Things became worse for the frightened child when boiling water was accidentally spilled on his feet during the voyage, causing him terrible pain and scarring him for life.
After arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax he travelled by train, then horse and buggy, to his new home in New Annan.
Bell was one of more than 100,000 British Home Children sent from Britain to Canada between 1869 and the late 1930s. They were sent by charitable organizations because it was believed that orphaned, abandoned and poor children would have a better chance for a good life in Canada. Many were placed with families who wanted cheap labour and some were not treated well. Bell was one of the lucky ones.
“He remembered that when his new family – the Bells – picked him up at the train station there was a big bag of candy,” said his daughter, Susan Mosher.
She said Mrs. Bell treated William like a son but when Mr. Bell was upset, he would remind the child he was only there because his (Canadian) mother wanted a boy.
“A lot of people didn’t treat the children well,” said Mosher. “They were called gutter trash and stupid.”
The paper on Bell’s situation when he was taken into care describes him as a “chubby little boy poorly clad” and states his parents were destitute.
When he was nine, his birth mother sent him a letter, but it was never given to him. His birth mother was provided with a photo of him and Mosher still has the letter of thanks she wrote in response.
After growing up, Bell started Bell’s Transport, raised a family and was active in his community. He entertained many people as a member of the Bible Hill Swingsters and attended British Home Child reunions until his death, at the age of 88, in 2005.
Mosher’s grandfather on her mother’s side, John Birch, was also a British Home Child, but he was not as lucky with a new home. He was sent over when he was about 12 and placed on a farm at Brookfield. He was forced to walk about 15 miles in bare feet to take sheep to a slaughterhouse, was whipped when the family he was placed with was unhappy with him and had to sleep in a barn. He bore scars from the whip his entire life.
“This is part of history and people should know about it,” added Mosher. “This involved a lot of children but most people don’t know it happened.”
Upcoming events
– The British Home Children and Descendants Association is holding its 14th annual reunion at Bible Hill Junior High School on Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and anyone interested in learning more is invited to attend. Special guest will be Ken Bagnell, author of “The Little Immigrants.”
– British Home Child Day is being marked at the Grace Jollymore Joyce Arts Centre, 31 Creamery Road, Tatamagouche on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 1-4 p.m. Members of the association will be on hand to answer questions and help people find out if their ancestors were home children.
For more information contact Catherine West at 902-384-2097 or [email protected] or Gail Bennett at 902-435-3376 or [email protected].
Things became worse for the frightened child when boiling water was accidentally spilled on his feet during the voyage, causing him terrible pain and scarring him for life.
After arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax he travelled by train, then horse and buggy, to his new home in New Annan.
Bell was one of more than 100,000 British Home Children sent from Britain to Canada between 1869 and the late 1930s. They were sent by charitable organizations because it was believed that orphaned, abandoned and poor children would have a better chance for a good life in Canada. Many were placed with families who wanted cheap labour and some were not treated well. Bell was one of the lucky ones.
“He remembered that when his new family – the Bells – picked him up at the train station there was a big bag of candy,” said his daughter, Susan Mosher.
She said Mrs. Bell treated William like a son but when Mr. Bell was upset, he would remind the child he was only there because his (Canadian) mother wanted a boy.
“A lot of people didn’t treat the children well,” said Mosher. “They were called gutter trash and stupid.”
The paper on Bell’s situation when he was taken into care describes him as a “chubby little boy poorly clad” and states his parents were destitute.
When he was nine, his birth mother sent him a letter, but it was never given to him. His birth mother was provided with a photo of him and Mosher still has the letter of thanks she wrote in response.
After growing up, Bell started Bell’s Transport, raised a family and was active in his community. He entertained many people as a member of the Bible Hill Swingsters and attended British Home Child reunions until his death, at the age of 88, in 2005.
Mosher’s grandfather on her mother’s side, John Birch, was also a British Home Child, but he was not as lucky with a new home. He was sent over when he was about 12 and placed on a farm at Brookfield. He was forced to walk about 15 miles in bare feet to take sheep to a slaughterhouse, was whipped when the family he was placed with was unhappy with him and had to sleep in a barn. He bore scars from the whip his entire life.
“This is part of history and people should know about it,” added Mosher. “This involved a lot of children but most people don’t know it happened.”
Upcoming events
– The British Home Children and Descendants Association is holding its 14th annual reunion at Bible Hill Junior High School on Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and anyone interested in learning more is invited to attend. Special guest will be Ken Bagnell, author of “The Little Immigrants.”
– British Home Child Day is being marked at the Grace Jollymore Joyce Arts Centre, 31 Creamery Road, Tatamagouche on Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 1-4 p.m. Members of the association will be on hand to answer questions and help people find out if their ancestors were home children.
For more information contact Catherine West at 902-384-2097 or [email protected] or Gail Bennett at 902-435-3376 or [email protected].
