The British Home Children
"For many children, the move to Canada kept the promise of a better life. However, some Home Children suffered in Canada, because of difficult living conditions, work demands, cruel treatment, and — perhaps, most of all — the absence of the love of a family."
Hon. Jason Kenney PC MP - Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Approximately 125,000 children were sent to Canada from England, under the Child Immigration scheme from 1833-1939. These boys and girls ranged in age from toddlers to adolescents and were all unaccompanied by their parents even though only one-third of them were orphans. Most emigrant children came from respectable, if poor, families bound by strong ties of affection and support. Most of these children were brought to institutions such as Barnardo's as a last resort, when a crisis, or repeated crises – desertion or death of a parent, illness, unemployment – prevented a family and its network of kin from coping. Although some families regarded admission as a temporary expedient, the rescue homes carefully controlled or even discouraged further contact between all children and their relatives for fear that the children would be tempted to return to homes. Once in care, most of these families never saw these children again. Siblings in care in Britain were often separated from their families and each other. Siblings were often separated from each other when they were sent to Canada. Most never saw each other again. Many spent their lives trying to identify their parents and find their siblings and most were unsuccessful.
The Barnardo homes were set up in Canada and England by Dr. Thomas Barnardo for homeless or destitute English children. Peterborough, Ontario emerged as the main Canadian distribution centre for Barnardo children from 1889 to 1922. The Hazelbrae Barnardo Home in Peterborough was built by Thomas Belcher in 1872 for Alexander Smith. It was renovated in 1883 by George and Margaret Cox and donated to Dr. Barnardo. In 1923 it was destroyed by fire.
Although Dr. Barnardo's organization was not the only one involved in the immigration of children to Canada, he became the most influential figure in child migration of the last half of the nineteenth century. His crusade to 'rescue children from the streets' was one the best known social interventions in the last half of the nineteenth century. Dr. Barnardo himself, died in 1905. When he died, there were nearly 8,000 children in the 96 residential homes he had set up. Around 1300 of these children had disabilities. More than 4,000 children were boarded out, and 18,000 had been sent to Canada and Australia. After his death, the Barnardo organization would continue to run in his name and is still an active children's charity organization in England today.
Of the 125,000 children sent to Canada, 20,000 came from the Barnardo Homes. There were many other organizations involved in the migration of children out of England. Some of the better known were Annie Macpherson, Maria Rye, Fegan Homes, Dr. Stephenson and the National Children's Home. Annie Macpherson and Maria Rye pioneered child migration to Canada in 1869. Emigration seemed the only way to break the tragic cycle of grinding poverty that was so rampant in the Victorian years. Dr. Barnardo began migration of children in about 1872 through Macpherson's organisation. By 1881 Dr. Barnardo established himself in his own right in the migration of children by the acquisition of a receiving home in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and then the Hazlebrae home in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He would go on to set up "receiving homes" across Canada, including a large training farm in Russel Manitoba. There he would send the older boys to be trained as farmers with hopes they would acquire land form the Dominions Land Act and become farmers in their own right.
Once in Canada, the children were not usually adopted into new families, but rather were taken into households to be trained and to work as indentured agricultural labourers and domestic servants until about the age of 18. The poor choice of placements in Canada and the subsequent lack of supervision left these children vulnerable to being exploited and abused - and many were. The organizations sending these children never adequately took into consideration the welfare and safety of the children in their charge. Sensational stories of isolated incidents of criminal and immoral behaviour committed by home children, exploitation in the press and propaganda spread about these children by influential people of the time raised Canadians' fears about the character of the young emigrants. As much as they feared these children, Canadians needed the cheap help on their farms and in their homes. These organizations, including Barnardo's in the later years, quickly lost sight of the mission of rescue as this need and desire for cheap help increased. The British Child Care organizations, who professed motives of providing these children with a better life, developed other ignoble and pecuniary motives. As Canadian's need for these children, despite their fears increased - the organizations could not immigrate these children into this country fast enough. The organizations in effect rid themselves and Britain of an unwanted segment of their society and profited when they in effect "sold" these children to Canadian farmers.
The Barnardo homes were set up in Canada and England by Dr. Thomas Barnardo for homeless or destitute English children. Peterborough, Ontario emerged as the main Canadian distribution centre for Barnardo children from 1889 to 1922. The Hazelbrae Barnardo Home in Peterborough was built by Thomas Belcher in 1872 for Alexander Smith. It was renovated in 1883 by George and Margaret Cox and donated to Dr. Barnardo. In 1923 it was destroyed by fire.
