It’s British Home Child Day in Canada. A day to recognize the over 100,000 British Home Children who were brought to Canada.
Between 1869 and the late 1930s Home Children were sent to Canada from England. Some had been orphaned or abandoned, but some were simply poor, living in tough conditions with their parents in workhouses.
Philanthropic organizations and churches sent these children to Canada. And once they arrived by ship, some arriving through Pier 21, they were sent to distributing and receiving homes.
Although some children ended up with better lives than before, many ended up working as farm labour, or as domestic help, and many were poorly treated and abused. And many Home Children served with the British and Canadian Forces during both World Wars!