Hey, Mike here. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Dark Poutine early and add free on Amazon Music included with Prime. Auto insurance can all seem the same until it comes time to use it. So don't get stuck paying more for less coverage. Switch to USA Auto insurance and you could start saving money in no time. Get a quote today. Restrictions apply. This episode is brought to you by the Weather Channel. The key to solving any mystery? Smart decisions based on the facts. In the case of the weather's effect on your well-being, turn to the Weather Channel app. It clues you in on how weather shapes your mood, health, and productivity with insights built on reliable forecast data to help you thrive. Because mystery belongs in true crime, not weather. Be a force of nature with the Weather Channel app. Welcome back to Dark Poutine. I am Mike Brown here in Langley British Columbia. And here's Matthew on the other end of the line. You sound much better today than you did the last time we did a show. Yeah, COVID really knocks it out of here. Yeah, it really really took you for a loop I think. You were telling me you're pretty tired still? Yeah, it's just generally exhausted. Yeah, that's the way it was for me. And you know, I'm a Mr. Bounceback from Illness very easily type of guy. Yep. Like I'm the type of person if I get the flu or something. I'm out for a day and then I'm fine, right? Yeah. And I think that's from you know, stepping on rusty nails and playing in pig pen on the farm. I think it's Gen X, yeah. Right. And on the farm, but yeah, COVID really hits different, doesn't it? Yep, it definitely does. The views, information, and opinions expressed during the Dark Poutine podcast are solely those of the producer and do not necessarily represent those of curious cast. It's affiliate global news, nor their parent company, Chorus Entertainment. Dark Poutine is not for the faint of heart or squeamish. Listener discretion is strongly advised. We're not experts on the topics we present, nor are we journalists. We're two ordinary Canadian schmucks chatting about crime and the dark side of history. Let's get to it. Put on your toque. Grab yourself a double double end in the nimo bar. It's time to scarf down some dark poutine. You are responsible for obtaining and maintaining at your own cost. All equipment needed to listen to dark poutine. Dark poutine can be addictive. Side effects may include, but not be limited to, pausing and questioning the system. Elevated heart rate, pondering humanity. Odd looks from colleagues as you laugh out at work. Family members, not into true crime worrying about you. Positive side effects may include some perspectives and opinions that you disagree with, as well as some wokeness and empathy. If you don't think dark poutine is for you, consult your doctor immediately. [Music] [Music] [Music] Between 1869 and 1948, over 100,000 children from the United Kingdom were sent to Canada and other British dominions such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa as part of the British home children migration scheme. This movement was initiated to alleviate the burden of poverty and overcrowded workhouses in Britain by providing these children with opportunities abroad. However, the reality for many of these children was harsh. In Canada, they were often placed with farm families where boys worked as laborers and girls as domestic servants. While some found caring homes, many others faced neglect, abuse and exploitation. The children were frequently moved from one placement to another, leading to instability and a lack of proper education. Despite these hardships, many British home children contributed significantly to Canadian society, with some even enlisting in the military during the World Wars. Today, it is estimated that over 10% of the Canadian population are descendants of these children, though many remain unaware of this heritage. This is dark poutine episode 326, the British home child migrant scheme. Several listeners have asked me to cover this tragic period of Canadian history. And before I started my research, I, like many folks, was under the impression that the British home children were youngsters from loving families, sent away during World War II. Once I dug into the history and stories, I discovered how wrong I was. Before discussing mass migrations, we must examine factors that created the situation. The most significant contributing cause was the horror known as workhouses. The unemployed and destitute had to turn to the workhouses for shelter and sustenance. Older people with no family to care for them, often ended up in workhouses as did those who were too ill to work or care for themselves. Unmarried pregnant women disowned by their families, frequently sought refuge in workhouses during and after childbirth. Before the establishment of public mental asylums in the mid-19th century, mentally ill and mentally disabled individuals were often consigned to workhouses if they were poor. Children ended up in workhouses for several reasons. Many were orphans with no family to care for them. Others came from families too poor to provide for them, especially during economic hardship. Some children entered workhouses with their parents when the entire family fell on hard times. In some cases, children of unwed mothers born in the workhouses remained there. Additionally, before child labor laws were enacted, some low-income families were forced to send their children to workhouses temporarily during periods of unemployment or financial difficulty. It is important to note that while entry into workhouses was generally voluntary, it was often a last resort for families and individuals facing desperate times, including children with no other options for care or shelter. Every child deserves a chance, not a sentence. Because of who your parents were or the economic situation, you were sentenced to this. This idea that every child deserves a chance is a relatively new way of thinking. It is not crazy. Children were often housed alongside unrelated adults in the early days of workhouses. In crowded and unsanitary conditions within the main workhouse buildings. In this arrangement, "Children rubbed shoulders with the honest, the dishonest, and the troubled and the troublesome." Often they were placed near newborns in the dying. Children from various family situations such as those with ill or unemployed parents frequently shared beds. The 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act attempted to introduce a classification system, categorizing females under 16 as girls, and males under 13 as boys with those under 7 in a separate class. However, this classification was not always strictly adhered to, and children under 7 were sometimes allowed to stay with their mothers in the female section of the workhouse. As the 19th century progressed, growing concerns about the welfare of children in these mixed environments led to efforts, starting from the 1840s to housed children away from the main workhouse. This was done to protect them from these institution's negative influences and stigma. Gradually, alternative arrangements were introduced, such as separate accommodation, cottage homes, and district