Bob Golding interviewed by Rob Linn in the Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants oral history project [sound recording]

Bob Golding talks about his family background before being taken into care; memories of his childhood; arrival at the orphanage and perceptions of life there, physical punishment; the building and life at Ballarat Orphanage including physical work and education; abuse by staff members in various forms; survival at the orphanage, theft, diet, sporting contests; social attitudes of children towards each other; personal health and treatment, religious adherence, regulations; orphanage farm employment; dress codes and clothing at orphanage; his memories of family visitation and family life; his father's pursuits; orphanage holidays at Queenscliff, Vic.; WWII; schooling and technical schooling; being returned to father and mother; joining the RAAF and notes the similarity to orphanage life; his boxing career; overseas postings; memories of Singapore and meetings with his future wife; life in RAAF; their return to Australia; family relationships.

Golding discusses his discharge from the RAAF; his return to England; the birth of his children; working in England and difficulties with workplace regulation; his return to Australia with family; moving with family to rural Victoria; starting a new career in machining with various employers; a medical condition, surgery; contact with his mother, her unwillingness to talk, her illness and death; making application for government records; an orphanage reunion; relations with his father; the search for a past and how to write it up; his involvement with CLAN and reunions; group memories of abuse at the orphanage; the difficulty of appearing before parliamentary committee; the effect of orphanage experiences on his own family life; the government apology; his recall of orphanage experiences in the present day and dealing with them.