Nation Builders: Barnardo Children in Canada

Patricia Fenton is chair of the Adoption Council of Ontario.

As the direct result of Dr. Thomas Barnardo’s vision and good
intentions, tens of thousands of destitute and homeless British children
immigrated to Canada between 1868 and 1939. Drawing on archival records
and personal accounts, Gail Corbett presents a vivid picture of this
chapter in British and Canadian history. She begins by discussing the
rationale for the Barnardo Children program (life in Canada, it was
felt, would provide greater opportunities for the children). The
first-person accounts of Barnardo children describe the harsh realities
of child labor, physical and sexual abuse, seasickness and homesickness,
multiple moves, and discrimination. At the same time, some former
Barnardo children expressed gratitude to Dr. Barnardo for his work,
while others reunited with their original families. This book gives
these pioneers an important (and well-deserved) place in Canadian
history.