i was in st johns for a year 88/89.
my experience was it was terrible, took me years to get over being in there. i only went there because athelstone house school closed down, and was on day care.. i was on aston view on the top floor..
the police visited me ten years after laving then 20 years later investigating a culture of abuse.. not all staff were bad, some were ok, but there was a hard core of troublemakers and abusers.
you mentioned gilbert, did you know he recieved 5 years for abusing boys who were there, its not my words , here is the link to birmingham evening mail
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/man-jailed-for-abuse-of-children-70729
.. i ran away as much as possible from sometimes brutal staff who chase you down train tracks. you could half your arm twisted up your back for the slightest word back. there was a punishment system rated on a level system, running away led for 4 days level one which entailed, sitting all day on a chair allowed to talk to nobody, which was impossible and followed by more twisting up and puches where bruises wouldnt show. after several children died while under there supervision they shut it down quite rightly once they realised it helped nobody and made everybody worde who entered there. i can say alot more and have paper clippings and proof. the reason its not on firends reunited is because not many people wish to admit they worked there.
i can remember one asembly where a senior member i will call b as i dont want to slander people pulled out a book of our rights. laughed as he put it into his pockets and said we make our own rules up. eventually my lawyer secured my release. it destroyed the lives of many children who had the misfortune of going there.
i hope this isnt taken down, i have more proof if anyone complains or wishews to celebrate a dark chapter in birminghams history... i think it was operation cammasia led by the police that punished some of the guilty, heres another link
https://theneedleblog.wordpress.com...idlands/warwickshire/st-johns-childrens-home/
like i said that he worked there, i dont remeber you and am in no way aiming this at you. it is part of brums history, but ive never seen it celebrated, too many lives were ruined. regards, apul