LONDON-L Archives

Archiver > LONDON > 1999-02 > 0920145241


From: "Louise Croyden" <>
Subject: Home Children from UK to Canada
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 14:54:01 -0500


Hello all,

My grandmother, Bernice Louise Willett (name later changed to Beatrice
Louise Willett Hebden) was born at 35 Lucey Rd, Bermondsey, Saint James,
Surrey County, England on 14 April 1873. Her parents were married in 1862
at "the Church in the Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark, County of
Surrey".

Her father, Alfred Willett, died on 23 April 1877 and Bernice and her
sister, Annie Elizabeth, were taken from their mother and brother and, sent
to Canada. According to family stories, their mother, Emily (Layland)
Willett was ill and not expected to live.

There have been two stories about how the girls were brought to Canada: In
one, they were brought over by relatives and were left at an Orphanage in
Niagara, Ontario, Canada; In the other, their mother sent them to Canada to
friends. I have a suspicion that they may have been sent by some social
agency in England and possibly my grandmother was not told that.

I would appreciate help with the following:

1) What agency in the Bermondsey area would likely have removed the children
from the family?

2) How long did a trip by ship take in 1877? We found a notation that
Bernice Louise arrived at her final destination in Brantford, Ontario,
Canada on
03 December 1877.

One ship, the Sardinian, left Britain on 21 July 1877 and landed at the Port
of Quebec. A Miss Macpherson was in charge of 49 children and 7 infants.

There was another ship, the Moravian, which left Britain, 25 Aug 1877and
landed
at the Port of Quebec. There was a Miss Maria Rye on this ship bringing 19
children and 2 infants to Canada. Maria Rye had established a home for
children at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Would someone be able to give me an approximate arrival date at the Port of
Quebec for each of these ships? I am trying to determine which one they may
have been on.

Does anyone have information about the agencies in England with which the
two women, mentioned above, were connected?

Any assistance appreciated.

Sincerely,

Louise Croyden
Burlington, Ontario, Canada

This thread: