I've just finished the book "Into the Arms of Strangers" - I learned more about my own experience as a child from that book than I have in other books I've read and searched through.
I was NOT in the Kindertransport. But, once we got to England in 1939 and war broke out - 6 weeks later - my parents had to find a place for me. My Mother had a "housemaid" visa and had to work and no house that wanted a maid wanted a 2 year old to go with her.
Mom oftened mentioned Bloomsbury House - usually as some kind of resource or assistance agency. In the book, they mention that Bloomsbury House was the clearing house for people who were interested in taking in a refugee child. Apparently Jewish agencies flooded England with ads asking people to help in this way. The Jewish agencies raised money to help subsidize the children's living. So desperate families sent their children to England and "strangers" took them in "until the parents could rejoin them" or "until visas to some other country came through".
They also mention in the book that a religious sect, Christadelphians, was one of the groups that Bloomsbury House used to find families to match to the children.
Mr. and Mrs Tom Sims (Ivy) - to me Tanta and Mr. Sims - took me in. They were Christadelphians although I don't remember any religion being mentioned in their home. So their purpose was not to convert but to only "save" the Jews. There were other religious groups who took in the children to convert them. The Sims also had a little girl, Miriam, who was about 9 or 10 months younger than I was. Maybe they thought that was a good fit but I didn't "register" Miriam as a person until I was about 3 when I remember (and still have) a photograph being taken of us and I "knew" she was the favored child. At that time I didn't know why.
The book lists the stories of some of these children - some good outcomes - some not so good. Most never saw their parents again.
These children were older than I. I don't know if 2 year olds were in the Kindertransport - I can't imagine how they would manage such toddlers in the mob scene of travel and discomfort.
But.......there were children 7, 8, 10 etc. Old enough to know and remember but maybe not understand completely the whys and wherefores that made their parents desperate enough to do such a thing.
There were comments later in the book from the children about how their experience affected them. I found these very helpful as they describe much of my emotional life. They describe lives that were lived in "trying to be good" "trying to be helpful and not create problems" .
They describe lives lived in anxiety that they would be sent away, or abandoned. Their fears hovered over them in all situations and they couldn't talk about them except to each other and often not then. They often had trouble "connecting" with people and felt alien and isolated.
They were angry at their parents and even if reunited (which was rare) they could not resume their earlier relationship with them, although most loved their parents and were loved.
They talk about the culture shock of coming to England. Different food, different clothes, different manners, different attitudes - especially as to "warmth". Many mention the English as being standoffish and cool, not given to expressing emotions while they came from Jewish or European homes where emotions were evident and expressed and children were cherished.
I certainly remember sitting on Tanta's lap and wishing she would hold me close and hug me but she would never do that. I was out on the furthermost reaches of her knees - a long way from love.
Many years later, we visited my foster sister, Miriam, in England. Her son had been away for some reason, for a whole year (he was about 20). When we were there, he came home - he walked in the door and she remained seated, smiled and said "Oh, hullo. You're back."
I was in shock - and I was an adult - because I would have met him at the station - hugged and kissed him and fussed over him for the next couple of hours with the joy of reunion. I realized then how different "her people" were and what a wrench it would have been for me. My Mother gushed and fussed over me and I knew I was loved and counted on that physical and emotional warmth.
There was more in the book but I haven't really digested it all - I just found it helpful. I sent copies to Carol and Martin because they have little kids and I thought they'd be interested.
I'm not sure why I didn't send one to Toni - maybe because she has too many other things going on to be interested even though she has children of the age of the Kindertransport kids.
I'm thinking of writing to the writer of the book and asking if she knows anything about situations like mine - not organized transport - but the shuffling around trying to find
"adoptive" parents and jobs for the refugees.
I haven't been able to find anything by Googling "Bloomsbury House", but there must be some information out there.
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