schools for workhouse children. While these changes represented a significant improvement, it's important to note that housing children alongside unrelated adults remained common, particularly in the earlier part of the century, and the transition to more child appropriate arrangements was gradual. Victorian author Charles Dickens was highly critical of workhouses, portraying them as institutions of cruelty and dehumanization in his novel, Oliver Twist. In the book, Dickens highlights the systemic abuse and neglect of the poor through the character of Oliver, who was born in a workhouse and subjected to a life of hardship and mistreatment. Oliver and the other orphans are ruthlessly punished for the crime of being born poor. The workhouse in the story is depicted as a place where the poor are punished for their poverty. Oliver's request for more food, please sir, I want some more, leads to severe punishment illustrating cruelty and lack of compassion in workhouses. When you look back, Dickens really did a lot of giving voice to the voiceless background, right? He is quite socially aware. He saw his platform, his novels, to really talk about the things that concerned him. Yeah, and then there's me that just post hoc toa memes. Oh no, you go hot toa? Oh boy. Dickens highlights the corruption and hypocrisy of those running the workhouses. Characters like Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Mann, who manages the orphanage, are depicted as self-serving and indifferent to the suffering of the poor. They exploit the system for their gain, further exacerbating the plight of the inmates. In one quote, Dickens encapsulates Oliver's plight and the general experience of workhouse children emphasizing their neglect, starvation, and harsh treatment. Quote, "But now that he was enveloped in the old calico robes which had grown yellow in the same service, he was badged and ticketed and fell into his place at once, a parish child, the orphan of a workhouse, the humble half-starved drudge, to be cuffed and buffeted through the world, despised by all and pitied by none." End quote. A typical day in a Victorian-era workhouse was harsh and highly regimented, with a strict schedule that began early in the morning. Inmates, including men, women, and children, would rise between 5 and 6 a.m. in summer, or 6 to 7 a.m. in winter to the sound of a bell. After rising, they attended prayers and ate a meager breakfast, often only bread, gruel, or porridge. Work began promptly at 7 or 8 a.m., depending on the season. Men typically performed hard labor such as stone-breaking, bone-crushing, or wood-chopping, while women were assigned domestic tasks like laundry cooking and cleaning. Children were not spared from labor, they often worked in dangerous conditions in factories or mines or performed tasks within the workhouse itself. The workday was long, usually lasting until 6 p.m., with a one-hour break for lunch at midday. Meals were bland and repetitive, with lunch typically consisting of thin soup, or, if available, a small amount of meat and potatoes. Inmates ate in silence in sizable communal dining halls. Yeah, and that silence was enforced during the meal, so it really must have sort of amplified the sense of isolation. Right. Just everybody eating quietly and not being able to talk to one another. You'd already feel isolated just like working your fingers to the bone every day, and then you can't even speak when you're socially in a meal situation. Yeah, terrible. After work ended at 6 p.m., there would be an evening prayer service followed by supper between 6 and 7 p.m., the day concluded with a strictly enforced bedtime of 8 p.m. The living conditions were grim, with families separated into different sections of the workhouse and communication between them strictly prohibited. Children received a basic education but often lacked essential skills like reading and writing, which were necessary for better employment opportunities. The food was tasteless and monotonous, contributing to malnutrition and poor health among the inmates. This rigid schedule, combined with the separation of families, harsh working conditions, and inadequate food, made life in the workhouse a grim and dehumanizing experience. In her 2005 book, Shadows of the Workhouse, Jennifer Wirth said, "The workhouse was not just a building. It was the collective pain and suffering of those who found themselves trapped within its walls. Wirth continues, the workhouse was a merciless beast devouring the vulnerable and the destitute with equal cruelty." That description of merciless beasts is really as vivid, isn't it? Yeah. It just shows something that chews up and spits out. As the 19th century progressed, alternative arrangements for children included sending them to Canada and other British dominions. Over 50 organizations participated in sending children away in these migration schemes. While Barnardos was the largest and most well-known organization, it was not the only one involved. Notable among these were the Salvation Army, Quarriers, the Liverpool sheltering homes, and the Church of England. Other organizations also played significant roles, contributing to the sending of over 100,000 children abroad. But as we said, Barnardos was the largest. The organization's original full name was, and it's a mouthful, the National Incorporated Association for the Reclamation of Distitute Wave Children. It was later, thankfully, shortened to Dr. Barnardo's homes than more recently to Barnardos. The charity's founder and namesake, Dr. Thomas John Barnardo, born on July 4, 1845 in Dublin, Ireland, was the son of John Michaelis Barnardo, a furrier of Sephardic Jewish descent and Abigail, an English woman and member of the Plymouth Brethren. Barnardo's early life was marked by a rebellious spirit and a lack of interest in formal education, leading him to apprentice to a wine merchant at 14. His life took a significant turn in 1862 when he experienced a religious conversion and became a devout Christian, which ignited his passion for missionary work. In 1866, Barnardo moved to London with the intention of training as a Protestant medical missionary to China. While studying medicine at the London hospital, he became deeply involved in social work, particularly in the East End of London, where he encountered severe poverty and destitution among children. Inspired by the plight of these children, Barnardo established his first ragged school in 1867 to provide free education to people experiencing poverty. His encounter with a homeless boy named Jim Jarvis, who showed him the dire conditions many children faced, further solidified his commitment to rescuing children from poverty. Jim was a boy living in London's East End during the mid-19th century. Jim and his mother were destitute and initially taken to a workhouse. Tragically, Jim's mother died while in the workhouse, leaving the young boy alone and vulnerable. Still a less than 10-year-old child Jim bravely decided to run away, unable to bear the harsh workhouse conditions. He found work on a coal lighter on the river Thames, which proved another difficult situation. The owner of the coal barge, sometimes referred to as "swearing dick" or "grimey nick" in