*2010* ~ Year of the British Home Child in Canada

Life has come full circle for British-born, Kiwi-raised child migrant Tony Chambers with his return to his hometown of Hemel Hempstead in England. Tony was one of approximately 150,000 British children sent to various parts of the then Empire and Commonwealth in a child migration scheme operated before and after World War II by 35 large British charities. The Government selected children mainly from orphanages and long-term care homes, but some, including Tony, were taken from displaced and broken family homes.

On April 18, TVNZ’s current affairs programme Sunday aired a story on New Zealand’s involvement in the British child migration policies. Whilst Sunday focused on the negative experiences some children had, Tony’s upbringing in New Zealand was one of great happiness.

Tony was born in 1942 in Hemel Hempstead and remembers he was a happy little boy who had a carefree childhood. After the war, his single mother, Phyllis, found it difficult to both work and look after him. She went to the social services to see if they could provide a solution to how he could be looked after while she went to work. Phyllis was told that Tony could be sent to New Zealand in order to have a better start in life.

“Mother agreed, but without understanding the implications; without realizing that it was a one-way ticket.”

Family stories and research paint a picture of tough times, survival and hard-won happiness during an important time in Canada's history.

I didn't know my grandfather very well, as family visits didn't occur often.  When grandpa did visit, he told me a few stories, but it was my mother who answered many of my questions about him.  Later, I did research to find out more about his life, and to learn about the 100,000 British "home children" who, like Grandpa, were sent to Canada as indentured workers, beginning in 1869.

My grandfather--Francis James Preston--was born in 1874 in Southwark, Surrey, England.  He had three younger brothers:  Edward, born in 1876; John Thomas (John), born in 1878; and George, born in 1880.  His parents were Francis Barnard Preston and Louisa Elizabeth Hatch, born in 1850 and 1851 respectively.

Grandpa's dad passed away in early 1885.  His mother, being unable to care for all the boys, put my grandfather, who was then 11, and John, 8, into the Annerley School Union Workhouse.  After staying there for almost four years, both boys were discharged on May 31, 1889, and were made ready to be sent to Canada.

John Marsh is from Toowoomba, his family has a story, it revolves around Phoebe Jane Biggs.

"It's walking with a purpose, trying to retrace a bit of her history."

[Admin's note:  In the early 1860's, finding that her husband was a bigamist, Phoebe left him. With 3 children under 7 and a few belongings in a pram, she walked from Hall ( on the Northern edge of today's Australian Capital Territory) to Forbes- A distance of some 200 miles. Source:  John Marsh.]

"I guess it's a much a salute to her, but it is in a way trying to recapture a little bit of my history".

"I'm actually one of the British child migrants, although I'm an Australian citizen now. I came out to Australia in 1955, I was just on 11 years old, with none of that family history to follow, not that I wanted to anyway. My father was a pick-and-shovel coal miner in England, and I certainly didn't want to go there."