Comments on: Review: Forgotten by Les Cummings

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:35:20 +0000

I just finished reading this book. What angers me most is that people can have children and then abuse them or abandon them to abusers. How they can live with themselves is beyond my comprehension. The fact that Les`s parents continued to produce children at the rate of one a year is completely irresponsible. In my view, if you can`t provide the necessities of life as well as a loving and nurturing home, then you should know enough to take the precautions to prevent a pregnancy. These people are completely selfish and the lowest form of humanity. In the event of an unwanted pregnancy, the kindest thing you can do is to abort the child or give it up for adoption at birth. The problem with adoption being, of course, that you can`t guarantee that the adoptive family will be a good one.

Also, I fail to understand how a helpless, vulnerable child can be placed in the hands of such heartless monsters and the system turns a blind eye to all the abuse. As taxpayers footing the cost, we should hold those responsible for such deplorable lack of care accountable! These public agencies need to be inspected and accountable to outside forces in order to make sure that these children get the kind of care they rightfully deserve.

By: Laura Hoare

Laura Hoare — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:09:27 +0000

Your book is absolutly amazing.

By: christine

christine — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:39:32 +0000

Les, I have just finished your book, I have read many books like yours and can only say how I wished I could have been there for you, I first started to read books like yours when I discovered Torey Haden, She has written many books. Yes I cried many times whilst reading your book but I think what got to me the most was your fight and the results you acheived , The reunion, and mostly your sister Janet finding her son.I hope you are at peace now . God bless. xx

By: nikki baldwin

nikki baldwin — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:11:44 +0000

How sad it was to read your book les………… once i read the first page i was unable to put it down till i read the last page, as u may have read by alot of people they have been through similar circumstances as your self! i am also one of them. My abuser still lives n walks the streets today, he is my dad! i was abused at the tiny age of 6, also before then again at 3 by who i dont know! as i cant remember very much but i do know that it happened! my dad started wen i was 6 n didnt stop till i was in my teens, my mother knew nothing n she abused me in her own way mentally n verbally, i had nowhere to run to untill i was 15 n couldnt take anymore! luckily my parents did split wen i was 7 but being such a young tot, i had to go visit him with my brothers who also knew nothing, nobody knew nothing till i was nearly 30! i carried this burden on my shoulders for many years! i was to ashamed n frightened to tell anyone as i felt for it to happen twice by 2 different people that it must of been somhow my fault! im nearly 40 n i havent been to see anyone at all (councillor, police e.g) my family do know n found it very hard to deal with! at first they didnt believe me! then wen they asked IT (i call it an it as i dont believe it deserves to be recognised as a human being!) it actually admitted to wot he did! but to this day for my own family to have doubted me was the reason why i never said in the first place! i dont blame them for finding it hard to deal with as im sure any family would have beed devastated that such a creature would be involved in there family! especially coming from such a large family like yourself i have 4 brothers n 2 sisters but i was the chosen one!
But to this day i remain strong n give my children the best lives they could possibly have n that was my goal to make them happy with great memories so they can tell there children of there childhood n give them a good up bringing, i too will take this to my grave! as everyday whether its a few seconds or minutes i remember things! n then find away of distracting myself! sometimes these things can make me feel worse n it takes a while for me to be NORMAL again!!! but i manage it in the end, my husband i have been with since i was 16, he struggled with it n still now cant bare to think of it or talk to me about it! thats his way of dealing with it suppose! i never trust men! as much as i love my husband and know hes a good man! i still find it hard to trust! i dont let it stop us from having a good life n giving our children a good life! if i did then IT would have won! but i have WON! the reason being he is old n lonely n thinks the devil is coming to get him! wot he seems to forget that he in my eyes is the devil! i never lived in a home that i was beaten uncontrolably like yourself! which my heart aches for you! i lived in my home with mother as the tormentor n IT as my abuser! i never had a safe haven! only my friends house a hundred yards away from mine! her house was my solitary confinement of happiness and normallity! well that is wot i fault!!! untill i was told that my friends sisters n brother was raped by there big brother aswell! n also my next door neighbour that come out a few years ago that my friend janet was being raped by her dad aswell! she suffered with epilepsy! so that was 3 abusers in my street alone! n my street wasnt at all along street! my next door neighbour did report it to the police about 5 years ago and he was taken to court n was set free as they didnt believe her! this is exactly wot i am frightened of! how can this world come to this!!! how can these things be allowed to walk the streets n offend again!

I live my life n to a point i enjoy it! when the nightmares come i hope the next time i shut my eyes i can only dream of happy things! this happens often but i tell noone! your actually the only person i have told this too! im sure my husband knows but says nothing as i dont hink he knows how to deal with such a situation, he came from a good family n im glad! he has helped me to raise our children in a good way! and im sorry for the loss of your son that i cant even begin to imagine! losing child is my worse nightmare and beats my childhood nightmares! im sorry for your loss your hurt and your story of abuse! and yours was worse than mine, and when people say there is someone out therre worse than you, i hate it, i wouldnt want anyone to ever go through what i went through or even close! but the fact is there are millions of US and its a crying shame! if there is a god! n there is a heaven n there is a worse HELL than what we have lived in then lets hope god turns them away form heavens gates and sends them to hell to live with all the other evil DEVILS that they are!

