4 Where Money Grows on Trees 1870

In 1618, Britain began sending children to countries they had colonised. At that time, 100 children who were poor, or abandoned by their parents, or orphaned when their parents died, were taken off the streets and sent to Virginia, USA. Over the next 350 years, British children were sent to South Africa, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand to work.

When countries that were growing started to need more workers, some children were even kidnapped. They were stolen from the streets and made to go to the USA to work. The British government then stopped child immigration for some time. However, there were still poor children who did not have a home. Many of them were dying in the streets.

Annie MacPherson wanted to help. She worked with poor children in London, England, in the 1860's. She was very upset that these children were treated so badly in factories that made matches. British children had always worked throughout history. However, in the past they lived with their parents and worked on the family farm; as a maid; in training for a job; sewing, etc.

Things changed in England during the industrial revolution. Many large factories were built and many workers were needed. Orphaned children were made to work there. They were given a place to live and food to eat, but they did not get any money, so they could never leave. Also, the factories were unhealthy, unsafe and the work was very hard and often dangerous.

In the matchbox factory, Annie saw that the children, who worked there, were just the same as slaves. Annie bought a large workshop. She brought children there to learn. She gave them food and clothing and an education. But at that time there were very many children who were poor and needed better care. Annie thought that sending these children to growing countries would be best for them.

In 1870, Annie sent 500 children to Canada who had been trained in her workshop. She opened two homes in Ontario, Canada, to receive children that she would send from London. Annie's sister, Louisa, opened a third home in Quebec. By the time she had finished, Annie had sent about 14,000 needy children to homes in Canada.

Annie was not the only person trying to help. There were many charities in Britain sending children to Canada, mostly from Scotland and England. Maria Rye also took children to Canada that she found living in the streets of London or in workhouses. These children aged 3 to 16 years and were mostly girls. She trained them to be maids and placed them in good homes in Canada. She continued her work for 25 years and helped more than 4,000 find a home.

MORE THAN 4,000 BRITISH ORPHANS WERE SENT TO CANADA TO WORK

Although the British Home Child program was trying to help needy British children find a good life, it was not always successful. Many of the children were sent to loving homes, but others were used as cheap workers and they were overworked. Some were not sent to school and some were kept from playing with Canadian children. Once the children were placed in homes, no one checked on them, so many were not cared for or loved. Home children often ran away. Some lucky ones did find a loving family to take them in or had easier work.

The British Home Child program was only for children without parents or children whose parents were so poor that they couldn't care for them. Those parents left their children on the street. However, now we know that only about 2% were actually orphans. Colonised countries needed so many workers that many children who worked in factories and had parents were shipped there. Often the children were told their mothers and fathers had died so they would agree to leave Britain. People thought that living in the clean air on a Canadian farm and eating fresh food was better than living on the dirty streets of London or working in a factory. The children were told that in Canada money grew on trees so they would want to go.

Sometimes poor British parents put their children in homes that could feed them until these parents got some money to bring their children back home. Sometimes British parents got sick and couldn't care for their children for a short time. When the parents got better and returned to get their children they found that their children had been sent to Canada or another country. Because of the British Home Child program, many families never saw each other again.

For every child that arrived in Canada, at least seven people asked to have them come live and work on their farms. Children were separated from their brothers or sisters.They were sent to their new homes with a cardboard sign around their necks, with their new address. They would be met off the train and taken to their Canadian homes.

When home children became adults, they settled in Canada and had families. About 10% of people living in Canada today are the children of these immigrants. Some boys went into the army so they would be sent back to Britain. They hoped they would find their families during the war. These days, some home children are still looking for their brothers, sisters or other family members who live in Britain.

The British Home Child program lasted from 1618 to the late 1960s. Canada named 2010 the “Year of the British Home Child.” The province of Ontario remembers the home children on September 28th each year. This is British Home Child Day when Canadians honour the children who settled in Ontario and helped to make it a successful province.