Miss Annie Macpherson's Homes
Marchmont would be the name given to three of Annie MacPherson's homes in Bellville. Two which were destroyed by fire. Robbie Grey, a six year old child brought to Canada just months prior would perish in the January 1872 fire which took the first home. Following the fire the second Marchmont home was established on another street in Bellville. This home would also burn. A third would be built on it site.
"BELLEVILLE, January 29, 1872.
"BELLEVILLE, January 29, 1872.
Annie Macpherson
Submitted by Norah Dennis
http://www.britishhomechildren.org/
Annie Macpherson was a philanthropist who is accepted as the pioneer of child emigration to Canada.Born in Campsie by Milton, Stirlingshire, she was the oldest of three sisters. On completing her education in Glasgow, she decided to follow her father into the teaching profession but at the age of nineteen experienced "a divine revelation" after which the love of God became the ruling force of her life. Following a brief spell in Cambridgeshire, where she undertook evangelical work, she moved to London with her mother. Appalled by the misery and deprivation she found, she immediately began mission work in the East End. She was particularly moved by the child slavery of the matchbox industry and resolved to devote her life to these children. With donations collected chiefly through The Revival paper, in 1870 she procured a large workshop which she turned into the "Home of Industry", where such children could work while receiving educatio and nourishment. Annie Macpherson was firmly convinced, however, that the real solution for these children lay in emigration to a country of opportunity An emigration fund was duly started and in the first year, 500 children, trained in the London homes, were dispatched to Canada. This was the start of a massive operation which sought to find homes and careers for 14,000 of Britain's needy children. Annie Macpherson herself made the voyage across the Atlantic over 120 times. Initally one distribution centre was opened in Ontario, but this was soon followed by other regional centres. An important section of the operation was founded in Liverpool by Annie's sister, Louisa Birt, and a number of other philanthropic societies, which recognized the benefits of emigration, made use of this network. The scheme received wide acclaim and was much copied abroad.
As well as her work on emigration, Annie Macpherson sought to help the poor in many other ways, and a number of missions, for example a Bible Flower Mission and Prison Mission, had their origins in the Home of Industry. She was a far-sighted woman whose unwavering faith enabled her to realize an idea which she believed would give opportunities to those born with none. In so doing she inspired others to follow where she had led; a philanthropist with wide-ranging insterests, she is above all renowned as the "Children's Home Finder." Her works included Canadian Homes for London Wanderers (1870) and The Little Matchbox Makers (1870).
From: A historical dictionary of British women
By Taylor & Francis Group, Inc NetLibrary, Cathy Hartley, Susan Leckey
Published 2003, Routledge
As well as her work on emigration, Annie Macpherson sought to help the poor in many other ways, and a number of missions, for example a Bible Flower Mission and Prison Mission, had their origins in the Home of Industry. She was a far-sighted woman whose unwavering faith enabled her to realize an idea which she believed would give opportunities to those born with none. In so doing she inspired others to follow where she had led; a philanthropist with wide-ranging insterests, she is above all renowned as the "Children's Home Finder." Her works included Canadian Homes for London Wanderers (1870) and The Little Matchbox Makers (1870).
From: A historical dictionary of British women
By Taylor & Francis Group, Inc NetLibrary, Cathy Hartley, Susan Leckey
Published 2003, Routledge
Marchmont receiving, Belleville, Ont
credit D & E Lake Ltd. / Library and Archives Canada
credit D & E Lake Ltd. / Library and Archives Canada
An Index to Children at the Marchmont Home
From the Belleville Library
Marchmont home, Belleville, Ontario. A group of boys from Miss MacPherson's home (London, England)
Apr., 1922
Credit: Can. Govt. Motion Picture Bureau / Library and Archives Canada / C-034837
Apr., 1922
Credit: Can. Govt. Motion Picture Bureau / Library and Archives Canada / C-034837
Canadian Homes for London Wanderers
by Annie MacPherson
God's answers - A record of Miss MacPherson's work - 1882
Credit: Library and Archives Canada / C-034840
A group of Barnardo boys from Miss Macpherson's Home, London, England, who arrived at the Marchmont Home in April 1922
A group of Barnardo boys from Miss Macpherson's Home, London, England, who arrived at the Marchmont Home in April 1922
Home on the same street
photo credit, Library and Archives Canada
Although the Library and Archives Canada has identified this home as the Stratford Macpherson Home we believe it is actually a home on the same street as Marchmount.
photo credit, Library and Archives Canada
Although the Library and Archives Canada has identified this home as the Stratford Macpherson Home we believe it is actually a home on the same street as Marchmount.
1908 A group of immigrant children on route to a children's home in Stratford
Credit: Library and Archives Canada / e006611023
The Belleville Public Library has collected items on the Marchmont Home. They have a card index with the names of the children that were sent to Marchmont. This index is not complete.
Belleville Public Library
223 Pinnacle Street
Belleville, ON
K8N 3A7
Canada
(613)968-6731
source - http://www.genealogic.co.uk
God's answers a record of Miss Annie Macpherson's work at the Home of Industry, Spitalfields, London, and in Canada
Belleville Public Library
223 Pinnacle Street
Belleville, ON
K8N 3A7
Canada
(613)968-6731
source - http://www.genealogic.co.uk
God's answers a record of Miss Annie Macpherson's work at the Home of Industry, Spitalfields, London, and in Canada