various accounts, oppressed Jim. Once again, Jim was forced to flee from his circumstances. For a time, Jim survived on the streets of London, facing the daily challenges of hunger, exposure, and danger that were common to homeless children of the era. Some accounts suggest he may have helped an older woman sell cockles and welks, though details of this period of his life are scarce. The pivotal moment in Jim's story comes when he encounters Dr. Barnardo at one of his ragged schools. These schools provided free education to poor children, and it was here that Jim reportedly asked Barnardo for help. This meeting profoundly impacted Barnardo, opening his eyes to the plight of London's street children and inspiring him to dedicate his life to their welfare. You know, this meeting, you know, this is a real turning point for not for Jim, but for Bernardo. And for thousands of children that have benefited from his initiatives since then, right? Bernardo is a big charity in the UK. There's second handshops all over the place, and if I had clothes I'd take it to Bernardo's, right? It's still a massive charity that does a lot of good. Interestingly, Jim Jarvis has disappeared from historical records after this significant encounter. There's no mention of him in the archives of Bernardo's first home for boys in Stepney, leaving his ultimate fate unknown. Some speculate he may have been sent to Canada under an emigration scheme while others question whether he existed. Regardless of the gaps in his story, Jim Jarvis's encounter with Dr. Bernardo catalyzed the establishment of Bernardo's homes. Dr. Bernardo was intent on helping every child he could. In 1870, Bernardo opened his first home for boys, offering shelter, food, and vocational training. A home for girls in 1873 followed this. His approach was revolutionary for the time, as he adopted a policy of no destitute child ever refused admittance despite its financial challenges. Bernardo's relentless dedication to his cause led to the establishment of over 90 homes for needy children by his death in 1905, making a lasting impact on child welfare and social reform in the UK. While Bernardo's motives were good, he has his detractors, Dr. Thomas Bernardo's legacy is complex, with positive and negative aspects reflecting the social context of Victorian aerofilanthropy and reform. On the positive side, Bernardo is widely recognized as a pioneering philanthropist who dedicated his life to helping impoverished children in Victorian England. He established numerous homes and schools that provided shelter, education, and vocational training to thousands of impoverished children. His work laid the foundation for one of the UK's largest children's charities, Bernardo's, which continues to support vulnerable children and young people today. However, Bernardo's methods and some aspects of his work remain controversial. He faced criticism and legal challenges during his lifetime, including accusations of philanthropic abduction for removing children from their families without proper permission. This practice, while intended to rescue children from dire circumstances, raised ethical concerns about parental rights and the forcible separation of families. Bernardo was criticized for exaggerating children's circumstances in promotional photographs using before and after images to dramatize the effects of his work. While this practice was effective for fundraising, it was questioned for its ethical implications and potential exploitation of vulnerable children for publicity, but it is Bernardo's involvement in child migration schemes, particularly sending children to Canada and other parts of the British Empire that is now viewed as a misguided policy. While intended to provide opportunities, many children faced hardship, exploitation, and separation from their families in their new environments. This aspect of his work has been subject to retrospective criticism and reevaluation. After the break, we delve deeper into the history of British home children, explore specific stories, and examine the aftermath. This episode is brought to you by PNC Bank, who believes some things in life should be boring, like banking, because boring is steady, pragmatic, responsible. You don't want your bank to be cool or sexy. Sexy is for red carpets, not banks. That's why PNC Bank strives to be boring with your money, so you can be happily fulfilled with your life. PNC Bank, brilliantly boring since 1865, is a service mark of the PNC Financial Services Grouping PNC Bank National Association member FDIC. Rack up the deals on everything summer at Nordstrom Rack, and get brands you love up to 60% off. Vince, Kate Spade, New York, Steve Madden made well Adidas and more. Great brands, great prices. Every day at Nordstrom Rack, Justin dresses top short sandals, sneakers, denim, luxury bags, and sunglasses. Rack up the deals today and save up to 60% on summer at your Nordstrom Rack store. And we are back, Matthew Thoughts, so far on this episode. Yeah, it's just the one thing that I'm thinking of over as you read all of that is context of the time, right? Yeah. Is this all horrible? Yes. Yeah. Right. But it's just sort of within the context of how horrible things can be. Yeah. Sometimes it's like, well, maybe you'll being shipped off to Canada, work on a farm. It would have been better than the workhouse. It's one of the things, or it was all awful, but it's like lesser of two, lesser of two evils, you know? What's the least awful thing? Yeah. And Bernardo's is a great charity now. And in fact, was back then for the time, like it had issues. And I think there's been a lot of learnings about oversights for charities and things like that over time. Sure. But it did a lot of good back then as well. And we just have to look at, you know, I think it's important. Bernardo's is a very good charity. I just feel it's important to state, you know, because of these missteps or bad parts of it, right? Don't blame Bernardo's these days because they do a lot of good for children. In 1869, the British home children migration scheme began during the Industrial Revolution, marked by significant social and economic changes in the United Kingdom. As families moved from rural areas to urban centers looking for work, traditional support systems broke down. This left many children vulnerable when families faced hardships such as illness, death, or financial instability. As we mentioned, philanthropic organizations such as Bernardo's, the Salvation Army, and Quarryers emerged to care for these children, many of whom were surrendered by their parents rather than being found on the streets. Maria S. Rye brought the first party of these children to Canada in 1869 to Niagara on the lake. In 1867, Maria Rye began communicating with the Canadian government about immigrating young, impoverished women and girls from urban centers and workhouses in Britain to Canada. Rye, an early suffragette, had been advocating for better employment opportunities for young women in Britain for a decade. In 1868, after considering Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, she chose Canada for its proximity and brought young women in their 20s to work as domestics. Although this effort