Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:48:08 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2022 19:41:52 GMT
Just a rambling thread.
The thread the other day about large families, got me to thinking of them. Growing up we had an old set of encyclopedias and as a child I loved to skim through them on quiet days. I was always fascinated by the entry on the Dionne quintuplets. In my head now, I thought of them as being so old as to be long gone. But when I googled, I found two are still alive and in their '80's.
I downloaded a book about them on my kindle and just finished reading it. It's so horrible all that they went through and so many (including their own parents and children) taking advantage of them. Doctors, nurses, family members, the government etc. One of the women still living had her money taken by her own son who disappeared and is living off a small pension. After all they went through they should be living peacefully in comfort.
And yet, children today are being taken advantage of (IMO) on reality tv and social media in similar ways.
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,157 
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Post by scrappington on Jan 14, 2022 19:50:31 GMT
Exactly. It's just a different platform or way to take advantage of.
The Dionne sister's story is a sad one
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Post by epeanymous on Jan 14, 2022 19:54:20 GMT
We definitely need better protections for kids when their parents make money off of them.
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Post by chlerbie on Jan 14, 2022 19:55:02 GMT
I haven't read the book, but read about them recently and was appalled and how they were treated. My mother visited Canada as a child and went to see them and told me how sad it made her.
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Post by stingfan on Jan 14, 2022 20:57:13 GMT
I'd never heard of them, but just read the wikipedia about them. Wow - that was a some crazy WRONG stuff.
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,666
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Post by janeliz on Jan 14, 2022 21:02:16 GMT
I remember my mom telling me about having Dionne Quints paper dolls when she was little. She said they were a prized possession and she was just fascinated by anything and everything having to do with the girls.
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Post by bc2ca on Jan 14, 2022 21:08:11 GMT
I remember being fascinated by them as a child. I was also fascinated by the set of twins in my grade. As an adult, I remembered being horrified realizing they were treated as a zoo type exhibit.  |
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oh yvonne
Prolific Pea
Posts: 8,111
Jun 26, 2014 0:45:23 GMT
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Post by oh yvonne on Jan 14, 2022 21:18:17 GMT
I’ve also been fascinated with their story since I was a girl. My grandma had one of the little bisque China dolls that was part of a set of five. She has a little tag that’s says “Marie” on her dress.
I’ve had her restored and she sits in a China cabinet at my parents.
I read up on them and for the longest time I only knew all the sensationalized accounts from magazines like Life, etc. it wasn’t until years later I found an article that told the whole and true story.
It’s really sad how they ended up.
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Post by mandolyn9909 on Jan 14, 2022 21:28:35 GMT
I was always fascinated by their story as well. I live about half hour from where they were born but have never went to the local museum for them. It was such a miracle that they all survived pregnancy and birth in that day in age, but yet so sad what they endured and sadly I don't think the laws have changed much at all on this, still seems like you can make bucket loads of money off making a spectacle of your children. They don't need to be caged up like the dionne quints but have no privacy and are not able to decide for themselves if they want to have the fame/fortune before it is too late.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 14, 2022 21:53:39 GMT
I’ve also been fascinated with their story since I was a girl. My grandma had one of the little bisque China dolls that was part of a set of five. She has a little tag that’s says “Marie” on her dress. I’ve had her restored and she sits in a China cabinet at my parents. I read up on them and for the longest time I only knew all the sensationalized accounts from magazines like Life, etc. it wasn’t until years later I found an article that told the whole and true story. It’s really sad how they ended up. Either my mom or her twin sister had a Dionne Quintuplet doll when they were little girls. They also had a Shirley Temple doll. They have to be close to 90 years old since my mom and aunt would have been 95 years old this year if they were still alive. It was really sad what the Dionne children had to endure. |
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Post by Neisey on Jan 14, 2022 22:21:37 GMT
My Nanny had a set quintuplet teaspoons. Each handle had an image of one of the girls and her name. I’ve always been fascinated by the story as well and can remember watching old films in university, I think in History of childhood class.
Those spoons made particularly good glasses of chocolate milk, using them to scoop the Quick chocolate powder. When all the grandchildren were visiting they were a fought over item.
