George & Annie McMaster
aka: George Walter McMaster & Ann Jackson McMaster


George Walter McMaster  and Ann Jackson McMaster were both born in Chichester, Sussex, England. George, born in 1862 and Annie born in 1858. They were the children of John Woods McMaster and Mary Ann McMaster. They also had two other siblings, Jane Woods McMaster and William Weaver McMaster. Jane is found on the 1871 census living in Chichester and working as a servant for George William Knight and his wife Sabina Wiggins Knight. Their brother William would found living with the family of John and Mary Ann Holt - working as an apprentice. George would be brought to Canada along with his sister Annie in 1870 by Maria Rye. 

George McMaster, 8 and his sister Annie McMaster came from the Chichester Union, West Sussex on the SS Prussian leaving Liverpool July14, 1870 - arriving at Quebec July 25. 

Marie Rye Letters transcribed by Gail Collins:

Dear Governess: (Chichester, West Sussex, England)

How kind it was of you to think of me! I am so disappointed that I could not write before; I was waiting for an answer from Georgie. I came from Niagara before he did, and now he is in Port Hope. Have you ever heard of that place before? It is about one hundred and fifty miles from St. Catherine's. I wrote to Miss Rye and asked her where he was gone to, and she told me that he was in P. Hope, and we wrote twice to him, but he has never answered our letters. Dear Governess, Jane Cannor has been to two places, and has left them both; the last place she went to was very near the next street to me. She had a very sore thumb when we were on the ship, and Ellen Young is gone to the University, I believe so, but I have not heard from her at all; I know nothing of the others. I am well and comfortable. I am very sorry that the winter has tried you so much. I have not been sick since I came from England; I do not forget my old home, although I am far from it. I am so glad the children has got a nice nurse; and do you know if they are going to get another governess? If they do I don't think they will get another one like you. They don't use fireplaces here, they use stoves. I have a nice home and kind mother and father are. Dear Governess, the ladies do not wear their chignons on top of their heads and their hair drawn so tight as you said. Mother has a very nice garden, with apple-trees, and plum-trees, and currant-trees, and grape-vines; and there is such a lot of apples grow on the trees, plums, and currants, and grapes. Give my love to Miss Alice and your mother, scholar, and sister. I remain, your affectionate scholar, A. McMaster

Dear Miss Rye:

I now take the pleasure of writing to you to tell you that I am well and comfortable. Mrs. Gourley is a good mother, and Mr Gourley is a good father, and they are all good and kind to me; this is the best home I have had for many a long day. I have learnt many things since I have been here. I am learning to cook, and bake, and iron. I now find that this place is like what you told me, it is a nice and comfortable place, and Jane Conner is gone back again; I am very sorry, because she lived very near me, but I hope the next time she is put into a good and comfortable place as this was from hich she is gone away, she will stay. There is a lot of the girls live near me, and two of them goes to the presbyterian Sunday school, those two girls that lives with the two Mrs's Jeffries, Selina Newbold and Mary E McCabe, they are in the same school as I am, and in the same class. How is the cook, and the nurse, and Polly Standen, and Jane Brixy? I hope they are all well and happy. Tell them I send my kind love to them. And how many is there left that came out with me? I guess there is but a few who helps the cook now I am gone. Dear Miss Rye, I thank you for getting me such a good home, and I thank Miss Alloway to, for she helped to get it for me. Have all the boys got homes yet? I have heard that my brother as got a home, but I have not seen him or heard from him. Please Miss Rye would you tell me where he is gone; is he in St Catherine's? Would you please to tell me the name of the place he is gone to, and the name of his master, and the church, and the minister, and what work does he do?
Did he cry much after I went away? I know I don't feel quite so happy as I should feel if I knew where he was and hear from him. Did you every hear him speak of me while he was there? How long ago as he been at his home? I hope has as got such a good home as I have. I guess there is not many that have got such a good home as I have. Is Miss Alloway gone to England yet? How is the little baby? Have you got her yet? If I don't stay here I guess I shan't get another one like it. Have you had any snow in Niagara? we have had some. I give my best love to you. Please don't forget to write and tell me about my brother. I remain yours truly, Annie McMaster.

Mentioned in a letter from Selina Newbold, & quot; Annie McMaster and Mary E McCabe (who also live in St Catharines) send there kind love to you." All came on the same ship. Reference to ''baby'' is Clara Harding, 9 months who also came on the same ship with a brother George & sister Sarah. This family was featured Sept 2, 2007. Baby Clara, 9 months, is the youngest I have seen in the Maria Rye records. 1875 Inspection Report - Grimsby Centre, Cyrus Nelles & Canon Reade, Inspectors, 14, born London, MC, goes to Church & Sunday School with Mrs Gourley, St Catharines, not adopted, usual terms, here 5 years, housework. This girl has returned to Miss Rye being unfortunate. 

