Albert was one of more than 100,000 children sent to Canada between 1869 and the late 1930s to begin new lives. There was a belief that orphaned, abandoned and poor children would have a better chance for a good life in Canada and they were sent over by churches and other charitable organizations.
Many families took in children so they would have cheap labour on farms and in their homes. Some were treated well, while others were abused.
"My grandfather ran away from the farm where he was first placed several times," said Albert's granddaughter Catherine West. "Children were sometimes no more than slaves and the man he was with used to whip him for carelessness."
Albert had been placed on a farm in New Brunswick by The Middlemore Home, and representatives would prepare reports on how children were doing. A report on Albert states: "Mr. Foster says he is doing pretty well, has had to whip him some for carelessness and stubbornness."
It adds that there are rumours about the boy being badly treated but "Don't think there is anything in it."
When he was 17 Albert found a new farm where he could live and work comfortably. He later enlisted in the 104th Battalion and went overseas.
West said after returning from war and leaving the army her grandfather moved to Truro and lived on King Street for a few years before relocating to Halifax.
West never got to know him as well as she would have liked; when she was eight, he was killed, one of three men who drowned when a Navy yard craft collided with a Halifax-Dartmouth ferry during thick fog in November 1954.
"I didn't know he had been a home child until I was an adult," said West. "I wrote away for information on him and his sister in 2002 and was fascinated by their stories."
Reports on Nellie show that she was first placed in a home at the age of 13. She did not do well in any of the homes where she was placed.
One of the complaints about her stated: "Girl has developed a taste for wanting to dress too smartly."
A later report stated that: "Nellie was returned to the home, former mistress complaining that girl was impossible to manage. Nellie has a very bad temper, and if scolded will slam doors, break dishes and throw and bang things around."
Nellie later married and had four daughters. She died at the age of 54 after what her obituary stated was a "protracted illness."
Many of the British Home Children lived much longer than the Websters and some attended reunions.
"The last one that I know of died recently, at the age of 103," said West. "These people may no longer be around but their descendants make up about 12 per cent of the population. This is something near and dear to my heart and I think people should know about it.
"What they went through isn't well known but the children were often made to feel like dirt. There were cartoons showing them being swept up in the gutters and they were referred to as ‘street offal.'
The UK apologized for what was done to these children in 2010. "Canada has never apologized and I don't think that's important now as most, or all, of those children are now dead. What I do want is acknowledgement of what took place and for records to be fully accessible."
West is now the chair of the British Home Children and Descendants Association, which has placed benches and planted trees at various locations, including Victoria Park, in memory of the home children.
The association is holding a reunion at Bible Hill Junior High School on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Anyone wishing more information on the event can contact West at [email protected] or 902-384-2097.
Albert was one of more than 100,000 children sent to Canada between 1869 and the late 1930s to begin new lives. There was a belief that orphaned, abandoned and poor children would have a better chance for a good life in Canada and they were sent over by churches and other charitable organizations.
Many families took in children so they would have cheap labour on farms and in their homes. Some were treated well, while others were abused.
"My grandfather ran away from the farm where he was first placed several times," said Albert's granddaughter Catherine West. "Children were sometimes no more than slaves and the man he was with used to whip him for carelessness."
Albert had been placed on a farm in New Brunswick by The Middlemore Home, and representatives would prepare reports on how children were doing. A report on Albert states: "Mr. Foster says he is doing pretty well, has had to whip him some for carelessness and stubbornness."
It adds that there are rumours about the boy being badly treated but "Don't think there is anything in it."
When he was 17 Albert found a new farm where he could live and work comfortably. He later enlisted in the 104th Battalion and went overseas.
West said after returning from war and leaving the army her grandfather moved to Truro and lived on King Street for a few years before relocating to Halifax.
West never got to know him as well as she would have liked; when she was eight, he was killed, one of three men who drowned when a Navy yard craft collided with a Halifax-Dartmouth ferry during thick fog in November 1954.
"I didn't know he had been a home child until I was an adult," said West. "I wrote away for information on him and his sister in 2002 and was fascinated by their stories."
Reports on Nellie show that she was first placed in a home at the age of 13. She did not do well in any of the homes where she was placed.
One of the complaints about her stated: "Girl has developed a taste for wanting to dress too smartly."
A later report stated that: "Nellie was returned to the home, former mistress complaining that girl was impossible to manage. Nellie has a very bad temper, and if scolded will slam doors, break dishes and throw and bang things around."
Nellie later married and had four daughters. She died at the age of 54 after what her obituary stated was a "protracted illness."
Many of the British Home Children lived much longer than the Websters and some attended reunions.
"The last one that I know of died recently, at the age of 103," said West. "These people may no longer be around but their descendants make up about 12 per cent of the population. This is something near and dear to my heart and I think people should know about it.
"What they went through isn't well known but the children were often made to feel like dirt. There were cartoons showing them being swept up in the gutters and they were referred to as ‘street offal.'
The UK apologized for what was done to these children in 2010. "Canada has never apologized and I don't think that's important now as most, or all, of those children are now dead. What I do want is acknowledgement of what took place and for records to be fully accessible."
West is now the chair of the British Home Children and Descendants Association, which has placed benches and planted trees at various locations, including Victoria Park, in memory of the home children.
The association is holding a reunion at Bible Hill Junior High School on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Anyone wishing more information on the event can contact West at [email protected] or 902-384-2097.