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,899
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Jan 14, 2022 22:44:05 GMT
I think it's fascinating that they were all survived and were healthy in that era. But them becoming zoo animals was so sad. I read the Quintland Sisters book a couple years ago and while it was fiction I still felt I learnt more about them thancehat I knew. My Nanny had a set quintuplet teaspoons. Each handle had an image of one of the girls and her name. I’ve always been fascinated by the story as well and can remember watching old films in university, I think in History of childhood class. Those spoons made particularly good glasses of chocolate milk, using them to scoop the Quick chocolate powder. When all the grandchildren were visiting they were a fought over item. My mom talks about her grandma having the teaspoons. I don't remember ever seeing them though, I wish I had. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:48:08 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2022 14:48:00 GMT
My Nanny had a set quintuplet teaspoons. Each handle had an image of one of the girls and her name. I’ve always been fascinated by the story as well and can remember watching old films in university, I think in History of childhood class. Those spoons made particularly good glasses of chocolate milk, using them to scoop the Quick chocolate powder. When all the grandchildren were visiting they were a fought over item. Yes, I knew they were still alive. I have the teaspoons and several other pieces. See my photo. My aunt finds these items in antique stores. I ache when I see what was done to these girls. I imagine my own natural identical triplets going through something like this. It would kill me as a mama!!!! So, so sad!  |
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,615
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Post by MerryMom on Jan 15, 2022 15:36:27 GMT
We definitely need better protections for kids when their parents make money off of them. The Dionne girls were premature. After four months with their family, custody was signed over to the Red Cross who paid for their care and oversaw the building of a hospital for the sisters. Less than a year after this agreement was signed, the Ontario Government stepped in and passed the Dionne Quintuplets' Guardianship Act, 1935 which made them Wards of the Crown until the age of 18. The Ontario provincial government and those around them began to profit by making them a significant tourist attraction. |
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,615
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Post by MerryMom on Jan 15, 2022 15:40:33 GMT
Oliva Dionne was approached by fair exhibitors for Chicago's Century of Progress exhibition within days of the girls' birth, seeking to put the quintuplets on display and show them to the world. (At the time it was not unusual for so-called "incubator babies" to be displayed at fairs and other exhibitions.) The parents were persuaded to agree on the advice of the doctor present at the birth, Dr. Dafoe, and the family priest, Father Daniel Routhier.
Although Oliva Dionne revoked the contract only days later citing that his wife, Elzire Dionne, did not sign it and therefore it didn't make the contract valid, the Tour Bureau claimed otherwise. On approximately July 27, 1934 the first guardianship bill was signed. Oliva and Elzire Dionne signed custody of the quintuplets over to the Red Cross for a period of two years to protect them from this contract and in return the Red Cross would cover all medical costs. This included the nurses' wages, supplies, and ensuring that enough breast milk was being shipped to the hospital. They also oversaw the building of a hospital built specifically for the Dionne quintuplets. In February 1935 the Dionnes travelled to Chicago as "Parents of the World Famous Babies" and made stage appearances. The Premier of Ontario at the time, Mitchell Hepburn, used the Dionne vaudeville trip as an excuse to extend the guardianship. He claimed that they must save the babies from further exploitation and, in March 1935, pushed the Dionne Quintuplets Act through government that officially made the girls Wards of the Crown and extended guardianship to the age of eighteen. Although Oliva Dionne had a seat on the Board of Guardians, he rarely attended meetings as he felt his vote wouldn't matter against the other three guardians: Dr. Dafoe, Joseph Valin and Minister of Welfare David Croll. These three guardians met once a month and had full control over business matters involving the quintuplets. They were involved in caring for the girls, managing money, and creating contracts for business opportunities such as appearances in films and commercials. The stated reason for removing the quintuplets from their parents' legal custody was to ensure their survival and protection from promoters.
The government realized there was enormous public interest in the sisters and proceeded to engender a tourist industry around them.[15] The girls were made wards of the provincial Crown, planned until they reached the age of 18.
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,615
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Post by MerryMom on Jan 15, 2022 15:44:37 GMT
Oliva Dionne was approached by fair exhibitors for Chicago's Century of Progress exhibition within days of the girls' birth, seeking to put the quintuplets on display and show them to the world. (At the time it was not unusual for so-called "incubator babies" to be displayed at fairs and other exhibitions.) The parents were persuaded to agree on the advice of the doctor present at the birth, Dr. Dafoe, and the family priest, Father Daniel Routhier.
Although Oliva Dionne revoked the contract only days later citing that his wife, Elzire Dionne, did not sign it and therefore it didn't make the contract valid, the Tour Bureau claimed otherwise. On approximately July 27, 1934 the first guardianship bill was signed. Oliva and Elzire Dionne signed custody of the quintuplets over to the Red Cross for a period of two years to protect them from this contract and in return the Red Cross would cover all medical costs. This included the nurses' wages, supplies, and ensuring that enough breast milk was being shipped to the hospital. They also oversaw the building of a hospital built specifically for the Dionne quintuplets. In February 1935 the Dionnes travelled to Chicago as "Parents of the World Famous Babies" and made stage appearances. The Premier of Ontario at the time, Mitchell Hepburn, used the Dionne vaudeville trip as an excuse to extend the guardianship. He claimed that they must save the babies from further exploitation and, in March 1935, pushed the Dionne Quintuplets Act through government that officially made the girls Wards of the Crown and extended guardianship to the age of eighteen. Although Oliva Dionne had a seat on the Board of Guardians, he rarely attended meetings as he felt his vote wouldn't matter against the other three guardians: Dr. Dafoe, Joseph Valin and Minister of Welfare David Croll. These three guardians met once a month and had full control over business matters involving the quintuplets. They were involved in caring for the girls, managing money, and creating contracts for business opportunities such as appearances in films and commercials. The stated reason for removing the quintuplets from their parents' legal custody was to ensure their survival and protection from promoters.
The government realized there was enormous public interest in the sisters and proceeded to engender a tourist industry around them.[15] The girls were made wards of the provincial Crown, planned until they reached the age of 18.
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