Although Dr. Barnardo's organization was not the only one involved in the immigration of children to Canada, he became the most influential figure in child migration of the last half of the nineteenth century. His crusade to 'rescue children from the streets' was one the best known social interventions in the last half of the nineteenth century. Dr. Barnardo himself, died in 1905. When he died, there were nearly 8,000 children in the 96 residential homes he had set up. Around 1300 of these children had disabilities. More than 4,000 children were boarded out, and 18,000 had been sent to Canada and Australia. After his death, the Barnardo organization would continue to run in his name and is still an active children's charity organization in England today.
Of the 125,000 children sent to Canada, 20,000 came from the Barnardo Homes. There were many other organizations involved in the migration of children out of England. Some of the better known were Annie Macpherson, Maria Rye, Fegan Homes, Dr. Stephenson and the National Children's Home. Annie Macpherson and Maria Rye pioneered child migration to Canada in 1869. Emigration seemed the only way to break the tragic cycle of grinding poverty that was so rampant in the Victorian years. Dr. Barnardo began migration of children in about 1872 through Macpherson's organisation. By 1881 Dr. Barnardo established himself in his own right in the migration of children by the acquisition of a receiving home in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and then the Hazlebrae home in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He would go on to set up "receiving homes" across Canada, including a large training farm in Russel Manitoba. There he would send the older boys to be trained as farmers with hopes they would acquire land form the Dominions Land Act and become farmers in their own right.
Once in Canada, the children were not usually adopted into new families, but rather were taken into households to be trained and to work as indentured agricultural labourers and domestic servants until about the age of 18. The poor choice of placements in Canada and the subsequent lack of supervision left these children vulnerable to being exploited and abused - and many were. The organizations sending these children never adequately took into consideration the welfare and safety of the children in their charge. Sensational stories of isolated incidents of criminal and immoral behaviour committed by home children, exploitation in the press and propaganda spread about these children by influential people of the time raised Canadians' fears about the character of the young emigrants. As much as they feared these children, Canadians needed the cheap help on their farms and in their homes. These organizations, including Barnardo's in the later years, quickly lost sight of the mission of rescue as this need and desire for cheap help increased. The British Child Care organizations, who professed motives of providing these children with a better life, developed other ignoble and pecuniary motives. As Canadian's need for these children, despite their fears increased - the organizations could not immigrate these children into this country fast enough. The organizations in effect rid themselves and Britain of an unwanted segment of their society and profited when they in effect "sold" these children to Canadian farmers.
".... in Canada we are deliberately adding to our population hundreds of children bearing all the stigmata of physical and mental degeneracy....The next generation must be considered, but the harvest has already commenced - a juvenile criminal here, an insane person there."
Dr. C. K. Clarke
"the Father of Canadian Psychiatry""
b1857-d1924
renowned physiologist for whom the Clarke Institute in Toronto was named
on the British Home Children
Lecture given at the Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada
The little immigrants - the orphans who came to Canada
Kenneth Bagnell
Dr. C. K. Clarke
"the Father of Canadian Psychiatry""
b1857-d1924
renowned physiologist for whom the Clarke Institute in Toronto was named
on the British Home Children
Lecture given at the Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada
The little immigrants - the orphans who came to Canada
Kenneth Bagnell
an undated photo, Dr. Barnardo Children having their trunks inspected before leaving for Canada
Apology Petition to the Government of Canada
An official petition to the Government of Canada is in the process of being launched. For details please visit:
Apology Petition to the Government of Canada
Apology Petition to the Government of Canada
"Who will speak for the British Home Children of Canada"
By Andrew Simpson
in this blog entry, Andrew explains the importance of access to our BHC records
By Andrew Simpson
in this blog entry, Andrew explains the importance of access to our BHC records
Help provide equal and fair access to the Child Care records for which there is a charge to obtain
You can either sign the petition on the widget above or see British Home Child Access to Records Petition
| Why This Is Important
Why This Is ImportantApproximately 125,000 children were forced to immigrate into Canada from Great Britain, between 1860 and 1939, many of them torn away from their parents and brothers and sisters. They are collectively known as The British Home Children. This seems like so long ago now, but many of their descendants are still to this day struggling to piece together their past family history. This isn’t simply idle curiosity, it is closure for many and a desperate attempt to gain a sense of belonging that most of us are fortunate enough to take for granted. Imagine how it must feel to have no idea of your past family history and where your roots truly belong and worst of all that you have or may have family members who don’t even know you exist.
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Many of the Home Children were brought up to believe they were outcasts and less worthy than others in society. Some were treated as slave labour and suffered terrible abuse in the building and settling of early Canada.
