british home children sent to canada

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi can anyone help
I am trying to find out anything at all about my fathers half sister
Gladys Ruby Butcher born Bedminster 1894 then on the 1901 census living in Newport Monmouthshire Baldwin Street, I have trace her on a passenger list 3rd August 1906 leaving Liverpool for Qubec canada on a ship called Tunisian, under I think Dr Barnados, I have failed to find out any more information on her, but have discovered that her brother Randolph Butcher who was also sent to canada, same year but on different ship, died december the same year (1906), I have also failed to find anything about their father George Arthur Butcher who after the 1901 census seems to disappear altogether.

[Mary Anne]

maesglas/ssclub

Here is Gladys arriving on the Tunisian at Montreal from Liverpool (Film#T-487):

Gladys Butcher, age 11.
'Mr. Merry's party...of Children. Destination Stratford Ont.'

And Randolph came on the Dominion from Liverpool to Montreal, arriving on 11 August 1906. Destination given as Toronto, Ont, and 'Dr. Barnardo's Party' written up the side of the page.

See the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa website for databases and contact information. You can send a query to 'queries' at 'bifhsgo' dot 'ca'. We can refer your query to someone who is an expert in these records. He can likely tell you more about whether Gladys also came with Barnardo's or another organization and possibly about the homes in Stratford and Toronto. He can also give you guidance about how to apply to Barnardos' for the files.


Mary Anne

[susan-y]

maesglas/ssclub--Hi!

Did George Arthur have a brother Frank?

I found a Gladys Butcher in Perth county ( Stratford) on the 1911 census.right age, born in England, but she is listed as the daughter of Frank Butcher. I am wondering if she was sent to live with family after something happened to her father or perhaps he was in the army? The census is mis-transcribed and says she was born in Ontario, but when you look at the original it says England for her birth place.

Just an idea...

Sue

Ps... I could be mistaken as the transcriber says Ontario for the father in this case, but I believe it is ditto marks and not "O" for Ontario in the place of birth as they have written it out for anyone born elsewhere.

[AdeleE]

Darn, the Gladys Butcher in St. Mary's, Perth county on the 1911 census is the perfect age and the right location, but she was also there in 1901, so she can't be the Gladys we're looking for who immigrated to Canada in 1906.

Here she is on the 1911 census page:
https://automatedgenealogy.com/census...5&highlight=37

and the 1901 census page:
https://automatedgenealogy.com/census...9&highlight=49

Gladys got off the boat & seems to have disappeared!

Adele

[maesglas/ssclub]

Thank every one for your help
I know there was not any brothers by the name of Frank Butcher and that Gladys appears on the 1901 census residing in Newport Monmouthshire Wales, is Mary Anne offering to pass on the information to an expert to see if he could find out any more than I allready know ?, if so that would be wonderful and very much appreciated, I have forms from Dr Barnado,s but I have a brother who is unsure whether he wants to know the truth, just in case its a bit unsavoury, he was practically brought up by Nan (Gladys mother) and is afraid that something terrible happened, but I need to know the truth and can handle it what ever the truth might be, but I might have to keep it from my bother.

Many thanks
Robert.

[Mary Anne]

Robert

Indeed I am. I am president of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa, and we have a couple of members who have done, and continue to do, a lot of work on home children sent by various organizations. They are working for the most part with materials held by Library and Archives Canada. See our website at the address I gave you, where there are a couple databases and lots of links to other info. Our expert could point you to additional information that may be available in other places than the Barnardo's files.

The Barnardo's material can only be obtained by application to that organization, since they deem the records they hold to be 'private'. It is, IMHO, well worth asking for the file, since it can contain a great deal of information about the child and its experiences. Although some children may have had a bad time, many did not, and had caring families who looked after them well, educating and supporting them. The organizations also very often continued to monitor the homes where they were sent and removed children from homes where they were unhappy.

It seems to me that if Gladys and Randolph's father had died, and their mother felt she could not support them, she must have thought she was doing the best thing for them by sending them to Canada. Many, many home children went on to become successful adults in Canada, having been given an opportunity in a new country.

Good Luck


Mary Anne

[Lynda Marie]

maesglas/ssclub

Here is Gladys arriving on the Tunisian at Montreal from Liverpool (Film#T-487):

Gladys Butcher, age 11.
'Mr. Merry's party...of Children. Destination Stratford Ont.

Mr. Merry accompanied children sent out under the auspices of Annie MacPherson, to the home in Stratford that she ran. My ancestors came to Canada under her care and were taken to Stratford.

The MacPherson records are in the care of Barnardo's and are not as complete as I understand the actual Barnardo files are. You can send an email to the Barnardo folks and they will send you the documents via email that you need to complete to get the information. You have to prove that you are the nearest living direct descendant and pay a fee for the service.

Lynda

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi Lynda Marie

Thank for the advice, but I already have these forms, I did contact them and about a week or so later they sent me the forms.

My problem now is that my older brother is the person who would have to sign the forms, and as yet he has not made up his mind if he will sign or not.

First, he is of a very nervous disposition, Second, he lived with our nan for quite a few years (my nan is these childrens mother) and was so well looked after by her, he would hate to find out anything that might put my nan in a bad light, if you know what I mean.

He is at the moment, thinking only the worse, and I am trying find out bits and bobs that might convince him otherwise, I think they just fell on hard times and I have been unable to trace anything about the childrens father George Arthur Butcher, was he killed, died, or perhaps done a bunk, all I can do for now is to keep searching and hope I can find information that will some how convince my brother.
Thank you once again
Robert Purnell.

[maesglas/ssclub]

Hi again Lynda Marie

I have today, finally got the cert for Gladys Ruby Butcher, I had applied to the wrong registry office and it was sent back to me, so I sent off again on Tuesday and just recieved it, d.o.b 6th may 1894, so this will not match up with the incoming passenger Gladys Butcher Apr 1894, in 1958.
But as there were only two born of this name in that year I find it hard to believe its the other one, july,Aug, Sep, quarter 1894, unless it was very late,? two months late?, back to square one.

On a happier note I did find out what happened to Millicent Butcher born 1901 and have decided to put this in a new thread and hope it creates some more interest and give some hope to others looking and hoping for good news.
Robert.

[Squaredancer]

My problem now is that my older brother is the person who would have to sign the forms, and as yet he has not made up his mind if he will sign or not.

Just wondering - would he be willing to sign the forms, and just hand the reply over to you, unopened, when it arrives, so that he doesn't have to see any information if he doesn't want to? And who knows, there mightn't be anything to be worried about!