My uncle John Kaye born in the early 1900’s was so he always told me brought up by nuns. He used to tell me when I was young, that on a Sunday the children were marched down the road to the church and each given a ‘token’ by the priests of nuns for attending. He also told me that he used to put the ‘token’ into the chocolate machine when no one was watching!.
Well, uncle John also said that he was sent to Canada when young – he told so many other stories, many about gnomes and fairies living in their garden that it was hard to sort out the truth from the tales. He also said his middle name was Campbell. Well, sorry uncle, but I took that with a pinch of salt too. I am pleased to say that the Canada story was true, as I found him being sent out when 14 years of age. The stories said that he worked across the three large states – Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. but no proof of that yet. I did however, find him coming back to blighty aged 21.
Now, uncle John was a regular soldier, who achieved the rank of RSM. He served in Africa and in Burma. He also said he was a Commando and trained at Achnacarry. I do know that he was very proud of the dagger and snake tattoo on his calf, and also the piper on his chest.
But I digress, uncle John was one of many young children sent to Canada, where some were welcomed into a new family but many other were treated as slave labour and mistreated.
There is a Rootsweb mailing list for British Home Children – you can either join or view the archives here
or you can visit the following websites
Wikipedia entry for Home Children
Canada National Archives – Home Children
British Home Children Descendants
British Home Children in Canada 1869 – 1930
But, don’t forget that children were also sent to Australia