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

(Published in Canadian Stories magazine April/May 2010.)


From 1869 to 1948 various workhouses, sheltering homes, orphanages and child care organizations in Great Britain immigrated over 100,000 orphaned, abandoned, pauper children ages 1 to 18 to Canada known as British Home Children.  Of the over 50 sending agencies, some of the more well known names are Rye, Macpherson, Fegan, Quarriers, Barnardo, Middlemore, Catholic Emigration Society, Salvation Army, Church of England Waif and Strays and Fairbridge.

It is estimated that 12%, over 4 million of the Canadian population, is a descendant of a Home Child. How many would there be worldwide?  This is a part of our Canadian history that has not been openly discussed, many not even knowing what a Home Child is.  It is a topic that must be taught in our schools for our future descendants and generation’s education and knowledge.

On December 7, 2009 the Canadian Government acknowledged this part of our past history and declared 2010 Year of The British Home Child.  Canada Post is issuing a Home Children stamp October 2010.  November 2009 the Australian Government apologized to the Child Migrants that suffered abuses in their country.  The migration of children from Britain went on until 1967 in Australia, the children being told their parents were dead, and the parents of the understanding their children were still in England.  This year the British Government is to apologize to all Child Migrants worldwide.

Charlie, A Home Child’s Life in Canada by Beryl Young

From the bestselling author of Wishing Star Summer comes the true story of a little-known chapter in Canadian history.

In Charlie: A Home Child’s Life in Canada, bestselling author (and BHCD Member) Beryl Young recounts her own father’s experiences as a Home Child, one of nearly 100,000 children who were sent to Canada as indentured labourers between 1870 and 1938. Some were orphans, some had parents unable to care for them, and all came to Canada for a chance at a new life.

Charlie Harvey was thirteen-years-old when his father died of pneumonia. Left with no money and faced with caring for seven children, his mother was forced to break up the family in order to keep her children alive.

Charlie travelled to London to live at Leopold House, one of the homes founded by Dr. Thomas Barnardo as a safe-haven for destitute children. From there, on the cusp of his fourteenth birthday, Charlie travelled with two hundred and sixteen other Bernardo’s Boys across the Atlantic to Canada where he would work as a farm labourer until his eighteenth birthday.

A Special Edition Anthology Book, to be published later this summer by Canadian Stories magazine, is a great opportunity for us to tell our stories and have them grouped together in one book, to acknowledge and honour our Home Children, and a wonderful keepsake and resource for 2010 Year of the British Home Child.

No limit for the length of story. No deadline yet (but to be published this summer).

You can include picture(s) which will be printed in black and white for the Anthology.

Send your Home Child Story to:

ejanzen345@sympatico.ca

When submitting your story please use the Subject line - 2010 Anthology

Ed Janzen

CANADIAN STORIES

P.O. Box 232

Fergus, Ontario - N1M 2W8

Or contact Gail Collins for information at (905) 935-4960 or gcollen@sympatico.ca