The Vanishing in Irish Institutions

[Gaye Dalton]

I have just realised something I want to share, in case it is important, and I am terribly afraid it might be.

The worst abuses in Irish adult institutions (mother and baby homes, Magdalene Laundries, Mental Hospitals, other) began in the early 20s and ended in the 70s.

I have just realised that many of the adults affected may not have had birth certs because of the custom house fire. Illegitimate children would not even have baptismal records to cover that.

We know that babies were being trafficked to the states, we know that bodies of all ages have been showing up without death records in institutions for some time...

I just realised BECAUSE of the custom house fire we have no way of ever knowing just how many people were unlawfully incarcerated and left die of neglect and abuse, let alone how many babies died or were trafficked...

Some of those who vanished had no official existence as individuals at all.

  

[Dee Hodson-Wright]

For twenty odd years now, that "fire" has been the reason for me not being able to find my late mum's birth certificate. Having now found a baptismal cert. in the Pro Cathedral, I am less inclined to believe that records were burnt. My mother was listed as illegitimate but she still had a baptismal cert. If there is no birth cert. it is probably because she was never registered in the first place as it was not a legal requirement that the poor bothered about. This story of a "fire" has been trotted out too many times as an excuse for officials not to look for us. I have also been told that the "fire" only burnt tax records. It won't stop me from looking anyway.

[Gaye Dalton]

Oh no, the lost birth records in the custom house were very real. I know in the 80s every welfare office had posters up telling anyone who was claiming a pension what to do if their birth cert had been lost in the fire..

...that is as real as it gets...

But I have learned since that many children were also never registered at all, which only makes the whole prognosis worse again. The impossibility of baptising an illegitimate child came from my elderly Uncle who was raised very strict catholic indeed. It is possible the pro cathedral was more liberal?

However, as thorough as it was the Custom House Fire happened only once, in the last week of May, 1921 http://www.theirishstory.com/2012/05/23/today-in-irish-history-the-...

The burning of records has never been the near annual event the orders would have us believe any time we go looking for them.

It would be interesting to track just how many records have been lost in fires and when and where these fires are meant to have occurred. 

[jack colleton]

Fires Have Long Been Associated With Child Abuse And The Political Parties Involved In The Administration Of The Abuse Are Still Desperately Attempting To Cover Up Their Crimes Against The most Vulnerable Children In The State 'Care'  System.

[Doctor Rosaleen Rogers]

Hi Gaye

That was a very important blog Will we ever find out where these poor souls are?

There is a saying life is cheap and it is at times true - Rosaleen

[Andrew Brennan]

I only got mine relatively recently .... actually my birth cert was given to my partner of 40-odd years and her sister and they were told to keep it from me!!!!

[Doctor Rosaleen Rogers]

Birth Certificates are legal Documents...Mine says I was born in July but that is crossed out and May is written down...Yet at the bottom of the certificate it says any one who alters  these Documents can be sent to prison. What a joke?

Anyway the Priest who signed mine was not the nicest of people according to unconfirmed reports.

Rosaleen Chairperson of Templemore  forgotten Victims...

[jack colleton]

My Details (Name And DOB) Were False.  The Sort Of Thing Criminals Involved In Child Abuse Do.