Who Is Chris France
The Spiritual River
Part I – It Begins!
We start our story – It begins with Chris currently living on the southwest coast of the UK. In the small seaside town of Torquay, UK, however, Chris France’s journey started further north in Edinburgh, Scotland. This story has “never” been told before.
The story of his many travels along the “Spiritual River”.
He was born on November 29th in 1958 to an unwed mother. Maria McPherson Brown.
His mother was a young girl that grew up on the family farm in Lockerbie, Scotland. She was from a very old and traditional Scottish family with ancestry dating back to the times of the ancient people of the “North”. The Picts
Chris and his Mum lived in various residents and in doubtful situations. Eventually ending up in in South Queenferry, Scotland, just up from Edinburgh till he was 3 years old.
Then , Chris’s Mum lost the support from his birth father, A Chief Petty Office serving the Royal Navy, Brian Anthony France.
He had been stationed in Edinburgh, Scotland, serving aboard submarines of Her Majesties Royal Navy.
In 1961 he was reassigned to the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.
The Most Significant Day
She decided that letting him go was the best thing for him.
She and Chris took the train from Edinburgh to London in 1961 where he was placed with the Children’s Society and was assigned to a home in Leicester, UK.
He recalls this day as the most significant day of his life!
(Note from Chris – Mum always told me it was a posh boarding home, but I knew even then it was an orphanage. As all the other kids did not and a Mum or Dad like me.)
While at the Children’s home Chris had a happy and fun time. In the 3 years that Chris stayed at the home, many good times were had. Chris says, he was a “Happy Little Camper”. Everything was looking good for him and his future!
It All Changed
Then it all changed again. For the second time in 6 years, Chris was uprooted from his safe and stable home. His Mum had married an American man working as a military contractor, computer science, in the UK. She came to the home one day and took Chris away from his home. His home with all the other children.
His Mum and her newly married husband came and took Chris away from the safe and stable environment he had come to know as his home. Away from those he trusted.
That’s Not My Daddy
In 1965 Chris was taken to the United States as a very young little boy.
The only child of Maria and new found step-son of Carl Freeman. He then started to be known as Chris Freeman. He had a “New Daddy”
That is what his mother told him the very first time they net each other.
His immediate reply was, “That’s not my Daddy!!!”
These two events, Adverse Childhood Experiences, were to become the fuel for Chris’s future troubles.
They would leave him with a problem that would not be recognized for many years.
A.C.E.s is the acronym for Adverse Childhood Experiences. It is defined as the following reference:
Key Points to Consider
Children in care are likely to have experienced trauma but not all children who have adverse experiences will be traumatised. Every child is unique and their responses to the same adversity will differ.
- Trauma can affect brain development. Many traumatised children function at an earlier developmental level than their chronological age suggests.
- Traumatised children may struggle to develop regulatory skills needed for learning and social relationships
- Some children react powerfully to sensory triggers related to their trauma by becoming hyper-aroused or dissociating.
- These reactions often occur below the level of conscious awareness.
Just 3 Years Old
If adults involved with traumatized children are unable to manage their own responsibilities, emotions or behaviours, this escalates a child distress and bewilderment.
Feeling of “what’s wrong, what did I do?” are often.
Especially as a very young boy., abandoned by his only care-giver, his Mum, just 3 years old.
END OF PART I – In our next chapter “Not The Only Time”, what I can tell you next is the most disturbing is this. In late 2018 November, Chris’s birthday, he found out from his greatest friend and ally Adam some life-changing news.
Please continue his journey here