Remembering the “British Home Children” in Canada

A gathering of a special group of Canadians was held this weekend in the town of Bible Hill, a suburb of Truro, Nova Scotia on Canada’s east coast.

The group consisted of the descendents of what are known as British Home Children.  Aged 2-14, these were poor, abandoned, or orphaned children, or even from previously comfortable familiies who had fallen on hard times.

Various religious groups and philanthropic individuals and organizations felt their best future lay in opportunities overseas and sent these children, often unaccompanied to organized “Homes” in the colonies or commonwealth countries, from which they would be placed with families. On of the better known of these were the “Barnardo Homes” created by Dr Thomas Barnardo.

The children were expected to work in exchange for their keep and education and a Christian upbringing. They usually ended up as  farm labourers or domestic help.

While some were treated almost as family members, others were more often treated as commodities and had a harsh life. The “education” aspect was most often completely ignored by host families.

From the mid-1800’s until just before the Second World War, but continuing to a lesser extent right up to the 1960’s, tens of thousands of home children were sent to Canada.

It’s estimated that some 11% of Canadians have a “home child” in their lineage, although probably many more are not aware of this.

In those cases where a child was placed in England with one of the agencies, it was hoped the placement would be temporary, but contact was usually discouraged.

At the gathering in Nova Scotia, descendants met to help each other with shared tips on tracing long-lost family members, while describing their efforts to reconnect with their past. They also  planted a tree at Victoria Park in memory of their ancestors.

 British Home Children and Descendants Association.

Website on British Home Children

Pier 21- Home Children