had some success, she realized the British government was more concerned with addressing the issue of destitute deserted and orphaned young girls. In 1869, Rye acquired the former courthouse and jail in Niagara on the lake, converting it into our western home, where the first girls arrived that year. This marked the first large-scale child migration to Canada, with Rye recognized by the Canadian government as a leader in child immigration. Her program's success led to a growing demand for young domestics and farm workers, prompting others like Annie McPherson to follow suit. Rye also acquired Avenue House and Peckham Southerck to facilitate the administration of her British children through to our western home. In 1874, the Doyle Report criticized Rye and McPherson for their child immigration practices, highlighting a lack of proper government oversight and inadequate follow-up on placed children. Doyle, a Catholic, was particularly harsh on Rye, an evangelical Anglican. After reviewing the available paperwork, McPherson was found to have better accounting practices, while Rye believed the children were in respectable hands. Due to the report, Rye paused her program in 1875 and 1876 to address the issues raised. When child immigration resumed in 1877, Rye ensured her reports only included children's initials and ages, not full names. And you can't track it, so I'm not going to get in trouble again, sort of thing. I'm sure that was part of it. Families in Canada who wished to take in British home children had to apply through the organizations managing the scheme. There was a high demand for these children with seven applicants for every child. The selection process was not always rigorous, and the suitability of the families needed to be thoroughly vetted. Some organizations attempted to ensure the children were placed with decent families by contacting local parish members, but this was not consistently done. As a result, the quality of care varied widely, with some children experiencing loving homes while others faced neglect and abuse. The journey from the UK to Canada was arduous for the British home children. They traveled by ship, often in crowded and uncomfortable conditions. Upon arrival in Canada, the children were sent to receiving homes scattered across the country. These homes served as temporary accommodations until the children were placed with families. The children often traveled further to their final destinations with minimal supervision, sometimes wearing cardboard signs around their necks indicating their names and destinations. In Canada, the experiences of British home children varied significantly. Many were placed on farms where boys, as we said, worked as laborers from sun up to sundown and girls as domestic helpers in homes during the same hours. While some children were fortunate to be placed with caring families, many others were treated poorly, subjected to brutal hard labor and even abused. The organizations responsible for their welfare often failed to provide adequate oversight leading to situations where children were moved frequently or ran away to escape mistreatment. You know, the idea of labor, right, and what work is and what fair work has changed so much, and even the idea of what a child has changed so much over the years. I mean, children remain children much longer these days. Sometimes when I'm working with a 25-year-old who's a big crybaby, I think it's gone a little bit too far. But it's so funny, just today, I was talking about when my high school moved from the yearly system to the semester system, and I just suddenly remembered. And at the time, there was a lot of discussion because where I grew up in my community, a lot of the kids worked on farms. So, semesters, of course, were over when harvesting season happened and the kids would often not go to school for a week or so in order to get the harvest in or do what they needed to do. So, when the semester came in where it concentrated your study into semesters, as opposed to one course all year long, there's a whole discussion that needed to happen about, "Okay, what are we going to do for farm kids who will therefore miss triple the amount because it's all condensed?" And they were given leeway an extra time. But even back then, I don't know if kids still work on their family farms anymore. Are there any family farms left? Family farm is a whole other matter that we could probably do an entire episode on how the corporatization of our food supply here in Canada. Yeah, because, you know, hay season, from when I was 10 years old, I was bailing hay from my grandfather. Yeah, many kids that I knew who lived rurally, that's how they earned their money in the summer. Yeah, or you just help crime and grant, like, all the unsnuckles go out, you all do it, then you have a big family meal. It wasn't slave labor or anything like this, right? It was just what you did for the family. A significant number of British home children faced harsh conditions, exploitation, and abuse. Some families viewed them as free labor rather than children to be nurtured, indentured servants at the very least. The prioritization of work over schooling resulted in limited or no education for many and the frequent movement of children from one placement to another provided little stability. Despite promises of regular check-ins by the coordinating charities, many children suffered neglect or abuse with little recourse. Additionally, about two-thirds of these children had at least one living parent in Britain, leading to emotional trauma from separation. Some faced prejudice and discrimination in their new communities with reports suggesting that many carried inherited tendencies, both physical and moral, which no training, however careful, can eradicate. The British Home Children Advocacy and Research Association BH Cara continues to educate Canadians about the stories of the children involved in these migration schemes. Home Children Canada, HCC, established in 2012 and now a registered charity, works to uncover and share this story. HCC has been pivotal in recognizing the home children's service in wars, identifying burial sites, and placing monuments. They continue to catalogue stories, reconnect families, and promote awareness through newsletters and a home child registry. Their board of directors and volunteers have plans to further this mission. You can find more about the organization at their website homechildrencanada.com. There I found several moving individual stories about British home children. One biographical tale, Alice, the child who never smiled, was written in March 2021 by Tilly Meyer. Granddaughter-in-law of Alice Hayes, for the descendants of Alice Prezo Fraser Hayes in Penitanguishing, Ontario. Tilly Meyer shared that in the 1891 England census, Alice was listed as less than two months old and named Julia, though Bernardo's documents later recorded her as Alice, born in 1890. Born in Romford Essex, Alice's journey began tragically. Her mother died in 1898, and her father, a former soldier whose excessive drinking led to his commitment to an asylum, was deemed unfit to care for her and her siblings. Consequently, Alice was admitted to Bernardo's on December 30th, 