.