British Home Children
Between 1869 and the 1940's nearly 150,000 children were shipped to Canada, South Africa and Australia (mostly to those last two countries between 1920s and 1970s). Many were not orphans but were deserted or sent without parental consent.
Listed below are the best sites to use if you have a child in your tree who you cannot find a death for, or have lost complete track of. These sites can also point you in the direction of other useful sites.
There are many children in the database who were born and sent in between censuses so do not appear on any UK Census so it is worth searching the database even if you do not have a missing ancestor as you may find a relative that you did not know existed.
Some children came back to England once they reached adulthood or to join up in WW1 so even though they may have married or died here in the United Kingdom, it does not mean they were not sent out as a child.
If you have questions please Private Message George. This is a genealogy subject which is close to George's heart. Some time ago she met the grandson of her home child which was a wonderful moment after searching for so long.
There are now nearly 3000 children in the database on Britishhomechildren.org site, many are unclaimed. Children are being added on a daily basis by volunteers. Is your relative one of the unclaimed?
Links
Further Reading
Empty Cradles by Margaret Humphreys IBSN 0-552-14164-X
The secrets of the lost children of Britain may never have been revealed if it had not been for the actions of Margaret Humphreys - The Sunday Times
It is a Story That Defies Belief - The Independent
A Modern Florence Nightingale - Sydney Morning Herald
'New Lives for Old' by Roger Kershaw and Janet Sacks
'Lost Children of the Empire' by Phillip Bean and Joy Melville
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