The Dakeyne Farm - Oliver Hind
Falmouth, Nova Scotia
In 1912 Oliver Hind, with the help of Mr. John Player & the Dakeyne Lads Club of Nottingham, England bought 250 acres in Mt. Denson, Nova Scotia. He established a home for boys (and two girls) aged 15 to 18, who with the consent of their parents, volunteered to come to Canada to learn the ways of Farming. Hinds objective was to prevent these boys, for lack of better opportunity, from drifting into casual employment. Once they arrived at the farm they spent several months training before being hired out to local farmers. In 1935 John Ingram Wilson purchased the farm and it has remained in his family ever since. This year the family has launched a campaign to restore the barn and to restart the family farm.
For more photos & information on the history of the Dakeyne Farm plus the Wilson's family connection please visit:
The Dakeyne Farm
The Dakeyne Farm
The barn today
1922
From back: Jeff Hearn, unknown, Stan Jordan, Eric Davidson, Jim Ball, Jack Robinson, Gordon Swain and Harold Rick
Walter Robinson
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Harry Bosworth
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The Dakeyne Farm Cricket Team
1923-1924
A 1922 photo of the barn
From front row L to R
Bill Bamford, Jack Robinson
Gordon Swain, Alice Marriott, Miss York, Jim Ball, Eric Davidson, Arthur Rick, unknown
Bill Browitt, Arthur Bates
Farm Hands
Mr. Currie
The Farm Manager
Charles Davenport
2nd from right - one of the "old boys" returns for a visit to the farm
A 1914 article published in Nottinghamshire
The Dakeyne Street Lads Club. The Dakeyne Street Lads' Club, which is the 2nd Nottingham Company of the Boys' Brigade, has its quarters in a part of the old Asylum building, so that the use in its latter end is better than its beginning. The Institution is now in its sixth year, and has 350 boys, forming the largest company in the Boys' Brigade. Many of those boys have been taken off the streets, and. are now being drilled into useful men in the making. Its operations include religious, educational and social classes. Its evening educational class under the control of the City of Nottingham Education Committee, has the best average attendance of any evening school in the City. Its athletic ground is a field of 73/4 acres adjoining the Trent. Its officer, Mr. Davidson, is the Probation Officer for boys, find attends the Children's Court every Saturday, and in the course of a year deals with over 100 cases. Situations are found, or emigration provided where deemed necessary. Mr. Oliver Hind, J.P., the captain of the Brigade, gives heart, hand and purse to the movement, and is supported by a number of helpers.
The Dakeyne Street Lads Club. The Dakeyne Street Lads' Club, which is the 2nd Nottingham Company of the Boys' Brigade, has its quarters in a part of the old Asylum building, so that the use in its latter end is better than its beginning. The Institution is now in its sixth year, and has 350 boys, forming the largest company in the Boys' Brigade. Many of those boys have been taken off the streets, and. are now being drilled into useful men in the making. Its operations include religious, educational and social classes. Its evening educational class under the control of the City of Nottingham Education Committee, has the best average attendance of any evening school in the City. Its athletic ground is a field of 73/4 acres adjoining the Trent. Its officer, Mr. Davidson, is the Probation Officer for boys, find attends the Children's Court every Saturday, and in the course of a year deals with over 100 cases. Situations are found, or emigration provided where deemed necessary. Mr. Oliver Hind, J.P., the captain of the Brigade, gives heart, hand and purse to the movement, and is supported by a number of helpers.
Nottingham. 2nd Nottingham Co Boy's Brigade, Dakeyne St Lad's Club by S. Kirk. c1910
Tuesday, April 14, 1925 The Morning Chronicle, Halifax, N.S.
BOYS FOR THE FARM
A party of nine boys who arrived from England, Sunday,on the Cunarder, Scythia bound for the Dakeyne Farm, Falmouth, left by the left by the D.A.R. (Dominion Atlantic Railway) yesterday for Windsor.
Note: the names of these boys are: Arthur Saxon, Eric Blake, Francis Lucas, Frederick Garwood, Harry Farnath, Harry Walter Barsby, Leonard Lawrence and Steward Jaquest.