It’s too late for most of them now, but not for their descendants who lobby Barnardo’s and other agencies in England for information about their parents and grandparents. The information, for a lot of these chidren, is available but is costly and many families cannot afford to pay for their records. The British and Australian Government leaders have publicly and with great humility, apologized to the home children and to their descendants while the Canadian Government, to their deep shame, has not. This petition aims to gain your support to lobby the Government of Canada to, at the very least, offer a grant to the relatives of Home Children to enable them to pay Barnardo's and other agencies in England for their family information.
It’s too late for most of them now, but not for their descendants who lobby Barnardo’s and other agencies in England for information about their parents and grandparents. The information, for a lot of these chidren, is available but is costly and many families cannot afford to pay for their records. The British and Australian Government leaders have publicly and with great humility, apologized to the home children and to their descendants while the Canadian Government, to their deep shame, has not. This petition aims to gain your support to lobby the Government of Canada to, at the very least, offer a grant to the relatives of Home Children to enable them to pay Barnardo's and other agencies in England for their family information.
Please support us and make a real difference to the lives of many.
Faces of our Canadian Home Children
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New Publications on Canadian Home Children
The Street Arab - The Story of a British Home Child
By Sandra Joyce
The Street Arab is a powerful story of a boy from a small mining town in Scotland, whose family is torn apart by World War I and poverty. Young Robbie comes home one day to find his family missing and consequently suffers a horrific accident.
With strength and determination, Robbie rises above the obstacles of his life of deprivation. Sent to Canada, along with countless other British Home Children, he hopes for a better life. What awaits him is more then he could have imagined.
The Street Arab, written almost a century later, pays homage to one of the largest immigration schemes Canada has ever experienced. It is estimated that ten percent of Canadians are British Home Children descendants.
Copies of Sandra Joyce's book are available through her web site: www.sandrajoyce.com
and soon will be available through Kobo.
With strength and determination, Robbie rises above the obstacles of his life of deprivation. Sent to Canada, along with countless other British Home Children, he hopes for a better life. What awaits him is more then he could have imagined.
The Street Arab, written almost a century later, pays homage to one of the largest immigration schemes Canada has ever experienced. It is estimated that ten percent of Canadians are British Home Children descendants.
Copies of Sandra Joyce's book are available through her web site: www.sandrajoyce.com
and soon will be available through Kobo.
Charlie - A Home Child's Life in Canada
By Beryl Young
Charlie - A Home Child's Life in Canada is a beautifully written book by Beryl Young, the daughter of British Home Child Charlie. Beryl is the author of many children's books, this book is an excellent choice for teaching our young British Home Children descendants and others about their heritage. Charlie - A Home Child's Life in Canada has been nominated for many awards across Canada.
For more information see Beryl's web site:
Beryl Young - arthur of books for children
Soon to be published - The Promise of Home
A novel by Rose McCormick Brandon
The Promise of Home is a historical fiction novel. Three British Home Children, separated after landing in Canada in 1912, promise to reconnect at 18 when their service in Canadian homes ends. They expect to reclaim their mother’s home in England and return there to live. Their tears, struggles and unexpected kindnesses from strangers change them forever. New relationships threaten to destroy their plan and keep them apart. The novel takes place from 1910-1920.
For more information and stories of our Home Children see: The Promise of Home
This web site was created by Lori Oschefski in honor and memory of
the British Home Children in her family
William Cheesman, Frederick Usher, Samuel Usher, Emma Usher, Mary Taylor, Sarah Taylor,
Archibald William Cheesman, Edward Ralph Cheesman, Helena Mary Cheesman,
Gwendoline Grace Cheesman, Olive June Cheesman, Sidney Basil Cheesman
& Katie May Sanderson
of these children Olive June, Lori's mother, survives
This site is meant to catalog the information and Home Child stories which I have come across while researching the British Home Children and their Canadian connections. It is not a complete listing of anything & I am adding information daily. Where possible I provide the links to where more detailed information may be found and/or credit. I am more then happy to provide credit for any source of information and if there are any omissions I would welcome being notified so I may give credit where credit is due.
Other web sites by Lori Oschefski
www.firemanswedding.com
On July 11 1929 a demonstration put on by the Gillingham, Kent, England fire brigade went horribly wrong. This well rehearsed display was intended to show case the skills of the fire brigade by staging a mock rescue of young boys from a structure built in the corner of the park. Fifteen people lost their lives, nine of them children. One of these children was the nephew of Willliam Cheesman, a British Home Child sent to Canada in 1894. William would never see his family again and would never know of the tragedy which befell them back in England.
The Gillingham & Battle B-26 Crashes of 1944
On June 6th 1944 two B-26 Marauders on route to France suffered a mid air collision and crash in Gillingham, Kent, England. The crew of both planes perished as well as four civilians on the ground. Less the half an hour later two more B-26 Marauders from the same squadron suffered the same type of accident over Battle, Sussex. Only the pilot of one plane was to survive.
