In the 19th and 20th centuries, thousands of British children—often from poor or orphaned backgrounds—were sent to Canada in the hopes of providing them with better living conditions and opportunities. Find out if your ancestor was one of them and uncover details of their placement, behaviour, condition, and roles they played in Canadian society as well as context surrounding this movement.
In the 19th and 20th centuries, thousands of British children—often from poor or orphaned backgrounds—were sent to Canada in the hopes of providing them with better living conditions and opportunities. Find out if your ancestor was one of them and uncover details of their placement, behaviour, condition, and roles they played in Canadian society as well as context surrounding this movement.
The Local Government Board, Boarded-Out Children and Home Children Sent to Canada is a collection of records documenting the migration of children from Britain to Canada during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These children, often from poor or disadvantaged backgrounds, were placed in Canadian homes as part of a broader initiative to provide them with better opportunities. The program, facilitated by the British government and various charitable organizations, aimed to alleviate poverty in the UK by sending children to work and live in rural Canadian households.
The records contain details about the children who were "boarded out" (placed with families in Britain) before being sent to Canada, including their personal information, the arrangements made for their care, and the outcomes of their emigration. This collection sheds light on the social policies of the time, the experiences of these children, and the challenges of immigration and child welfare. It is a valuable resource for those researching family history, immigration patterns, and the history of child migration between the UK and Canada.