Both Sides of the Iron Gates

"Now! Listen carefully," Dr Laverty said. "You will be small, but most importantly you have nothing to worry about. You are healthy and as strong as an ox. If you use your brain, you will get along fine - so you have nothing to worry about."

Growing up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the 1920s, Bob Mackenzie's childhood and youth were far from easy. Part of a family that struggled with the hardships of unemployment and poverty in post-war Britain, Bob was also born with a form of genetic dwarfism at a time when medical knowledge about rare genetic conditions was vastly more limited than it is today. Still, Dr Laverty was right about Bob - he was strong, healthy and full of appreciation for the simple pleasures to be encountered amongst life's challenges. In Both Sides of the Iron Gates, Bob Mackenzie shares with us his memories of being separated from his family, growing up in Birmingham's orphanages and workhouses, before entering the workforce at a time when Europe was once again on the brink of war. Despite the adversity that he faced, in Bob's story we encounter tremendous courage, humour, determination, and an infectious enthusiasm for all that life has to offer.

Both Sides of the Iron Gates has been published by the Restricted Growth Association (RGA), a charity that provides vital information and support to the dwarfism community throughout the UK. Bob Mackenzie was a much loved member of the RGA and in 2011 was awarded the charity's 'Lifetime Achievement Award.'