Sailed for Canada

The emigration of children to Canada by the charity then known as 'Manchester and Salford Refuges and Homes' has been well documented in this blog and looking through the admission books the number of entries which end 'Sailed for Canada' demonstrates how emigration was an important part of the charity's work from 1872 until the charity ended the practice in 1914.

Seen by many charities at the time as a cost efficient way of offering poor and orphaned children a new life, the practice also offered a solution to the demand for farm and domestic labour in Canada. While the admission books frequently refer to emigration being at the child's own request, it's hard to imagine that many of the children who made the journey understood what they were signing up to. The difficult circumstances of these children's lives however mean it's easy to understand why the hope of a new life was so tempting.

I've concentrated my attention so far on those that left for Canada in 1889 when the charity's annual report explains 96 children were emigrated. These numbers would only increase in future years as the 1899 annual report makes clear:

Three groups sailed in 1889, the first group of boys on the SS Vancouver on 21 March; the day before having had their photo taken to commemorate the event:

This farewell gathering is referred to in the charity's magazine, The Christian Worker:

Received at the Marchmont Home in Belleville, Ontario the children would reside here until a suitable home and job was found. The Christian Worker magazine later reported the first group of  boys arrived in 1889 safe and well, 'nearly all' being placed in 'good farm houses where their prospects are excellent.' A second group of boys followed on 4 May 1889 on SS Montreal, followed by 26 girls on 13 June 1889. The Christian Worker noted that for each girl emigrated, there were at least 3 applications from Canadian individuals or families, indicating the high demand for labour.

Of those 96 emigrated in 1889 was George aged 10, an orphan, admitted to the Refuge in June 1888 after his guardian had so ill-treated him she has been imprisoned for 14 days. Elizabeth sailed in June 1889 aged 9, she had been living with her Grandmother who was now too ill to take care of her. Elizabeth was described on admission to the charity in October 1888 as 'much neglected in every respect.' Herbert emigrated in March 1889 at aged 16, he had had to leave his job as a Lathe at a machine shop due to poor eyesight with a Doctor recommending a, 'change of climate.'

Once emigrated reports were made on the children's progress to send back to the charity. The charity magazine in an effort to encourage donations included extracts of letters received from Canada which highlighted positive experiences, such as the following from The Christian Worker in September 1888:

While many children over the years made Canada their home, not all settled and there are examples of young people returning to Manchester. The contrast between life in Canada compared to that of Manchester must have been something of a culture shock for those making the journey. There are so many different emigration experiences to uncover in the archive that I suspect I'll continue to be fascinated by them for some time yet.