"Monte Pio - Memories of Daily Life in a Maitland Orphanage". I was upset when I read this thesis. It does not speak for me or my sister. We were placed in Monte Pio because of a broken home in the 1950s and our brother went to Mayfield with the Sisters of Charity for a short time. My sister and I spent quite a few years with the Sisters at Monte Pio. They did so much for us and helped us cope with life the best they could. Our father had two jobs to pay our way at Monte. He visited us once a month on visiting day and always came with a cake-box of lollies which Sister St Anne shared with all the girls. Sister St Anne was in charge of us and did a great job of it. We were not ill-treated. There were days when the tears would come - we cried together and we laughed together. My aunty gave me a Brownie camera and I took many photos while at Monte Pio and my Dad paid to get them developed. I had a bike and used to do the messages for the Sisters at the Maitland Shopping Centre. We went to the Dentist at Maitland Hospital for check ups. We were looked after, but yes, it was lonely and we missed our parents. When the floods came in 1954 we picked vegetables on the farm (in swimmers) so that we could eat as food was not plentiful at that time. Please give the Sisters a break, they were very young, but did their best.

Coral

............................................

Coral took her extensive collection of original photos to the first reunion, regrettably they got mixed up with other people's photos and at the end of the day, her collection was depleted by at least 50%. There were "give away" photos on the day and Coral wonders if her photos could have been confused with these.

If you have some photos that you would like to share, Coral would very much appreciate a copy of any you can offer her. They can be emailed to the Monte Pio email address, sent to the Monte Pio Reunion PO Box, or brought along to our next reunion.