1898 at 7, though her records mistakenly noted her as 8. Her admission documents described her as having brown hair, gray eyes, a pale complexion, and suffering from blepharitis. Alice was moved several times within England before being sent to Canada on June 6, 1901, at the age of 10, along with 105 other British home children. She arrived in Montreal on the Tunisian and travelled by train to the Bernardo girls receiving home in Hazelbray, Peterborough, Ontario. Her first work placement in Niagara on the lake in June 1901 was disheartening. A Bernardo care service visit in mid-August noted Alice's loneliness and lack of a smile. By May 1902, another visit described her as "ragged, dirty, barefooted, a grimy white-faced, sad child," indicating her dismal situation. She was not attending school or church as Bernardo required. Alice was returned to Hazelbray in June 1902 and placed on a farm in Islington. In October, a care worker noted she looked stronger but still sadfaced, although she was now attending church and school, and the farmer's wife was a kind grandmotherly figure. However, this situation ended in January 1903 when the farmer's wife passed away. Alice was moved to another farm in Islington, where she was described as a "very sad child." Complaints from the farmer about Alice being too small and inefficient led to her being moved again in June 1903. In June 1903, Alice went to work for Miss Maria Bella seamstress and stainer. A subsequent visit from a Hazelbray care worker found Alice healthy, smiling, and thriving in a cozy farmhouse environment. She was attending Sunday school and confirmation classes. By 1905, when Miss Bell married George Clay and moved to Bing Inlet, Alice went with them and found a stable and happy home. In the 1911 Canadian census, Alice still lived with the clays in Bing Inlet and was listed as domestic help. Ten years later, in the 1921 census, she was recorded as married to Edward P. Fraser, who worked as a box cutter. Edward had served overseas in World War I and they were married in Perry Sound on April 10, 1920. On November 22, 1922, Alice and Edward welcomed twin boys, Norman and Howard, marking a new chapter in Alice's life. Alice lived a quiet life with her family. She spent the final years of her life in penitanguishing Ontario and she was laid to rest in the Anglican graveyard of St. James on the line. That's a happy ending story. I'm so glad she eventually found something to let her smile. Many of the kids did, you know, eventually. My concern, though, the whole thing about it is, and I relate to it because I'm an adopted person, is not knowing your heritage, not knowing where you came from, and not having any connection to that. It really does affect a person. Yeah, that would be hard, absolutely. But also, the other thing is, you know, some kids came over. I knew somebody whose family was, you know, grandparent did this, and they came over to like a 100% loving family and just had a normal childhood. But so that's one end of the spectrum and the other one, you have like abuse and slave labor. Despite the mistreatment of many of them, scores of boys brought to Canada went on to fight in both World Wars and beyond. During World War I, an estimated 10,000 British home children enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In a poignant story published by Roy McGregor in The Globe and Mail on November 10, 2008, we learn about the life and legacy of Corporal Will Mayberry, a young man whose journey is tragic and inspiring. Will, born in Sheffield, England in 1892, was the product of an impoverished widow's immoral relations and was taken from his drunken family to become a Bernardo boy in Canada. At 11, he and his sister, Elsie, were sent to Ontario as farm helpers, living apart but eventually thriving in their new lives. By 1914, the siblings had reconnected and tracked down their younger brother, George, who had also been sent to Canada. Will's life took a turn when he enlisted in the military during World War I, showing remarkable bravery as he fought in significant battles such as Vimy Ridge, Hill 70, and Passchendale, where he was ultimately struck by shrapnel. He died from his wounds five weeks later, a loss that deeply affected his family. Despite the hardships and abandonment by his country, Will's story came to light through a history channel project, finding the fallen, which uncovered his heroic actions and connected his descendants. The modern Mayberries, particularly the third George Mayberry from Pembroke, Ontario, were struck by Will's sense of duty despite his abandonment. The family's curiosity about their past was sparked by a collection of papers and photographs in what they called "the family tickle trunk", which, along with letters Will had written to Elsie, helped piece together his lost life. David Mayberry, who works for National Defence in Ottawa, reflects on Will's survival through Vimy Ridge and Hill 70, only to fall at Passchendale. The family's only saved postcard from Will painstakingly restored by a forensic scientist, poignantly reads, "We are going to leave for France tonight. We'll write you from France, bye bye." This story of loss and rediscovery honors Will Mayberry as a hero who stepped up to fight for his country, leaving a lasting legacy of courage and sacrifice. At least 689 former British home children are known to have died in 1917 alone, fighting in major battles. 229 British home children who died in France during World War I have their names inscribed on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and 122 are listed on the Men and Gate Memorial for those who lost their lives in Belgium. While exact numbers are less documented for World War II, it's estimated that around 20,000 former British home children join the Canadian military. Some specific examples include Corporal Claude George Wheeler, who served in the RAF and then died on December 21, 1942. He is buried in the Alexandria War Cemetery. William Hayden, later known as William Mathison, died on February 6, 1941, when his ship, the Maple Court, was torpedoed while transporting war equipment to England. Cecil Lenfranci, who arrived in Canada in 1932 with the Fagan homes, is buried in the Calais-Canadian War Cemetery. David Pat Denard served as a private in the 48th Highlanders of Canada. He died on December 13, 1943. He is buried in the Morrow River Canadian War Cemetery. Others have gone on to serve Canada in other ways. According to Home Children Canada, a British home child's daughter sewed the first Canadian flag. In late autumn of 1964, Ken Donovan, an Assistant Purchasing Director with the Canadian Government Exhibition Commission, received an urgent request from Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson to prepare prototypes of the new Canadian flag for review the following day. With only paper drawings available, Donovan and his team, including graphic artist John Desrosiers and John Williams, quickly assembled the prototypes. Donovan's daughter, Joan O'Malley, lacking a seamstress, sewed the flags despite her limited experience. Reflecting on the event during the flag's 30th anniversary ceremony, Joan recalled her father's excitement and unexpected role in creating