SHIRLEY OAKS SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION EXPOSE
LAMBETH CHILDREN’S HOME ABUSE
This document has been produced by Raymond Stevenson who attended Shirley Oaks with his brother Floyd from 1965 - 1980. He is also acting as spokesperson for Shirley Oaks Survivors Association and the person who is leading the investigations into the sexual physical and mental abuse suffered by children in the home.
Raymond's initial research was done under the name 'Mark' in order not to alert the council and other institutions. Raymond, his team and in some cases former Shirley Oaks residents, have had meetings with the Chief Executive of Lambeth Council, the Head of Social Services Helen Charles-Worth May, MP’s, Chuka Umunna, Helen Hayes and Kate Hoey. We have also had various meetings with Police officers leading inquiries into sex abuse in South London children’s homes. We have spoken to over 150 children who attended Shirley Oaks as well as house parents, social workers, officers and past employees of Lambeth Council. We will be producing a report in which we will highlight the failings of the relevant organisations to protect the vulnerable children in Shirley Oaks and Lambeth Children’s homes.
If you have any information on Shirley Oaks, even if it's just to confirm you were a resident or if you were a house parent, or a social worker who dealt with Shirley Oaks from 1960-1983, please contact Lucia Hinton or Raymond Stevenson on these numbers: 0207 701 9950 / 07956 101387.
Updated: Tuesday 9th June 2015.
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Over the last year one of the SOSA group members working with a few unconnected associates have undertaken their own investigations into the abuse at Shirley Oaks Children’s Home and other Lambeth-run Children’s Homes. The group have spoken to victims, retired Police Officers, high ranking officials at Lambeth Council and what we have discovered is a state in senile denial. The background to our investigation has been conducted with the knowledge that there are still forces operating that are trying to prevent the truth from being exposed; we believe this is linked to the murder of Bulic Forsythe. Despite this we are determined to get to the truth and not being waylaid with blocking tactics, haze and mirrors that usually comes with an investigation by the State into the State. The allegations are aimed at the very fabric of British Society and the web of deceit includes Politicians, Judges, Police Officers and Civil Servants.
SOSA will be exposing the endemic abuse suffered by many children both physically and mentally, exposing the names of the alleged abusers and telling the untold story of those who have tragically committed suicide due to their experience at Shirley Oaks. SOSA want action taken against Lambeth Council, the abusers and full and proper investigation undertaken which must include an investigation into the allegation confirmed by a senior officer that missing children have been buried near the grounds of Shirley Oaks.
After various meetings with officers from the current investigations into child abuse and after taking into consideration the failure of the Met and other Police forces to investigate historic allegations, we ask the question how compromised are the police and politicians?
SOSA make a public statement that the police must immediately open up the case of the death of Peter Davis who supposedly committed suicide whilst residing in Shirley Oaks in the mid 1970s. At the time many of us children resident in Shirley Oaks made a promise to get justice for Peter - even though we were young we suspected his death was highly suspicious. More so 40 years later when we learn he was one of the many children who were sexually and physically abused.
Lastly, we’d like to give praise to those investigative journalists who have persevered with their enquiries into the abuses at Lambeth Children’s Homes for many years against a wall of establishment silence and we ask that you continue in your search for the truth.
NOTES TO EDITOR
Shirley Oaks was first opened as a children's home in the early 1900s. Lambeth council took over the operation and administration of Shirley Oaks from 1965.
It was closed in 1983.
Following Operation Middleton, a Police investigation into child abuse in Shirley Oaks that had concluded in 1999, three paedophiles were convicted including a William Hook, who was a swimming instructor.
Updated: Wednesday 11th March 2015.