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Dirty Laundry

The Crimes a Country Tried to Hide

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Dirty Laundry

By: Lily Arthur
Narrated by: Lily Arthur
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About this listen

At 17-years-old, Lily Arthur was caught between an era of women's liberation and the draconian ideology that young women should be punished for deviating from society's "moral codes".

For the "crime" of being pregnant, Lily was forcibly taken from the man she planned to marry and incarcerated in Brisbane Watch House before being sent to work in a notorious Magdalene laundry.

Committed to the Holy Cross home for unwed mothers in Woolowin, Lily's son was taken from her in the labour ward and put up for adoption.

She promised him: "I will see you again, little one. I will see you again."

A true story from the war-torn ravages for East End London to the far north of Queensland, Australia, Dirty Laundry recounts a journey that took Lily and a movement of women like her on a lifelong battle for justice.

©2022 Lily Arthur (P)2023 Lily Arthur
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This autobiography highlights an important part of history in Australia. Women’s history is so often ignored and few people are aware of Australia’s history of stealing children from unmarried mothers. Thank you Lily for sharing your journey with us.

A moving autobiography by an incredible, courageous and inspiring women.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.