Boy 11963: An Irish Industrial School Childhood and an Extraordinary Search for Home

by John Cameron

'Truth telling and truth recovery have seldom been as heart-breaking or necessary as in this powerful story of human vulnerability and failure - and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit.' JOE DUFFYAt only five months old, John Cameron was abandoned in a Dublin orphanage, and fostered out as a child labourer byage three. In 1944 when he turned eight, he was incarcerated in Artane Industrial School, where he became boy 11963.Now in his mid-eighties, John Cameron tells his shocking but inspirational story for the first time. As a child, reduced to a number, he survived savage assaults, sexual abuse and the tragic deaths of children around him. Along with other forgotten boys, he battled for his life against the heartless adversity of the church and the Irish state.As a young man - a much-loved schoolteacher devoted to his growing family - John was haunted by his unknown past and embarked on a lifelong quest to unravel the truth about his origins. Buried in a labyrinth of lies, he finally uncovered a story of forbidden love and passion that scandalised rural Ireland and made national headlines in the 1930s.Boy 11963 is a unique account of overcoming almost insurmountable obstacles to find out who you truly are.

Genres: Biography, Irish Literature, Nonfiction, Memoir, Ireland, Historical

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2021

Reviews

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Boy 11963 is a memoir for our times. A unique story of survival against all odds’
- Ciara Considine, Hachette Ireland

Boy 11963 by John Cameron published today, April 8th 2021, with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a unique account of overcoming almost insurmountable obstacles to find out who you truly are'. I knew reading this book would have an impact on me as I would be transported back to an Ireland I barely recognise from the country I grew up in. I was a 1970s child, born into a loving family. The world of the industrial schools and the Magdalene Laundries never featured in my life until recent years when secrets were finally revealed and the true horror of what went on in many of these institutions was finally brought to light. John Cameron was born an innocent in all of this, a swaddling baby needing the same love and affection all human beings crave. But John Cameron’s story was not like that. At five months old the course of his life changed forever as he was handed over to the State for his care.

‘Truth telling and truth recovery have seldom been as heart-breaking or necessary as in this powerful story of human vulnerability and failure – and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit.’ – JOE DUFFY

Care is defined as ‘the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.’ John Cameron never experienced care. At three years of age he was fostered out to a family incapable of looking after him. Sleeping on straw in an outhouse and set to doing chores that no child should be forced to do, John Cameron’s early years were very bleak. But he did not know any better. John Cameron did have one guardian angel in his life, a local woman, a neighbour, who saw something in this young boy and gave him some much wanted attention when the rare opportunity arose.

One day a big black car pulled up at the door and took John Cameron to Artane, an industrial school that was initially intended for troubled young boys, but became the home of many others when no-one else wanted them. John was frightened and had been given no advanced warning that his life was about to get even worse. Alone and scared, John, now known as Boy 11963, obeyed the very structured and fierce rules of the Brothers who ran Artane, these men with a cruel fist. John was to witness, and experience, traumatic events that remain with him to this day. It is a difficult chapter of his life to read with descriptions that shock and revile, leaving a very real and lingering sense of sorrow behind.

“He was almost grateful when he heard anguished cries because whatever was happening was happening to someone else. The bogeyman was real, and Johnny feared him every night of his life in Artane.”

John Cameron eventually walked out of Artane on Wednesday, 26th September 1951, aged sixteen and never ever looked back. With a determination that belied his upbringing, he had a strength to move on that would see him marry, have children and become a school teacher. But there was always something nagging John. As much as he wanted and needed to move forward with his life he felt a strong need to uncover his history. He had no known relative and knew very little of his beginnings in life so, with his wonderful wife Treasa by his side, they began the search. What they discovered over the years was a tangled web of lies, drama and courtroom shenanigans that shocked a nation.

Boy 11963 is an inconceivable story for many of us who live in such a very different society today. It will shock, sadden and upset many readers as one cannot but visualise the hardship and pain experienced by this man. Now in his eighties, John Cameron, with the encouragement of his incredibly supportive family, has written this inspirational tale of a life forever scarred but certainly not beaten.

Boy 11963 is a tragic story but yet John Cameron, with such fortitude, overcame his very harrowing beginnings and triumphed. He won his life back and went on to achieve success in many areas of his life. John Cameron is an inspiration, a man who shines a light in the darkness, a man whose story will touch the lives of many and bring hope to others.