The Oliver Hind War Memorial - Nottinghamshire, England
destroyed in the 1990's
The Thornton Society Newsletter
This Nottinghamshire, England memorial was raised by Oliver Hind, to over 70 former boys of the 2nd Nottingham Boys' Brigade Company who died in the First World War. It was destroyed in the 1990's.
At least five men named on the memorial are known to have gone out to Canada and subsequently to have served in the Canadian infantry. William Burton, age 17, sailed to Canada on the SS Virginian, arriving in March 1913. He attested on 11 November 1915, joined the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion and was killed on the Western Front in September 1916. Frank Tomlinson was 19 when he left England, sailing on the SS Canada to arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in April 1912. The ship's passenger list suggests that he travelled out with six other Dako boys. Tomlinson joined the Canadian infantry (Manitoba Regiment) in December 1914 and was killed in France the following October. Another boy, George Williams, went to Canada in 1911 at the age of 17; the 1911 census for Nottingham records a brother aged 16 and a mother who was a widow. Williams enlisted in the Canadian infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment in January 1915 and was killed in France in 1916.
Burton probably trained at Dakeyn Farm, but as the farm did not open until 1913, Tomlinson and Williams may have been among the earliest group to have been motivated to emigrate by the example of the first two migrants and whom Hind also assisted by arranging their passages and employment in farming on their arrival in Canada.
At least five men named on the memorial are known to have gone out to Canada and subsequently to have served in the Canadian infantry. William Burton, age 17, sailed to Canada on the SS Virginian, arriving in March 1913. He attested on 11 November 1915, joined the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion and was killed on the Western Front in September 1916. Frank Tomlinson was 19 when he left England, sailing on the SS Canada to arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in April 1912. The ship's passenger list suggests that he travelled out with six other Dako boys. Tomlinson joined the Canadian infantry (Manitoba Regiment) in December 1914 and was killed in France the following October. Another boy, George Williams, went to Canada in 1911 at the age of 17; the 1911 census for Nottingham records a brother aged 16 and a mother who was a widow. Williams enlisted in the Canadian infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment in January 1915 and was killed in France in 1916.
Burton probably trained at Dakeyn Farm, but as the farm did not open until 1913, Tomlinson and Williams may have been among the earliest group to have been motivated to emigrate by the example of the first two migrants and whom Hind also assisted by arranging their passages and employment in farming on their arrival in Canada.
Boys (and 2 girls) of the Dakeyne Farm
surname:given name:age:sex:ship:arrival year
This list is incomplete - if your child's name is missing please
contact us so that their name can be added
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BAILEY Percy 16 M Virginian 1913
CADMAN George W 16 M Virginian 1913 COOK William G 16 M Virginian 1913 HUTCHINSON Fred H 16 M Virginian 1913 LITCHFIELD Ernest E 15 M Virginian 1913 MAY Harry 16 M Virginian 1913 ROBERTS Alfred T 15 M Virginian 1913 SMITH Haltim H 16 M Virginian 1913 SMITH Harold 15 M Virginian 1913 WALKER Hy A 18 M Virginian 1913 WALKER Lawrence 16 M Virginian 1913 WEATHERBED James 16 M Virginian 1913 HENSON Ernest 17 M Alsatian 1914 HICKS Bertie 17 M Alsatian 1914 HOFFEN Alfred 17 M Alsatian 1914 HOWARD Frederick 17 M Alsatian 1914 MUNDELL George F 16 M Alsatian 1914 RICK Harold 17 M Alsatian 1914 WHEAT John 16 M Alsatian 1914 ARCHER Ernest 16 M Hesperian 1915 ARMSTRONG Cecil G 16 M Hesperian 1915 BAILEY Jack 14 M Hesperian 1915 BRADBURY Claude 16 M Hesperian 1915 CARTER William N C 15 M Hesperian 1915 BEAUMONT Charles 15 M Olympic 1917 