Cupboard Boy

By P T Saunders

This is the shockingly true story of ‘Paul’ and his step-siblings and their abuse at the hands of his black step-father and white mother. Two year old ‘Paul’s mother entered into a mixed race relationship with Roy in the 1960’s after ‘Pauls’ father abandoned them. At the time such relationships were frowned upon. Consequently his mother was ostracised by family and friends.

It is quite a brief book, only taking a short time to read, which seems to convey only a small measure of what the children suffered. They bore systematic beatings, racism, poverty, starvation and much cruelty, with one younger step-brother constantly being left naked in the outdoor coal bunker.  After the parents were confronted by the woman next door the child was then tied up, gagged and locked in the under-stairs cupboard.

This book is’ Paul’s’ tribute to this step-brother who sadly died of cancer aged nineteen.

As it is a book about abuse and neglect this is not an easy read.