I hope in time you find utopia n the nightmares will never haunt you again, i think my utopia is having my four most wonderful children whom i love with every breath that i breathe and i love them with all my heart n soul n i will protect them and love them and care for them as best as i could possibly can, they are my world and my life.

Take care xxxx

By: james w baldwin

james w baldwin — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:03:35 +0000

As yet – I have not had the ‘bottle’ to read Les’s Book but have owned it for a while.
I was in the home with him and have NEVER discussed the place or the events that took place in there with anyone but DO have memories which I will take with me to wherever.
Have only just come across some of the publicity surrounding The Children’s Cottage Homes in Cosham, Portsmouth. The place needed to be ‘nuked’.
Feel forced to start picking at the scabs of a lost childhood. Why?
But just whom does one talk to?

By: catherine

catherine — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:26:01 +0000

I finished Forgotten’ about 15 minuets ago, after starting it only this afternoon, I could’nt put it down. A harrowing account of child abuse in the 1950′s that unfortunalty is all to similar to child abuse in modern days. To stand up in this way to get justice for those who have suffered is not only brave but amazing, especially after such traumatic experiences. I felt real emotion when Mr Baker got a good hiding, I felt smug and proud. ( Though i would have happily read through an account of the other Bakers, Botts, Uncle Peter, Mr. M’s and other evil abusers getting as good as they gave!!- Lets just hope they do not rest in peace.) Though it has taken years, it is pleasing to see that after being let down by virtually everyone, be it a mother, police officer or foster parents, Justice has been found for those who for so many years were ignored.
WELL DONE!! to Les and his siblings and to all who suffered at the homes. and to all those who suffer today and who will suffer tomorow.

By: Joanne Warby

Joanne Warby — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 23:41:55 +0000

To those who wonder why they (Les, my mother, myself and thousands like us) never spoke out & to those who ask “why did you never speak out” I would simply say – When you have been through what can only be described as torture of the mind & soul by those you trust and by those trusted to care for you it is very hard, if ever possible, to find the kind of deep trust in another human being to the extent and courage it takes to ‘speak out’. The only trust you have is in yourself and even that you begin to doubt. It takes many years for someone special to come along (if you are lucky enough) and for you to feel safe, even unconciously, to open up your emotions. If the people around the children took the time to notice – all the signs would be there – that they need help. My mother knew of my abuse through my younger sister speaking out, though I had never found the courage to talk to mum, but on her death bed my mother said “Take care of Lois – Joanne knows what I mean” – like most abused people in the world I wanted to scream “What about me – who’s taking care of me” – the answer was and always is – me. There was no one else. With the ‘system’ as it is – broken and in need of repair, with people like my mum fighting their own demons & unable to talk to her own child – I would ask those who ask why we did not speak out – “who is/was going to listen?”. From comments left here – the answer to that is only those who know and understand how it feels. Even when we do speak out we are generally left to feel that the ‘system’ or the ‘family of non believers’ has been given a chance to abuse us yet again. What Les has said and done is wonderful – he is telling the world he will NOT be ignored – that he will NOT be FORGOTTEN again.

By: Frank Chuter

Frank Chuter — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:50:57 +0000

I spent my childhood in care 1959-1969 coming out in the big wide world at fifteen. People often said to me how come no one ever spoke out. The truth is so complicated even now I am not sure. Only as an adult and a father have I come to question some of the motives and mindsets of the staff and some of the bizarre punishments metered out.
When I speak of it now to people I smile and say how fortunate I was not being bought up by my parents, who could not cope.
The reality of it was I was made to feel I was constantly naughty and was always under the threat of Borstal . I did not know what that was but if it was worse than where I was I did not want to be sent there.
It has taken me YEARS to find peace inside and hold my head up confidently .
Should any one wish to contact me I am easy to find . Just google me.

By: Jeannie Erickson

Jeannie Erickson — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 09:43:28 +0000

Just to say that I read your book and want to say that you are amazing. Where did you get all that determination and grit after all you have endured. I think I know because I too have suffered similar circumstances to you and have come out a very strong person prepared to fight for justice. In your book you say that you have a website with information regarding getting access to public records records information. I cannot find you website – have you closed it? If so would you please send me the information on how go about getting the above information. My siblings and I were in Ely Homes, Cardiff around1950 and I cannot find any information regarding those homes.

Many thanks
Jeannie

By: kelly toonen

kelly toonen — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:15:25 +0000

would just like to say i have read les cummings book and couldn’t put it down this so terrible what happened to you an i am very saddened that you had to go through all this through your childhood,i am so glad that you stood up for justice an faught for your fellow friends who went through this and for your siblings its just amazing,and to have such a happy ending that your sister was able to find her son and grandchildren that is a speciel thing to happen out of this,its so sad why did this happen to poor innocent children,children aren’t asked to be born they arnet asked to be abused sexually and mentally ,physically.they are put here to love an adore,to protect.good on you les for standing up for what you believed.