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Research in Other Countries => Canada => Canada Lookup Request => Topic started by: KarenM on Monday 01 May 06 15:31 BST (UK)
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Saw this newspaper article and thought it was interesting.....
The Winnipeg Free Press,
Dec 19, 1935, page 10
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Smith Now Finds he is named Palmer and has mother, sister
After having been known as Fred W. Smith since his boyhood days, a railway man at Vivian, Manitoba learned about a year ago that his name was not Smith at all, but Palmer. As a little child, Mr. Palmer had been placed in Dr. Barnardo's home in London, England. As such he came to Alberta, where he was placed with a farmer in Innisfail. He stayed there less than a year, ran away for cause and gradually drifted into Winnipeg, later to Lorette, in Manitoba, working at this latter place, a boy of twelve, and generally becoming known as Smith.
When the Grand Trunk commenced its operations in the Lorette district he entered its employ and later that of the Canadian Nationals railways. With the exception of one year he has worked for these two railway companies ever since.
Some time ago the Canadian National urge its employees to produce birth certificates. Palmer, who in the meantime had married and become the father of two daughters and one son, was now forced to probe into his past. He wrote to the Barnardo home for information regarding himself, and after a great deal of writing and investigating learned at last about a year ago not only his true name but also that he was three years younger than he had thought himself to be. He is 48 years old now.
He and his wife and children have assumed their true name and are now known by their real name. They have taken all necessary steps to legally effect this change. The birth certificates of all the children as well as the marriage certificate of one daughter have had to be changed and real estate transferred from Smith to Palmer.
One of the remarkable and pleasing incidents of Mr. Palmer's search for his own name in England has led to the discovery by him that his own mother and one sister, now married, are still alive in the Old Country. A lively correspondence has been the result.
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Karen
What a interesting story and heartwarming to learn that he found his true identity ,there is hope for us all who are still searching and hoping one day to have the same happy out come Thank you for posting that Karen
audrey
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It also makes you wonder how many other Home Children had their names (and birth dates) changed and didn't find out. Makes researching a little more difficult.
Jacquie
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What a great story! I have only began to wonder what "Home Children"must have gone through in many ways.
I just recently learned about Home Children researching my gmother from England. Before, I never even heard of these children.
Karen you helped me in my search for info. and Home Children.
Thanks Again! ;)
Darrin
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What a great story,not so for my grandfather who was a bernados boy,he went to his grave not knowing his true identy,but a least his decendents have found out and we now have extra family.
Cheers
Judy
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Hi that is a great story...touched my heart strings!!
Thanks for sharing it with us... :D
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. . . And Frederick W. Palmer is present in the RootsChat DBSIG BHC database if anyone would care to look.
alanmack
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Hi,
:'( for his beginnings and now ;D....heartwarming article.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
DB
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Thanks for sharing Karen.
A few years back now, I obtained the files on my two Warren Great Uncles from the National Children's Homes in the UK. They made for heart rending reading... A lot of what happened would now be classed as 'Child Abuse'...
I've never been able to trace what happened to them as adults, - although I believe that one of them followed his Mother and siblings to Australia...(As was so often the case, - their Mother was still alive, but their Father had died tragically).
Romilly.
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Just found this post while searching a few things on Canada before I post my query.
What a lovely story KarenM,
I think it brings home 'no pun intended' to us who think we were bad off that we were actually in a very good place.
Brought a wee tear to my eyes & made me feel so lucky to have known & been brought up with my true parents (both deceased now) until they separated when I was 11 yrs old.
I was brought up thereafter by my father, who's birthday would have been this coming Sunday, 11th Dec but sadly passed away (almost 10 yrs ago to the date of your post, 1st May 2006).
My father passed away 16th May 2006.
Your post will certainly help others with finding out their families' true identities.
Annie