A fascinating snapshot of DGH history
The Lollipop Tree (the name refers to a song that one of the children sings in the film’s opening) was produced by writer/director Tony Mayer. A long-time chronicler of India on film, Mayer is perhaps best known for the 1978 Ancient East history series Crossroads of Civilisation, an eight-part documentary narrated by David Frost.
Opening with spectacular (if grainy) mountainside shots around Kalimpong, The Lollipop Treeprovides a neat summary of the history of Dr Graham’s Homes. It then goes on to paint a fascinating, and at times very emotional, picture of the Homes as they were in the 1960s. Some of the highlights include:
Sir Cliff reflecting on his earliest memories of India
“My memories of India are childhood ones,” he says, in the film’s introductory narration. “I can remember flying kites in Calcutta. And I had a mum and dad who loved me. Looking back, I suppose I was privileged. I couldn’t know how many desperately unhappy children there were around me…”
Some emotional stories of children at the Homes
The documentary pulls no punches when it comes to explaining the circumstances of some children at the Homes. “Her mother is dead, her stepmother does not love her, her father is alive but takes no interest in her,” the film says of Diki, a five-year-old Tibetan refugee. “The only person who takes an interest in her is her grandmother, but she can’t do anything; she’s so very poor…”
The aunt who became a DGH Aunty
Perhaps most surprisingly, Sir Cliff reveals that one of his aunts actually worked at DGH. “[Dr Graham] developed a Cottage System,” he says in the film. “Now, I know this thing works because up until recently I had an aunt in Kalimpong who worked for nearly 10 years as a Cottage Aunty…”
Another famous face from DGH folklore
Sharp-eyed viewers will notice something familiar about the young Scottish farmer who appears in the film around the 13-minute mark. It’s John Webster, now DGHUK’s Honorary Vice President. The film shows Rev John, who worked at DGH from 1964 to 1973, quality-testing a cheese before it heads to Kolkata!