Leaving Of Liverpool, The (ABC 1992, Christine Tremarco, Bill Hunter)

The Leaving of Liverpool took us back to the 1950’s when the British Government decided it would be a good idea to ship out thousands of orphans to the farthest reaches of the empire, many of them went to Australia and more than a few of them suffered harsh treatment at the hands of their new foster parents.

This fantastic production focuses on two of these orphans, Lilly and Bert who end up in a labour camp and then working on a sheep station.

Harsh and uncompromising and certainly not offering your standard happy ending, The Leaving of Liverpool did much on its first broadcast in 1992 to shed new light on the child migration schemes of the post war years.

production details
Australia / ABC / 2×120 minute episodes / Broadcast 1992

Writers: John Alsop (part 1), Sue Smnith (part 2) / Camera: Steve Windon / Design: Marcus North / Costume: Annie Marshall / Music: Peter Best / Producer: Steve Knapman / Executive Producers: Penny Chapman, Michael Wearing / Director: Michael Jenkins

cast
CHRISTINE TREMARCO as Lily
KEVIN JONES as Bert
BILL HUNTER as Brother O’Neill
MARTIN JACOBS as Brother Matthew
FRANK WHITTEN as Brother Jerome
JOHN HARGREAVES as Harry
FRANCES BARBER as Ellen
DAVID KAFF as Wilson
DARREN YAP as David
KERRY WALKER as Mrs Dunne
BOGDAN KOCA as Pavel
PAMELA RABE as Mrs Lang
COLIN MOODY as Mr Symonds
GARY HENSHAW as Alf