1881 Census (could be) Catararqui Ward, Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, FHL 1375871, LAC
C-13235, Dist 116, SubDist G, Page 73 with John C. WOODS, 35, USA, Merchant, Church of
England, Annie MCMASTER, 20, England, Servent, Church of England.


In 1871 George McMASTER, 9, is living with John MARTIN, farmer, HopeTownship, Durham County, Ontario.In 1871 Annie McASTER, 13, is living with William & Sarah GOURLY, shoemaker, St. Catharines Town., Lincoln County, Ontario 
1. (To Governess in Chichester, West Sussex, England) - “ I was waiting for an answer from Georgie. I came from Niagara before he did, and now he is in Port Hope. Have you ever heard of that place before? It is about one hundred and fifty miles from St. Catherine’s. I wrote to Miss Rye and asked her where he was gone to, and she told me that he was in P. Hope, and we wrote twice to him, but he has never answered our letters.”

2. (To Miss Rye at Our Western Home, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario) “I have heard that my brother as got a home, but I have not seen him or heard from him. Please Miss Rye would you  tell me where he is gone; is he in St Catherine’s? Would you please to tell me the name of the place he is gone to, and the name of his master, and the church, and the minister, and what work does he do? Did he cry much after I went away? I know I don’t feel quite so happy as I should feel if I knew where he was and hear from him. Did you every hear him speak of me while he was there? How long ago as he been at his home? I hope has as got such a good home as I have.” 

1875 Doyle Report - Mrs Gourley of St Catharines took in Annie McMaster whose brother George had been placed with a farmer near Port Hope. George, very unhappy with his situation, was sent for by Mr Gourley who found him a job in St. Catharines with Mr R. But he twice turned the boy out of doors. Upon the last occasion he was found at the corner of the street, sitting on his box crying. He was taken in by Mrs G who kept him for some weeks, and got his present situation, assistant to a small market gardener, where he is in a very humble home, but is kindly treated ... He had been in Chichester Workhouse for 3 years, where his conduct was reported to be good. The information furnished the Guardians about him from Canada is: Good accounts are received from this child. He is at St. Catharines’s, in a gentleman’s family. The boys own description of the place in a ‘gentleman’s family’ was, that his master was a ‘sort of middlin farmer; that he was put to wash the dishes, scrub floors, drive cattle, and do little chores about the house.’ The good woman who so kindly interested herself for the boy, observed to me, “You are the first person, sir, who has ever been to visit these children or to make inquiry about them. 

1875 Inspection Report - St. Catharines Centre, Rev G Burson - Inspector, George McMaster, 14, Chichester Workhouse 1870, (Rel) PC, doesn’t go to Church & Sunday School, with Mr Colburt, St. Catharines, adopted, clothes, here 1 year. Sent back to Niagara (Our Western Home, Niagara-on-the-Lake), as was not required & untruthful lad.

1875 Inspection Report - Niagara Centre, Robert Ball & Arch Deacon McMurray - Inspectors: George McMaster. 8 girls and 2 boys are now at the Home, viz 2 of those girls are quite unmanagable. And the latter boy Cook & McMaster promising looking lad, untruthful has been sent back to the home twice. Miss Bailey and her sister are in charge of the home in the absence of Miss Rye in England.

Reference to Annie & George in Mr. Doyle's reply to Miss Rye's report on the immigration of pauper children to Canada - June 1877

Two children, brother and sister, George McMaster, aged eight, and Annie McMaster, aged 13, were, in 1870, committed ot Miss Rye's care by the guardians of the Chichester Union.  The boy's story I have already told in my report, how, after much suffering and hardship, having been twice turned out of doors by his employer, he is found sitting upon his box crying in the street, is taken into her house by his sister's mistress, a woman in humble circumstances who got him employment with a market gardner close by where I found him.  The girl, Annie McMaster, was placed with a Mrs. Gourley , as a "general servant" and if placed by guardians in similar service in England would be considered to be simply a "drudge."  One of those "papers" upon which Miss Rye lays so much stress, one of her "forms of indenture" was sent to Mrs. Gourley, but she declined to sign it, and no notice was taken of the refusal.  This girl, although in her 17th year, received no wages, nor did her mistress, as she told me, consider that she was entitled to any.  From the day she was placed into this service until the day I called to see her - a period of four years- no person had ever been to visit her to to inquire about her.  As soon, however as my report reaches Canada a visit is at last paid, the result of which is thus virtuously recorded by Mr. Ball, the "legally appointed guardian."  The case is on of the few we have to record in the list of a man's wickedness and woman's frailty" or in Miss Rye's more homely English "Had a child by one of the young "Gourleys". Miss Rye and her friend the "legally appointed guardian" lived within a hour's journey of that unhappy girl's place of service. 


Sources
George & Annie McMaster - Maria Rye Orphans
 George & Annie McMaster who came 1870 with Maria Rye

Maria Rye Letters transcribed by Gail Collins