A LONG JOURNEY

The British Home Child story in Canada is difficult and veined with the best and worst memories a person could have. From 1869 through to the late 1930s it is estimated over 100,000 children emigrated from the United Kingdom to Canada as part of the child migration scheme.

These children ranged in age from toddlers to adolescents and were all unaccompanied by their parents even though only a very small portion of them were orphans. Siblings were often separated from each other when they were sent to Canada. 

In the late 1800s, areas of the United Kingdom, especially its cities, experienced rising poverty rates, and overcrowding. This put pressure on families who, through sickness or even the death of one of their parents, had fallen on hard times and meant large numbers of orphaned, abandoned, and impoverished children in the streets. Churches and charitable organizations created orphanages or shelters for pauper children. Many believed that these children would have a better chance for a healthy life in rural Canada. Because there was no social system in place to help them get through these difficult circumstances, the family had no other way than to surrender their offspring to the organizations.

In the late 1890s and early 1900s, the population of Dufferin County went into decline as citizens left for opportunities out West and in cities. Many farm owners throughout Dufferin County took in child migrants to help keep their farms running. Considered servants, they were seen as a source of cheap farm labor and domestic help. 

Almost 400 children were placed on farms in Dufferin County, between the 1890s and 1920s. Many remained in Dufferin after their indentured service was complete, settled here, and had families. There were 107 of these children that served in the World Wars and several are recognized on Dufferin’s many cenotaphs. Even more, moved to Dufferin County from other areas of Ontario when their indentured time was complete. This map shows the routes that Home Children took and their placement dates, locations, and families (when known) in Dufferin County. Not all journeys are complete.

Search your Home Child’s placement in Dufferin: Search a name using the magnifying glass in the top right corner of the map. Select “all”. Use the + / - signs or your mouse to zoom in to Dufferin County. You can click on their names to see their full profiles and stories

John and Norah (Quinlan) Miles of Whitechapel, London, England were married in May 1899 and welcomed their first child, Jack, four months later. They had another son, George in 1901, their daughters Elizabeth (or Lizzie) in 1903, and Theresa in 1906. Their family was a poor one and was in and out of the Workhouses. When the family was out of the workhouse, Norah worked as a seamstress or tailoress, occasionally as a charwoman (launderess). John worked as a “Carman”. None of their children were born in the workhouse.

By 1911, Norah was admitted to the London Asylum and John remained in the Workhouse. They had already sent George and Lizzie into the care of the Barnardo’s Agency. Jack was an inmate at St Vincents Industrial School in Dartford and Theresa was in the Hackney workhouse preparing to be sent to St. Vincent’s as well. Norah and John, however, were not in the workhouse but rather living at 33 Osborne St, in Whitechapel (London).

Lizzie emigrated to Canada in June 1914, at the age of 11 years, as part of a Dr. Barnardo’s Party of 435 children. She stayed at the Hazelbrae Receiving Home in Peterborough until her placement at the Robert Brinkman farm near Violet Hill, Mono Township in Dufferin County. Her brother, George, had already been brought to Canada in 1910 and was placed near Whitfield, Mulmur Township in Dufferin. The Brinkman’s did not have any children of their own and took in a few British Home Children over the years. Elizabeth stayed with the Brinkman’s from 1914 to 1925 and was considered an adopted member of the family. She was able to have her brothers, George and Jack (emigrated to Mansfield, Mulmur Township in 1915) come to visit her at the farm – not something offered to many of these children. She also attended school and church regularly. Mrs. Brinkman hosted her wedding to Henry Gould Crooke, another Home Child placed in Mulmur, at their home in 1926.

Lizzie and Henry lived on their own farm in Violet Hill in Mulmur Township following their marriage. They had a son, Norman, and a daughter, Irene. After Henry’s death in 1954, Lizzie moved to Alliston.  We do not know more of Lizzie’s life in Alliston until her death on April 7, 1999. Lizzie is buried in Alliston Union cemetery beside her husband.

It is difficult to trace the history of women in the 20th century. Although they did receive voting rights, their name changed following marriage land ownership is recorded in her husband’s name. Thus, there were fewer documents containing relevant information, or it is hard to find the connections between existing documents and later marriage, with a new surname. She is often referred to as “Mrs. Henry Crooke” instead of her own name. Women often worked behind the scenes and their efforts were not always recorded in the newspapers. Unfortunately, their obituaries are often much shorter, listing their family relationships and not their “outside of the home” accomplishments and connections. At least not in the same way that their male counterparts would be recorded.

Home Children were domestic servants and farm laborers. In exchange for room, board, and meals, the child was expected to carry out daily chores and help with the harvest. Most Home Children came from the cities and the switch to farm-life could be difficult. As they grew older, many did not share their stories with family and rarely spoke of their childhood. Dufferin County has many stories of families adopting these children balanced with stories of farm accidents, depression, and suicides, and everything in between.

For the almost 10% of Canadian families that have a Home Child in their family lineage, the Museum of Dufferin strives to tell these stories so that families will better understand the childhoods of their ancestors.