BOSWORTH George 14 M Olympic 1917 BROWN Percy 14 M Olympic 1917 PRICE Edward 14 M Olympic 1917 SWAIN Henry F. 14 M Olympic 1917 BOSWORTH Henry 13 M Metagama 1918 CRACKLE Robert 15 M Metagama 1918 CARTWRIGHT Albert 14 M Carmania 1920 FISHER Arthur 14 M Carmania 1920 HARRIS Walter 15 M Carmania 1920 HOFFEN Dorothy 12 F Carmania 1920 HOFFEN Edwin 14 M Carmania 1920 HOFFEN John 16 M Carmania 1920 MARRIOTT Alice 16 F Carmania 1920 MARRIOTT Frank 13 M Carmania 1920 YATES Wilfred 16 M Carmania 1920 FREEMAN Frederick 16 M Saxonia 19216 JORDAN Stanley 14 M Saxonia 1921 RICK Arthur 13 M Saxonia 1921 SMITH Frank 18 M Saxonia 1921 TAYLOR John Sidney 13 M Saxonia 1921 BALL James Arthur 16 M Canopic 1922 BAMFORD William 13 M Empress of India 1922 BATES Arthur 20 M Empress of India 1922 BROWITT William 16 M Canopic 1922 GLOVER Albert 15 M Canopic 1922 MARRIOTT Arthur 16 M Empress of India 1922 ROBINSON John 15 M Canopic 1922 SWAIN Gordon 15 M Canopic 1922 WILLS Edward 14 M Empress of India 1922 Banham William 13 M Pittsburg 1923 Baskill Charles Cyril 16 M Andania 1923 Beale Frederick William 20 M Pittsburg 1923 Dawkes Frank 13 M Pittsburg 1923 Dawkes Frank 13 M Pittsburg 1923 Doubleday Leonard Henry 18 M Pittsburg 1923 Eric Davidson |
Doubleday Leonard Henry 18 M Pittsburg 1923
Hearn Geoffrey Charles 19 M Andania 1923 Perriam Walter Thomas 18 M Andania 1923 Robinson Walter David 17 M Andania 1923 Smith Thomas 16 M Andania 1923 Sunderland Cyril Reginald 15 M Pittsburg 1923 Toulson John William 16 M Andania 1923 Wilkinson Isaac 15 M Pittsburg 1923 Wilkinson Arthur Newton 16 M Andania 1923 BENNETT John William 17 M Scythia 1924 COMFORT Kenneth 16 M Scythia 1924 CORNFOOT Kenneth George 15 M Franconia 1924 CUTLER Frederick Samuel 17 M Scythia 1924 DIXON Leonard Arthur 16 M Franconia 1924 GILLOTT George 16 M Franconia 1924 KELVEY William 13 M Scythia 1924 McCLEAN William 16 M Franconia 1924 PORTER Frank 16 M Scythia 1924 POTTS Cyril 14 M Scythia 1924 STARBUCK Harry 16 M Franconia 1924 WEBB John Guilford 16 M Scythia 1924 WHALLEY Frederick Leslie 17 M Franconia 1924 WILLMOT Robert Alfred 16 M Scythia 1924 SIMONS Charles 15 M Andania 1926 ALLEN Royston G 15 M Lancastria 1927 BARNES Herbert 15 M Lancastria 1927 BARRETT Leslie 16 M Lancastria 1927 BATES George 15 M Samaria 1927 BROOMHEAD Leslie 16 M Lancastria 1927 CHAMBERS Harold 15 M Samaria 1927 CLARKE Charles S 14 M Samaria 1927 CONNELL Leonard G 16 M Lancastria 1927 DAVENPORT Charles 15 M Lancastria 1927 GLOVER George 14 M Lancastria 1927 LOWE Leslie 16 M Samaria 1927 OGDEN Alfred 17 M Lancastria 1927 STEVENSON Walter 16 M Samaria 1927 STRAKE Arthur H 14 M Samaria 1927 WALKER Ernest 16 M Samaria 1927 WATSON John W 17 M Lancastria 1927 WELLS Clarence 16 M Lancastria 1927 WOODRUFF Victor 15 M Lancastria 1927 MANTLE Cyril Stanley 18 M NOVA SCOTIA 1928 MORRELL Walter 16 M SCYTHIA 1928 NASH Sidney 14 M SCYTHIA 1928 PARR Charles 14 M SCYTHIA 1928 PARROTT Stanley W 16 M SCYTHIA 1928 PEBERDAY Herbert 14 M SCYTHIA 1928 POTTER Eric 15 M SCYTHIA 1928 POTTS Frederick 16 M SCYTHIA 1928 RILEY Sidney 15 M NEWFOUNDLAND 1928s SPRAY Stanley 14 M NEWFOUNDLAND 1928 BATES Albert 15 M Scythia 1929 DEVERILL George A 14 M Scythia 1929 ROBINSON Walter E 14 M Scythia 1929 WALKER Reginald 15 M Scythia 1929 WOOD Stanley 15 M Scythia 1929 MILLINGTON Frederick 18 M Pennland 1930 MERRONY Richard Benjamin 17 M Westernland 1931 PILKINGTON, Peter, 17 M Pennland 1931 FitzGerald, Peter, 16, M Newfoundland 1929 |
Roy Grant
in charge of the placement of the Dakeyne Boy's
(b1896 - d1982)
Roy Grant was born in Riverton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Following his military service in France, Belgium and Germany during World War I, he developed a dairy farm in Riverton. He later served as Livestock Services Fieldman with the Canada Department of Agriculture, Manager of Dakeyne Farm in Falmouth, and was in charge of the placement and supervision of British Boys with Nova Scotia farmers. He spent one year as Agricultural Representative in Annapolis County and then in 1937 became Assistant General Manager of Maritime Co-operative Services in Moncton.
