From 1935, A Home Child's Personal Discovery
Fred W. Smith discovers his real name
submitted by Norah Dennis
www.britishhomechildren.org
After having been known as Fred W. Smith since his boyhood days, a railway man at Vivian, Manitoba learned about a year ago that his name was not Smith at all, but Palmer. As a little child, Mr. Palmer had been placed in Dr. Barnardo's home in London, England. As such he came to Alberta, where he was placed with a farmer in Innisfail. He stayed there less than a year, ran away for cause and gradually drifted into Winnipeg, later to Lorette, in Manitoba, working at this latter place, a boy of twelve, and generally becoming known as Smith.
When the Grand Trunk commenced its operations in the Lorette district he entered its employ and later that of the Canadian Nationals railways. With the exception of one year he has worked for these two railway companies ever since.
Some time ago the Canadian National urge its employees to produce birth certificates. Palmer, who in the meantime had married and become the father of two daughters and one son, was now forced to probe into his past. He wrote to the Barnardo home for information regarding himself, and after a great deal of writing and investigating learned at last about a year ago not only his true name but also that he was three years younger than he had thought himself to be. He is 48 years old now.
He and his wife and children have assumed their true name and are now known by their real name. They have taken all necessary steps to legally effect this change. The birth certificates of all the children as well as the marriage certificate of one daughter have had to be changed and real estate transferred from Smith to Palmer.
One of the remarkable and pleasing incidents of Mr. Palmer's search for his own name in England has led to the discovery by him that his own mother and one sister, now married, are still alive in the Old Country. A lively correspondence has been the result.
The Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, December 19, 1935, page 10
When the Grand Trunk commenced its operations in the Lorette district he entered its employ and later that of the Canadian Nationals railways. With the exception of one year he has worked for these two railway companies ever since.
Some time ago the Canadian National urge its employees to produce birth certificates. Palmer, who in the meantime had married and become the father of two daughters and one son, was now forced to probe into his past. He wrote to the Barnardo home for information regarding himself, and after a great deal of writing and investigating learned at last about a year ago not only his true name but also that he was three years younger than he had thought himself to be. He is 48 years old now.
He and his wife and children have assumed their true name and are now known by their real name. They have taken all necessary steps to legally effect this change. The birth certificates of all the children as well as the marriage certificate of one daughter have had to be changed and real estate transferred from Smith to Palmer.
One of the remarkable and pleasing incidents of Mr. Palmer's search for his own name in England has led to the discovery by him that his own mother and one sister, now married, are still alive in the Old Country. A lively correspondence has been the result.
The Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg, Manitoba, December 19, 1935, page 10