[Caroline O'Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart broke many times reading about John Cameron’s early life. Such a resilient man.

This country (Ireland) of ours has nothing to be proud of in the way it treated children who needed care.

This is a book that needs to be read so we can all bear witness to the atrocities of the past.

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I bought this book I was in two minds as I wasn't sure if I could cope with reading something that was going to be so sad. But this is a book everyone should read.

John Cameron had the most dreadful childhood yet he grew to clearly be a loving, caring, forgiving and gracious man. The book moved me to tears but not just as I expected, at the horrors of the abuse of John and many other innocent children by the very people who should have protected and loved them, but rather at the sheer courage John showed in believing in love despite everything.

John's love for his wife Teresa and their children shines through the book as does the love for the family he discovers along the way. This is a story of hope, the hope to find a family and to search to understand why he was abandoned. It is a damming indictment of Irish society, the church and the state but there is very little anger which for me makes John truly remarkable. He has not allowed himself to become bitter and instead has lived a life full of the riches of friends and family.

Thank you for writing this book which made me angry at the abuse you suffered but also made me smile and cry and filled me with hope. I hope you enjoy many more years with your loving family.

[Clazzzer C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy 11963 is a very well written, well researched, and very emotional read. It’s another shocking example of how Ireland’s social and religious conventions forced innocent children into lives of neglect and abuse in the care of the state and religious orders. John Cameron suffered from just five month old while fostered out to gravely unsuited wards as well as while under the care of the Christian Brothers in Artane Industrial School. The primary cause of his suffering lay in the hands of his mother and father however, whose desire for freedom and happiness took priority over parents’ basic instinct to care for their children. In the case of redress, John Cameron’s parents should have been instructed to pay the lion’s share. John lives nearby and while I’ve never had the privilege of meeting him, many people I know have and they have nothing but the highest of praise for both him and his wife Teresa. To come through such an ordeal with his strength of character and generosity of spirit is a testament to the resilience of human mind and to John’s innate kindness and selfless nature. I highly recommend this read.

[John Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for every Junior Cert student in the Country. It is a must-read for any and everyone in Ireland today, regardless of your age. John Cameron has put the truth of Ireland on paper in a clear, succinct way that someone without his experience and personal fortitude could never capture.

The book is well written with a beautiful use of language that captures in dialog the differences in status and class distinction integral to the story. It is clear in it's descriptions, humanly personable in its character descriptions to give an honest insight into each character's nature. Every character is alive and is someone you know as well as your own family.

The author's use of side notes at the end of each chapter are excellent tie-ins to the history we have heard on the news but also bring in yet another human touch that makes the story as real to the reader as any book so written could be.

[Charlie Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My God v emotional book about a Man's quest for Identity. Abandoned by his Parents and lived an early life in the cruel horrible Artane's Industrial School run by the nasty perverted Christian Brothers . How dare they treat children like that and get paid for it. Catholic Religion had such a huge stranglehold in Ireland - example that they persuaded the Government to outlaw dance halls as they felt people s morals were floundering. Powerfully written book and I (like John) was left wondering how could parents forget their lovely children

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I love how the writer brought John's story to life. What a book. To think that this is a true story is hard to believe. The horrors of abuse John suffered is unnerving. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the story of John's life which is a very interesting one. This is certainly a book I would recommend for anyone to read.

[Caroline Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful read .....John's whole outlook is inspiring. Highly recommended

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldnt put this book down. Recommend anyone to read this book about how secrets of one couple left painful scars on their children for the duration of their lives. Very moving

[Janine Cousins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A magnificent history and memoir written in a lackluster fashion.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to give an objective review of this book as I picked it up for my own very specific reasons, having also enjoyed the tender mercies of the Christian Brothers (a boarding school, a quarter of a century later, a different continent, no chair legs but an unsettling amount of consistency otherwise). And it does bring that environment to an all to vivid life.

But that's only about a third of the book. The rest moves on to a coming of age tale, a whodunnit (as history was interrogated) and then a historical dramtisation of cursed lovers.

The writing styles are interesting - solid prose for the drama but then long footnotes to firm up the facts and clarify writing decisions. It's unusual but seems to work here.

The book catches the contradictions of Ireland perfectly and I very much enjoyed the phrases and manners of my parents and grandparents. But it's not an easy read although the author was obviously a remarkable man.

