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Optional Print Course Material: Research: Child Migration from Britain
*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.
This course provides an overview of the history of child migration from Britain and an introduction to the records that can be accessed to research them. Britain has a very long history of exporting children. Child migration from Britain occurred over a period of nearly 350 years through various private and government sponsored emigration schemes.
This course is a good starting point for anyone who knows, or even suspects, that they have a British child migrant ancestor in their family tree. Children were sent to the American Colonies, the West Indies, Australia, Canada, Southern Rhodesia, South Africa and New Zealand. The major recipients of children, based upon numbers, were Canada and Australia.
The course is structured to address research in each of the receiving countries, in Britain and from the sending agencies themselves. The course concludes with a case study which uses a child who migrated to Canada during a time period when child migration to Canada was near its peak.
Course Length: 7 weeks
MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION TO CHILD MIGRATION FROM BRITAIN
Introduction
Overview of Child Migration from Britain
Social Conditions
Agencies
Evolution
Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB)
The Voyage
Research Strategy
MODULE 2
CANADIAN RESEARCH
Canadian Research Sources
Immigration Records
Government Inspection Reports
Central Registry Files
Closed Files
Library and Archives Canada/British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa Home Child Database
Other Canadian Sources
Records of the First World War - Canadian Expeditionary Force
1940 National Registration
Library and Archives Canada (LAC)
Home Children Canada
MODULE 3
AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & SOUTHERN RHODESIA RESEARCH
Australian Research Sources
Immigration Records
Passenger Lists
Citizenship Records
Migrant Selection Documents
Other Records
New Zealand Research Sources
Passenger Lists
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Probate Records
Southern Rhodesia Research Sources
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Additional Resources
MODULE 4
BRITISH RESEARCH
British Research Sources
British Ships Passenger Lists
British Poor Law Records
Civil Registration
Census Records
Parish Registers
Probate Records
Electoral Registers
Directories
Additional Resources
MODULE 5
AGENCIES & AGENCY RECORDS
Barnardo’s Homes
Macpherson Homes
Catholic Emigration
Quarriers
Liverpool Sheltering Homes
Middlemore Homes
Maria Rye
National Children’s Home
Fegan’s Homes
Church of England Waifs and Strays Society
Fairbridge Society
Contacting an Agency
MODULE 6
CASE STUDY
History of a Child Migrant