Early Beginnings
Although the Home Child movement officially started in 1869, it was part of a much larger 17 century English tradition of bringing minors without guardians over to the colonies. The Home Children movement’s peak lasted from 1869 to 1933 when approximately 150,000 children were sent to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Canada was the destination for many of these children, because it was the closest to Britain – and thus had the shortest and least expensive trip – and the highest demand for workers. The first party of Home Children sent to Canada was a group of 50 young girls from Liverpool’s Kirkdale Workhouse, who arrived under the supervision of Maria S. Rye in November 1869. They landed in Quebec and went to a receiving home in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Who were the Home Children?
In Great Britain, there were two categories of children eligible for emigration:
"Paupers" (or legal wards of the Poor Law Union Workhouses)
Children living on the streets.
Children from workhouses often came from families who fell on extremely difficult times, whereas the street children, who often suffered from a criminal stigma, were found on the streets of large cities like London fending for themselves.
By the time the children made it two Canada, the distinction between the two categories blurred and disappeared.
What was life like for Home Children?
During the 1870s, Home Children were not seen as any different than those they were placed amongst. However, by the 1890s, public opinion had shifted, and instead, they were seen as the children that England wanted to get rid of and were considered to be a threat to the morals of young Canadians and the future Canadian society. This alienated children, and forced them into an environment where they were met with suspicion and hostility from adults and other children alike. By 1911, the term “Home Child” carried a stigma implying second class citizenship.
When a Home Child arrived in Canada, they were first sent to a distributing home or a local orphanage before being sent out to a contract. It was suggested that siblings be kept together, or at least in close proximity to one another, however this was rarely achieved.
Although some children were brought over for adoption purposes, the majority were needed to help fill the labour shortage needed on farms. Usually, only children 9 years of age or younger were advertised as being available for adoption, and after that, they were given contracts of indenture until they reached 18.
Because they were brought over as workers, few Canadians showed any particular interest in the children as persons; they did not necessarily concern themselves with the child’s emotional wellbeing, and were more interested in the child’s capacity to contribute to the household’s labour output.
It’s important to keep in mind that during this time, Canadian child-rearing theory focused more on the child’s physical wellbeing and schooling than their emotional well-being.
How were Home Children treated?
Most children’s contracts contained clauses that required them to be housed, fed, clothed, and given access to educational and religious resources until they were 14, and employment until they were 18. The schooling requirement was often a point of contention for the contract holders, who had asked for the child because they needed help with labour. Contract holders did received monthly allowances for the expenses they incurred relating to the Home Children.
The physically demanding nature of the contracts meant that many of the children had great difficulty with or were unable to accomplish their tasks. Because of the adverse conditions the children grew up in, many were small for their age, and prone to illnesses.
This resulted in many of them being “returned” to the distribution center to be reassigned.
The Agencies did try and find a suitable match: applicants required a letter of recommendation from a minister or person of assumed responsibility, as well as two references who could be contacted to vouch for the applicant’s disposition and personal habits. Unfortunately, government officials who looked into the agencies’ practices found that these efforts, although admirable, were rarely sufficient to protect the children.
Some children were placed with families who treated them kindly, and were generally concerned for their well-being. In rare cases, children were even fully adopted and integrated into the family. However, this was not the case for the majority of children. Many were overworked, forced to live in conditions similar or worse to those they had left England to escape, and many were subjected to different forms of abuse. For many, the reality of their childhoods was being moved from one contract to the next, running away, and enduring abuse and neglect.