Welcome to the Goldings Guest Book ** We APPROVE all messages before they are posted ** Add a message : back to Goldings.org : Search There are now 5796 messages in our guestbook. <<< 1 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 1160 >>> Viewing messages 2331 to 2335. Alan Dearman - Barnardo National Council What a sad, sad story regarding Robert Smith. We know that for some, Barnardos was not the best experience but for the majority it was, especially for those of us who were lucky enough to go to Goldings. Having said that, we all know that Goldings was not the best place to be during the 1930's & 40's or in the days of Jo Patch and the Rev. Corbett etc. There are many old boys still around who can testify to those days. Robert, are you sure these bad memories and beatings took place at Goldings ? I have serious doubts if this was the case. I was there from 1955-59 and do not remember such harsh treatment you descibe ever being meated out by any of the staff at that time. Yes we were punished for doing wrong, and deserved to be so, but not as descibed in your account of your time at Goldings. Child abuse is very much in the public eye at the present time and the truth must be told but I'm certain this was never the case at Goldings and I say that from the bottom of my heart. If this was the case, then it would be hard to understand why our old boys association is so strong today after all these years and that we have just had the 55th Goldings reunion which was attended by over 120 old boys, staff and their families. While I feel very sorry for the treatment you recieved(where ever it was)I also feel that some of your comments are an insult to the many staff who dedicated themselves to looking after us and giving us such a great start in life. You may not realise it Robert, but some of those staff members and their families are still alive and I just wonder how they will feel when they read your account of life at Goldings. As for our highly respected headmaster, Mr Wheatley(pin head)he would turn in his grave. I do wish you all the best for the future Robert, and hope you find some peace in your life. 10 November 2012 - Melton Mowbray Bob Robertson Well Robert you must have gone to a different Goldings than me, made to stand on parade ground near naked, beaten,who beat you, in your dreams, No Pinhead would never have allowed it, you came to Goldings with a BIG chip on your shoulder, I was at Goldings 53-59 and can honestly say it was the best home I had been in, I am proud to say I was a Goldings boy, my training held me in good stead all my working life. Robert get a life think how lucky you were to be looked after at such a fine school that gave you every opportunity dont complain that you did not take advantage on what was available 9 November 2012 - rain at last Australia Dave Robert,are you the boy who came to Goldings from Aberdere?to train as a carpenter and was placed in Pelham House? This sight will only be censored with swearing and personal attacks on other pupils.We welcome your comments,and the fact that in your experience, Barnardo's and Goldings were not any good for your welfare as you point out,and I'm sure other boys would echo your thoughts along similar lines,I am not that naive to realise their was a flip side to my experience in homes which you quite rightly point out,and we welcome further comments to yours on the site,because thats what it's there for,but from a personal view Goldings was a turning point for the good in my life,but others differ as you point out,so please express more thoughts on the subject,but if we don't hear further from you please accept our good wish's. 9 November 2012 robert smith At times when I remember my past at Golding's with no family to share a lifetime experience or childhood memories I can search the net, and on occasions when Golding's appears via of the annual reunion I scour the site looking for any meaningful answer with a chance to believe the time spent at Golding,s was the happy experience your guests seem to enjoy,not for me, at the time a child thought it normal to be beaten or made to stand near naked on the parade ground, shouted and sworn at, humiliated, punished regardless of weather, dragged from the bed,beaten and made to stand in the cold draftiest areas of the main building whatever the excuse.child abuse was there.The one person I remembered with gratitude was Mr Sheppard, he died long before my search to put things right was achieved,as for the rest, Head office claims as a charitable organisation benefiting from fundraisers considered it normal to appropriate disciplined to worthless children ,J S may agree, like many solders returning from the war a belt to the backside of a child was normal and an excuse.I have appeared in the Guest book previously this is why all messages have since been approved, not being a barnado boy as you claim there is no need to publish my message in the guest book I only wish you to remember not every child in care was happy far from it,I was in care for 14 years and proberly spent some time in a workhouse be it updated to care home but still operating on the same principles. Like the F.O.I ACT which allowed access to information whilst in care minus disiplinary proccedues and certain infomation I can put a closure in part, but not Goldings you approve the guest book it was not the greatest and it is obviouse to me the period (I can not be pricise feb 1959 -nov 1961) was not the most glourious years at Goldings, on average at the time 230-250 boys turnover 40 not many possibly 15 comment,sorry the Goldings family is just your website. Robert Smith cottage homes (ex workhouse) church village(ex workhouse) Cardiff west Churchill house Eastbourne Austalia southhampton dock (not suitable for export?) Swansea remand centre Cardiff 254 west Glandare house Goldings removed goldings 8 November 2012 - UK John Mercury Dave sorry to hear that, you could always add a Captch thing to send a message, spambots can't get around that. 6 November 2012 - London <<< 1 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 1160 >>> You can search this guestbook by: Message : - Name : - All : Please type some text: - Guest book sponsored by PC Home Help (01922) 626 366 - http://www.pchomehelp.net -