How Could You? Hall of Shame-Scotland-Aberlour Orphanage and Nazareth House
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Moray, Scotland, “Orphans were treated like zoo animals by visiting tourists, Scotland’s child abuse inquiry has heard.
A witness told how some youngsters would be locked in a gym at an orphanage in a bid to keep “naughty boys” away from visitors.
But the tourists could see them through a window – and the children “pretended to be monkeys” as they felt like they were in a zoo.
Witness Katharine MacKenzie, a children’s officer in the 50s and 60s, revealed the orphanage in Aberlour, Moray, was included on a tourist trail by Highland Tours.
She said of Aberlour: “It was just on the tourist trail and all the buses that went round the Highlands called at the orphanage.
“Naughty boys who might disrupt the visit used to be locked in the gym so they didn’t upset them.
“One boy said to me, ‘They locked us in the gym and they walked along the corridor, where there was a window into the gym, and looked at us. They treated us like animals at the zoo – so we all pretended to be monkeys.’
“He got into terrible trouble and, of course, I just laughed.”
She added there was a collection by the orphanage – which closed in 1967 – and “they made some money out of the tourists”.
Katharine was giving evidence of visiting a number of locations, including one run by Catholic order the Sisters of Nazareth in Midlothian.
Her impression of Nazareth House was “pretty awful”.
She said: “You arrived and the children rushed up and clutched you round the knees. Only children who are not getting enough attention would do that to a stranger.”
The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, which is being held at Rosebery House in Edinburgh, is looking into the treatment of youngsters in care. Professor Angus Skinner, Scotland’s former chief social work inspector, told the probe last week that too little was done about abuse because “we just didn’t believe there could be so much”.
Speaking of poor accommodation at various locations, he said: “The furniture was dreadful, windows were smashed and left for months.
“In that context I was also aware of abuse but I vastly underestimated how much there was.
“I absolutely hold my hands up to that.
“I don’t think I was alone in underestimating the extent of abuse and in particular the evil and the extent of the duplicitous cover-up.”
The inquiry, before judge Lady Smith, continues.”
[The Daily Record 11/5/17 by Craig McDonald]
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