A marriage and President of the cheese makers association

One of our more popular blogs entries on this website appears to be the story of William (14th February 2012). This was a boy of thirteen who was emigrated across to Canada and wrote back to the Refuge requesting for news of Nellie, a girl he fell in love with whilst in Styal Cottage Homes. As our audience seem to have a soft spot for all things romantic I thought I’d delve back into the archive and see what other stories of love could be found.

From 1872 until the beginning of World War I various children were emigrated across to Canada from Manchester. From the Marchmont Receiving Home they were then placed out with various farmers (and in some cases, clergymen) in the district.

Indenture, 1890s

Many of the farms were large and fairly isolated, making it difficult for the children to stay in touch with each other. Some however managed to maintain friendships, whilst others met children who had been emigrated from Manchester in earlier or later years.

Emigration report, 1914

 

One such chance meeting occurred between two home children, Thomas and Frances. As the report describes above, this union was between two ex-Refuge children who had met and married in Canada. Thomas had emigrated to Ontario in May 1906, having previously been at the charity’s Central Refuge on Francis Street. Fifteen year old Frances had sailed on the Tunisian in 1909 from the Cheetham Hill Homes.  

Thomas, 1914

Many of the children who had been emigrated married and had their own children in Canada. One boy Jesse, married his employee’s daughter, had four children and went on to own 275 acres of land and a motor car. He was a Trustee of the church, a member of the Township Council and President of the local cheese board! Pretty impressive in our eyes!