[Beatriz Neves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a raw script about the unfairness of life

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I love how the writer brought John's story to life. What a book. To think that this is a true story is hard to believe. The horrors of abuse John suffered is unnerving. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the story of John's life which is a very interesting one. This is certainly a book I would recommend for anyone to read.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Cameron's BOY 11963: AN IRISH INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL CHILDHOOD AND AN EXTRAORDINARY SEARCH FOR HOME, is the author's story of being abandoned to a broken system in his first year of life in c1933 Ireland.

The first part of the book covers John's first memories of living in a foster home where beatings and impossible work and little to no food were the norm for him and other fosters taken in by a family. It's obvious that the system used Catholic homes for their fosters and had absolutely no concern beyond that. No degradation of the children was too big or too small. It was a terrible life. This less than idyllic life ended when John was 8 years old.

In Ireland of the 30s and 40s, children became eligible for admission to the Industrial Schools. It came as a total surprise when John was torn from the only home he knew and driven to the Artane Industrial School. This school was run by the Christian Brothers who imposed severe regulations on the students, random and horrible beatings, and other acts of depravity. The plus side for John was that he had regular meals, poor though they were, and routine, something that helped him through his days. This was a very small "plus" to his life. I have no intention of recounting the horrors here. If there is a Hell, these men belong there. The Catholic church has much to answer for and there are many instances throughout the book that call for condemnation. This despite my being a Catholic.

At 16, John left the school with a position as a low-level carpenter. He then recounts his days and his hopes as he finds other positions and meets new people, at last marrying and having children. But throughout it all, he holds the secret of his childhood to himself.

Finally, he and his wife began to search for any relatives or answers to explain what led to his abandonment.

The second part of the book reads like fiction as his mother's life and circumstances are explored. Newspapers, court cases, and word of mouth fill in many of the blanks, but characters are added to tell the story. This account made me feel this part was made up out of gossip because of the writing style.

Finally, the book puts together the documents and the chronology in the long epilogue.

In my rating, I hovered between 2 and 3 stars. The book was uneven, making it difficult to keep my attention at times. The section on John Cameron's childhood, which was absolutely horrible, tended to a choppy retelling, with sentences that would be more often seen in a book for younger readers. But this was definitely not a book for children - possibly teen and up.

I am probably one of the few who did not think the book was worth my time.

[Nikki Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

💬 “What does it matter how anyone is born or raised?” She said. “All that matters is what they do afterwards. Some people from the most privileged backgrounds are wasting their entire lives, and look at you. You have the worst start in life with no parents and see what you’ve achieved.”

💬 “After raising my own family, I know I would go through hell and back to protect our children.”

This book gave horrific insight into what life was like for many Orphan’s in the 1940’s and also what is was like to be incarcerated in Industrial Schools.

The way many foster children/orphans were treated by the foster parents was atrocious- these poor young children, treated basically as slaves - it just broke my heart.

And the insight into the Industrial Schools, how children were bought in for absolutely nothing, the lies told to keep them there just for the school to earn money and not to mention John’s recollections shared of the Dentistry, Showering, the Abuse - it made me sick. A story was also shared about Patsy, who was only 14years old… 🥺 no child should have to go through such poverty, abuse and heartache.

When reading books, such as this, it really amazes me how these children/adults still have hope and can carry on. Miss French and Treasa continually stood by John’s side and I’m so glad he was able to find these wonderful women.

The first part of this book, was John sharing his life and the 2nd part was him sharing what he finally came to find out about his birth parents, their movements and further family, which he knew nothing about until he was elderly - being able to track such ancestory/adoption information, letters I find just so amazing.
John is still left with many questions, but it made my heart happy that many questions were able to be filled in and that he was no longer just an orphan, but part of a family ❤️

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very poignant true story set in Ireland from 1934 on!

Boy 11963, by John Cameron.

John was a foster child put in a Catholic institution at age 9. His childhood and teenage years have been traumatic: poverty, starvation, violence and abuse through the Brothers at the institution and his foster family. He never knew who his parents were. His wife will help him look into his past.....
I enjoyed the way this autobiographical novel was written: at the end of most chapters, John gives more details about the Irish social, political and religious sides. This was very interesting though many times angering as to the way abandoned children and orphans were treated. The psychological aspect was inexistant in their "education", their loneliness and their trauma. Luckily this has massively changed even though, I know, still imperfect.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

To John Cameron: thank you being the beautiful soul that you are. Your story is worth knowing.