a piece of history emphasizing how she was helping her father without realizing the significance. The British home children migration scheme to Canada gradually ended in the mid-20th century operating into the late 1940s. The program saw approximately 100,000 British children sent to Canada. The scheme was discontinued mainly in the 1900s but was not entirely terminated until the 1970s. Most children arrived between 1869 and 1939 with a temporary halt during World War I due to the dangers posed by German U-boats. It's incredible that it's the 1970s. That's like when you know I was reading up on Indian residential school. Yes. And the last ones were closed till the 90s, right? And you look back and you just like because you think of this stuff and you're like wow that was so not long ago and the 70s when I was around so this was so not long ago. My time getting old at this point. Oh dear. After World War II, changing attitudes towards child welfare and immigration policies led to a decline in the practice. A single event did not mark the end of the program but rather a gradual phasing out due to increased awareness of child welfare issues improvements in social services and child protection laws evolving immigration policies and growing criticism of the program. While the formal program ended efforts to address its legacy continued including recognition of the British home children's contributions to Canada commemorative events and ongoing research into the scheme's impacts on families and descendants. The Hazelbray Barnardo Home Memorial in Peterborough, Ontario commemorates the thousands of British home children who passed through the Hazelbray Barnardo home. This home operated from 1883 to 1924 and was a distribution center for children brought from the United Kingdom to Canada. The memorial is inscribed with the names of approximately 9,000 children primarily girls who were brought to this home. Boys were also brought to Hazelbray until 1886 after which they were sent to other locations. The Hazelbray Barnardo Home was part of a more extensive child immigration program initiated by Dr. Thomas Barnardo to provide better opportunities for disadvantaged children. However the experiences of these children varied widely. While some found loving families and improved circumstances many others faced harsh conditions exploitation and abuse. The home was torn down in 1930 but the legacy of the children who passed through it remains significant. The memorial outside activity haven on Barnardo Avenue is a poignant reminder of the children's experiences. It also includes a grave marker for those who died at the home located at Little Lake Cemetery in Peterborough. Efforts to trace the family histories of these children continue with new names being added to the memorial as more information becomes available. Genealogy services like 23andMe and Ancestry.ca have facilitated these efforts allowing descendants to reconnect with their heritage. The Hazelbray Barnardo Home Memorial Group is crucial in raising awareness about the Barnardo orphans and wards providing information and helping individuals find their ancestors who were home children. This ongoing work ensures that the stories of these children are not forgotten and that their contributions to Canadian history are recognized. In February 2017 the House of Commons adopted a motion apologizing to the British home children and their descendants but this was not an official government apology. The Canadian government has recognized the home children's experiences by designating 2010 as the year of the British home child supporting British home child day on September 28th and issuing commemorative stamps and posters. Despite these actions no formal apology has been made by the Canadian government or the prime minister. In contrast the UK and Australian governments have issued official apologies for their roles in child migrant programs. Advocacy groups and survivors continue to petition the Canadian government for an official apology including a recent petition to prime minister Justin Trudeau. In 2009 immigration minister Jason Kenney stated Canada had no plans to issue an apology arguing that Canadians don't expect their government to apologize for every sad event in our history. The government remains committed to recognizing the home children's experiences through various initiatives but has not indicated plans for an official apology. Some British home children formed lasting bonds with their Canadian families and communities despite the challenges. Still many never saw their extended birth families ever again and in many cases they died not knowing their personal heritage and history. Their contributions to Canadian society have been significant and many of their descendants live in Canada today. The legacy of British home children in Canada is far reaching with approximately 10% of the country's current population around 4 million being descendants of these children. This significant figure representing over one-tenth of Canadians underscores the profound impact the home children program has had on Canada's demographic makeup and cultural heritage. However despite this widespread connection many of these descendants remain unaware of their ancestral ties to the British home children. This lack of awareness is largely because many of the original home children did not share their experiences with their families often hiding their past. After World War II changing attitudes towards child welfare and immigration policies led to a decline in the practice a single event did not mark the end of the program but rather a gradual phasing out due to increased awareness of child welfare issues improvements in social services and child protection laws evolving immigration policies and growing criticism of the program. While the formal program ended efforts to address its legacy continued including recognition of the British home children's contributions to Canada commemorative events and ongoing research into the scheme's impacts on families and descendants. The Hazelbray Barnardo home memorial in Peterborough Ontario commemorates the thousands of British home children who passed through the Hazelbray Barnardo home. This home operated from 1883 to 1924 and was a distribution center for children brought from the United Kingdom to Canada. The memorial is inscribed with the names of approximately 9,000 children primarily girls who were brought to this home. Boys were also brought to Hazelbray until 1886 after which they were sent to other locations. The experiences of these children varied widely while some found loving families and improved circumstances many others faced harsh conditions exploitation and abuse. The home was torn down in 1930 but the legacy of the children who passed through it remains significant. The memorial outside activity haven on Barnardo Avenue is a poignant reminder of the children's experiences. It also includes a grave marker for those who died at the home located at Little Lake Cemetery in Peterborough. Efforts to trace the family histories of these children continue with new names being added to the memorial as more information becomes available. Genealogy services like 23 and me and