Locating Your Forgotten Children - British Home Children in Canada (BONUS webinar for subscribers)
Mike Quackenbush
About this webinar
For seventy years (1869-1939) over 100,000 destitute children were sent from British streets and orphanages to Canada to become domestic help and farm hands. With over fifty sending agencies, these children were primarily placed in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, among other locations. One in ten Canadian's are now descendants of Home Children. This program is an unknown piece of relatively recent history in Canada. We will learn about the program itself, and how to go about locating records and identifying if an ancestor was British Home Child sent to Canada.
About the speaker
Mike Quackenbush is an experienced genealogist with over 13 years of research in mixed mediums of both online and offline archives and repositories. With first-hand experience, Mike is knowledgeable i...
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Comments (3)
Today, April 9th, 2026, I just watch this very interesting webinar. Three weeks ago, while I was searching for my granddaughter’s ancestor, I came across a young boy from England, place in the St.Andrew institute and who came in Canada 1913. I was so stunned to hear about this since I have never knew that had happened. So doing some research on the web, I found the site of The Children’s Society and found the boy. I got in contact with the Society and the archivist tells me that I could get the boy’s file (that needs to be scanned) but it has a price of 50$ (British currency). I got the information today and they only accept cheque… so not as simple as the use of a credit card. But after watching this webinar, I will take a look in LAC if there could be a file that I can get from them instead. Thank you so much for all this information and good work you did!
Today is May 30, 2024. I first learned about "Home Children" 3 weeks ago when I attended a Alberta Genealogical Society (CANADA) day conference. Since then this is my 4th learning reference on the home Children topic. I am interested to find out if any of my ancestors are home children, and as I research will keep a look out for such children. This is a very informative webinar and Mike Quackenbush presented his information very nicely. Most of the other sources I have seen really dwell on the negative impacts that the home child program had on the children that came to Canada. I would love to see another webinar from Mike, and see if he has any updates on this lecture as it was 9+ years ago he presented this topic.
Today is 15 October 2021. I just came across this Webinar by Mike Quackenbush. I know a few facts about my paternal grandmother, LuLu Squires, who along with her sister Amy, came as a Home Child in 1912. Their father died from a brief illness at 33 years and their mother could not take care of all of her 6 children. The two youngest were in an orphanage and ended up coming to Canada. With the tools that Mike has presented, I shall endeavor to find the English ancestors and perhaps find, now living relatives. There are others in my circle of Canadian cousins, who have Home Children in their lines. I shall work with them to help connect with their missing family. This was truly a great webinar. Sincerely, PDG nee Longhurst, San Diego, California.