This auto-biography is written explaining the difficulties orphans lived through at the hands of the Christian Brothers in an Industrial School in Ireland. We now know all about the unwed mothers and infants babies in the Magdeline Laundries. This story tells of the horrors the boys lived through in the residential industrial school housing 830 boys from ages 9-18.

John Cameron, the author, raised his family & children without becoming like the monsters who raised him. He broke that cycle. But the fear installed by these ‘church men’ is nothing less than evil hatred, and perverse slavery. Disgusting. This story is important. The adult John, searching to know his roots was blessed to finally be connected to his extended family and find live and acceptance.

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story of John Cameron and how he was abandoned in a Dublin orphanage at only five months old. It paints an horrific picture of Ireland from the 30s through to the 60s and how cruelly these children were treated. John was haunted by his unknown past and as he unearthed his history it revealed a story that scandalised Ireland in the 1930s. I won't say any more because of spoilers, but it's an amazing story with a twist that will surprise and lead you to alter your sympathies for one person in particular.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I visited Ireland and stayed in Dublin for a few days before embarking on a hike on the Dingle Peninsula I wanted a book that was relevant to the area. I picked this one up at the immigration museum in Dublin and it did not disappoint. It was a wonderfully written memoir about 1930's Ireland and the horrible conditions that existed in the children's homes at the time. The book also details some of the conflict between Catholics and Protestants and how difficult the time was for women with children born out of wedlock.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A harrowing insight into the brutality and poverty Ireland and its people faced in the 1930s and the inner strength and resilience of one man to overcome such adversity.

The author comments at the end of each chapter help to give a vivid account of John's experiences, treated as a Cinderella style figure in the Mulligan's house, facing years at the Industrial Home at the hands of the Christian Brothers and his subsequent search for answers.

This is a truly inspiring story which shows the apple really does fall far from the tree.

[Shauna Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book from start to finish it had an amazing amount of story and facts as well which I found made the book so much easier to read John and his siblings definitely didn’t have an easy life especially with both parents abandoning them like they did he lived a hard life in an environment that was meant to take care of orphaned kids instead they just abused them brilliant book for anyone looking to learn a little about industrial schools in Ireland

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extraordinary true story of a boy who was put in an institution at 5 months, his foster home till he was 3, his time in Artane industrial school until 16 , and his life afterwards . He subsequently married happily but was always haunted by wonders of his origins. Through persistence , he did discover the amazing story of his parents. Shocking and disturbing, yet leaving the reader with huge respect for this incredible man.

[Keith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The casual cruelty of the Church and the State care system is almost inconconceivable Fair play to the author that he not only survived a regime that left most totally broken, but managed to thrive in later life. And the one adult who nurtured and helped him, Miss French, deserves sainthood. I am reminded of the book "Oranges and Sunshine", about the UK scheme to send orphans overseas to countries like Australia and South Africa which continued into the late Sixties. Shame on them all

[Liam Cheasty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book. A very well written tale that if it was fiction you would find hard to believe. Enthralling from page one to the very end, so crammed with different emotions but above all a true and genuine telling of Ireland's sordid abuse of power by so called pillars of establishment , state and church. Yet still genuine individuals rise above the cesspit that Ireland was.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very sad but uplifting to read even though his life was deplorable he managed to rise above it all and become such an inspiring person. He met so few who were kind to him yet shows no bitterness. Hopefully he is proud of all he achieved and he seems very happy to have connected with his family and is lucky now to have a lovely wife and children. He is a remarkable man

[Aisleen Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book from beginning to end. I’m so glad John made the decision to tell his story, it was meant to be heard by many. Miss French was truly is real life fairy godmother - how different his life would have been had he never met her.

[Dymphna Tipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good social history

I liked the fact that all of this man’s history was all during my lifetime. So for me it was a good read.
I would like this book to be read by history students in their last year in school.
I would recommend this book to my book club.

[Louise Coughlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a hard life John Cameron faced, from unstable foster homes to institutional homes, such as Artane. He searched for his family and discovered the truth about his parents. A very sad but fascinating story.

[Mrs Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story about the human spirit overcoming enormous odds. A fostered boy is put in an Irish industrial school run by Christian Brothers who are anything but. He searches for his birth parents when he leaves, and that is a lifetime task. In spite of the miseries this is a joyful book.

[Rita Reets · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of hardship and triumph

I loved the way the story is told in straightforward way. It exposes the brutality of the church against defenceless people. In spite of adversity John managed to live a good life. I admire people like him