ancestry.ca have facilitated these efforts allowing descendants to reconnect with their heritage. The Hazelbray Barnardo home memorial group is crucial in raising awareness about the Barnardo orphans and wards providing information and helping individuals find their ancestors who were home children. This ongoing work ensures that the stories of these children are not forgotten and that their contributions to Canadian history are recognized. In February 2017 the House of Commons adopted a motion apologizing to the British home children and their descendants but this was not an official government apology. The Canadian government has recognized the home children's experiences by designating 2010 as the year of the British home child supporting British home child day on September 28th and issuing commemorative stamps and posters. Despite these actions no formal apology has been made by the Canadian government or the Prime Minister. In contrast the UK and Australian governments have issued official apologies for their roles in child migrant programs. Advocacy groups and survivors continue to petition the Canadian government for an official apology including a recent petition to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In 2009 immigration minister Jason Kenney stated Canada had no plans to issue an apology arguing that Canadians don't expect their government to apologize for every sad event in our history. The government remains committed to recognizing the home children's experiences through various initiatives but has not indicated plans for an official apology. Some British home children formed lasting bonds with their Canadian families and communities despite the challenges. Still many never saw their extended birth families ever again and in many cases they died not knowing their personal heritage and history. Their contributions to Canadian society have been significant and many of their descendants live in Canada today. The legacy of British home children in Canada is far reaching with approximately 10% of the country's current population around 4 million being descendants of these children. This significant figure representing over one-tenth of Canadians underscores the profound impact the home children program has had on Canada's demographic makeup and cultural heritage. However despite this widespread connection many of these descendants remain unaware of their ancestral ties to the British home children. This lack of awareness is largely because many of the original home children did not share their experiences with their families often hiding their past. The substantial number of descendants coupled with the general lack of knowledge about the subject of Canadian history highlights the need for continued education and recognition of the British home children's experiences and contributions to Canada. This historical chapter shaped the lives of children directly involved and continues to influence a significant portion of Canada's population today making it an essential part of the nation's collective history and identity. Yes indeed yeah that weird tapestry of what it means to be a Canadian. Yeah yeah all right you know we've had some great stitching we've had some terrors we've had some you know stolen cloth yeah a little bit a little bit of madness you know I actually started thinking like about you know this happens in different ways to children today. So you know you hear horror stories of kids being bounced from foster home to foster home to foster home to foster home getting lost in systems right. Yeah not being checked on having abuse in some foster homes but then other foster homes are great you know and also think of it like pair of shoes that you're wearing right now yeah right were those made by some kid and the equivalent of a work house in a foreign country in another country yeah right yeah yeah that I think about that stuff sometimes but you're like only when it comes up you know it's not something that I think about when I'm putting on my shoes but. Have you ever seen the movie the tv show The Good Place? Yeah it's really good well you know part of part of the story of The Good Place is nobody was getting into The Good Place anymore and all going to hell because it was life was so complicated that it was essentially impossible to live well and they showed an example of somebody who was practically like a mother Teresa but like had bought something where child labor was used but they didn't know right so they're like how can you ping them when they don't know right and it is hard in this world where everything comes from everywhere you kind of know like who's who's made our stuff and with some poor kid forced to do this 14 hours a day right right it's still very much alive just in different places now and that's it for dark protein episode 326 the British home child migrant scheme the weight is over two faces now available on amazon order all your favorite makeup icons like two face born this way super coverage the viral concealer that gives you a flawless complexion award-winning lip injection maximum plump lip gloss and better than sex voluptuous volume mascara the number one mascara in america and get them delivered straight to your door shop to face now on amazon this episode is brought to you by purina and their certified therapy dogs like hanley say hi hanley hanley is one of 30 therapy dogs purina has helped get certified to support kids struggling with their mental health purina employees are volunteering their time and family pets like hanley to help make pet therapy more accessible to patients students and kids like me learn more about purina pet therapy program at purina.com/mentalhealth that's right it's time for voicemails you can leave us a message at 1-877-327-5786 or 1-877-D-A-R-K-P-T-N we'd love to hear from you let's see who called us this week all righty let's listen to our first voicemail hi amazon this is liz calling from almimeon kario a couple of months ago i got a new phone and then i started listening to some of the podcasts and one was date line and i got through a date line and wondered what i could find and then i found the case file i got obsessed with the ozzy voice because i liked his accent and i liked his voice normally but i thought well i'll get through him and then i was wondering what i should do when i came across um start poutine and i thought what could that be that can't be anything i thought it's kind of bizarre but anyway i went ahead and then i started listening to all of your sessions here and i'm getting through all your cases this by bed and i really enjoy them i think you're very knowledgeable and you're honest and very informative and open and i think you guys are pretty good and i just want to tell you to keep on trucking but um if you want to put feces in your ball cap that's fine with me but i think that's kind of gross talk to you later bye thanks liz i think it's gross as well that was fantastic and you know if we're somebody is putting us in league with you know date line and uh and case file two shows that i love um wow they're good shows they're good shows man pretty good shows and i have to agree with her i um i've listened to shows because i like the accent as