Between 1857 and 1970, thousands of children came to live at the Halifax Protestant Orphans’ Home. Some were children whose parents simply didn’t have the means to care for them any longer; others were orphans who had nowhere else to go. Many faced abuse, poverty, and neglect before, during, and after their time in the facility. All were vulnerable young wards, left in the trusted care of an institution that, in countless cases, would ultimately betray them.

In Wounded Hearts: Memories of the Halifax Protestant Orphans’ Home veteran journalist Lois Legge digs deep into the lived experiences of the children who passed through those doors, painting an indelible picture of innocence lost. This in-depth narrative introduces readers to the strength and sorrow of the home’s survivors, in advance of the fiftieth anniversary of Veith House (2020), an inclusive community centre and the former site of the orphanage. Features 30 black and white photos.

During a long newspaper career, Lois Legge covered everything from politics to the Swissair Flight 111 crash and investigation. She’s also written hundreds of feature stories, including profiles of Holocaust survivors, war veterans, and famed photographer Robert Frank. Lois has won three Atlantic Journalism Awards and been nominated ten times. She’s a two-time National Newspaper Award finalist. Lois lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, with her husband, Richard. They have one daughter, Chelsea.

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