He gave strong support and leadership in several farm organizations. In recognition of his fifteen years as their Treasurer and for overall leadership, the Canadian Guernsey Breeders' Association made him an Honourary Member. He served as Secretary of the Maritime Federation of Agriculture from 1937 to 1962 and for six of these years was Secretary of the Maritime Food Council as well. Roy Grant provided strong and wise leadership in the development of farm policy at both regional and national levels.
His interest in better organized marketing procedures led him into positions of heavy responsibility with marketing boards. He was Secretary-Manager of the Nova Scotia Potato Marketing Board and Secretary of the Export Potato Marketing Board in 1932 and 1933. His greatest contribution was in the development of organized hog marketing boards.
His successful efforts towards co-ordinating the functioning of the hog shipping clubs and eventual development of the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Hog Marketing Boards, led to higher prices, equal or better than those paid in Central Canada. His patient and deliberate guidance in this development earned him the high respect of Maritime farmers and many others associated with the industry.
He was made an Honourary Member of the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1966, and in 1967 received a Canadian Centennial Medal. The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture Senate Club made him an Honourary Member in 1960. Even since retirement, his keen interest and support of organized agriculture has not diminished or wavered.
Roy Grant is honoured as a wise manager, an effective farm leader, a marketing specialist and as a developer in Maritime agriculture.
He gave strong support and leadership in several farm organizations. In recognition of his fifteen years as their Treasurer and for overall leadership, the Canadian Guernsey Breeders' Association made him an Honourary Member. He served as Secretary of the Maritime Federation of Agriculture from 1937 to 1962 and for six of these years was Secretary of the Maritime Food Council as well. Roy Grant provided strong and wise leadership in the development of farm policy at both regional and national levels.
His interest in better organized marketing procedures led him into positions of heavy responsibility with marketing boards. He was Secretary-Manager of the Nova Scotia Potato Marketing Board and Secretary of the Export Potato Marketing Board in 1932 and 1933. His greatest contribution was in the development of organized hog marketing boards.
His successful efforts towards co-ordinating the functioning of the hog shipping clubs and eventual development of the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Hog Marketing Boards, led to higher prices, equal or better than those paid in Central Canada. His patient and deliberate guidance in this development earned him the high respect of Maritime farmers and many others associated with the industry.
He was made an Honourary Member of the Agricultural Institute of Canada in 1966, and in 1967 received a Canadian Centennial Medal. The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture Senate Club made him an Honourary Member in 1960. Even since retirement, his keen interest and support of organized agriculture has not diminished or wavered.
Roy Grant is honoured as a wise manager, an effective farm leader, a marketing specialist and as a developer in Maritime agriculture.
Web Links
Dakeyne Boy Percy Robert Brown obituary
Dakeyne Boy Ernest Henson's obituary
The story of Donald Wallace McNeille, A Dakeyne Boy who arrived in 1930
The Golden Bridge
Nottinghamshire History
Young people and the European city
The Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame
Journal of the History of the Atlantic Region