well me too right and have you ever gone on to show it's actually good content but you just can't handle the voice of the person yeah sometimes people tell me that about myself yeah of course not not everyone works right no um for everyone else but yeah i've i've listened to someone like oh i really want to listen to show but i can't it's like nails on a chalkboard oh well let's listen to one there's a podcast for everyone there's one for everybody thanks liz all right let's listen to another hi guys this is Deanna from abbotsford i was just listening to the Nanaimo mill shooting podcast which was great thank you again for everything you guys do and i heard you guys talking about wanting to eat in the naimo bar in the naimo in a bar and i have my retirement plan set now please tell me no one else has opened the Nanaimo bar bar we can have Canadian singing drinks Canadian music Canadian furnishings there could be a secret passcode to get in like per se go shit in your hat to get through the door like an old-fashioned speakeasy what do you think i think it could go i think it could have a good day guys thanks again that was really good i appreciate that there is a bar called the Nanaimo bar oh no that's kind of funny it's on front street in the naimo there you go and maybe that's where we should go we should go to the Nanaimo bar which is a Nanaimo bar and eat a Nanaimo bar yeah we kind of have to now we have to do it and we have to like record video of ourselves because it's and i think that the password to get into the speak you should be would be butter tart they'll drop it in the yard they'll go pop pop in the yard pop it in the yard pop it in the yard yeah well thank you for your voicemails much appreciated that's it for this week's voicemails again you can leave us one at 1 8 7 7 3 2 7 5 7 8 6 or 1 8 7 7 D A R K P T N we'd love to hear from you even if it is just to say hi and to tell us to go shit in our hats if you're stumped for what to chat with us about a quick story is welcome all righty so it's time for patreon and donut money donors and we have a new patron this week who could not love that voice of yours though oh that's the thing that recording is very nice yeah oh boy i'm all flush a little flushed so our new patron our patron this week is penny reuben penny reuben from sun prairie wisconsin what does she do there in sun prairie wisconsin is there something to do with cheese because there's apparently a lot of cheese in wisconsin so she owns a satellite restaurant called reuben and wong's okay yeah interesting so you get sort of so a reuben is is like a a sandwich sandwich with coleslaw you know quorum beef is it jewish is it like jewish yeah it is yeah okay so it's it's jewish food in chinese food fusion reuben and wong's and and she owns that restaurant oh interesting yeah that would actually probably be a restaurant that i would want to go there was one in london on terry called reuben and wong's whoa there's a kid and i love going there there you go so next up we have a pay pal donor and and this is from sinthia gordon i don't know where sinthia is from or what she does but she left us a three-digit donation oh thank you so yeah yeah much appreciated um what okay first of all where is sinthia gordon from matthew where is she from yep just give me a second mic oh it's something smells funny you must be thinking hard you might have to sinthia is originally from lake tittikaka lake tittikaka okay but she has moved to hanoi oh hanoi so she's in vietnam yep interesting and what what on earth is sinthia doing in uh vietnam in hanoi she just runs a bar for tourists and hangs it on a beach oh that that doesn't sound bad at all i mean not that there's a beach in hanoi but there's a river and she goes down to the beach there you go yeah on the weekends that sounds nice yeah i thought so it's nice and warm there there you go have you ever been to vietnam nope i really would do want to go there was a pub in nondon that i live near where hochi men used to wash the dishes there before i decided to go back to lead the revolution that's crazy and i like to think that if you had been treated more nicely by his pub employees maybe the revolution would have happened right he would stay in the UK yep thanks to all our patrons and donut money donors passed and present for your generosity it helps to keep the show going you can become a patron of dark poutine at patreon.com/darkpoutine for a one-time donation you can send us donut money via paypal using our email address darkpoutine podcast at gmail.com if you don't already subscribed to the show it would mean a lot if you did you can easily find dark poutine on apple podcast spotify or wherever you listen to your favorite shows if you haven't gotten yours yet my book murder madness and mayhem is available to order via a link on the dark poutine website and speaking of darkpoutine.com please check it out for show notes and other cool stuff we'd appreciate it if you took the time to give dark poutine a like or a follow on facebook and instagram most importantly thank you for listening and tell your friends about us word of mouth is a powerful thing and that's it for this episode of dark poutine so until next time don't forget to be a good egg and not a bad apple not a bad yablaka no [Music] being a big brother house is like a dream come true for me mikes cameras competition are you ready to play big brother let's go are you ready this is big for a big summer oh my god i'm in love hi to my face we're coming for you i'm gonna burn this sucker to the ground poutine expect the unexpected what a game big brother new season wednesday july 17th on global Stream on Stack TV.
Episode 326: Between 1869 and 1948, over 100,000 children from the United Kingdom were sent to Canada and other British commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa as part of the British Home Children migration scheme. This movement was initiated to alleviate the burden of poverty and overcrowded workhouses in Britain by providing these children with opportunities abroad. However, the reality for many of these children was harsh.
In Canada, they were often placed with farm families where boys worked as labourers and girls as domestic servants. While some found caring homes, many others faced neglect, abuse, and exploitation. The children were frequently moved from one placement to another, leading to instability and a lack of proper education. Despite these hardships, many British Home Children contributed significantly to Canadian society, with some even enlisting in the military during the World Wars. Today, it is estimated that over ten percent of the Canadian population are descendants of these children, though many remain unaware of this heritage.
Sources:
British Home Children - Veterans Affairs Canada
Home Children - Government of Canada
Who are the British Home Children
Home Children Canada
BRITISH HOME CHILDREN IN CANADA
Home Children
Home Children Canada
Welcome to British Home Children Descendants
Barnardo Home Records
The British Home Children
The Victorian Workhouse
Home Children (1869-1930) - ArchiviaNet - Library and Archives Canada
Making the Canadian Flag
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
