An Error in transription or Spooky coincidence?

[llysfaen]

Hello, all.

My late grandmother, Charlotte Evans, was born in Liverpool, here in UK in 1896 was sent to Canada when she was 11,  around 1907 (probably as part of the Home Children scheme), and returned to the UK eight years later.

My mother recalls her saying in later life that  she worked at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal at some point whilst she was there.

I have searched the Census for 1901, but it is far from complete and I drew a blank there.
I did the same for the 1911 Census, and still drew a blank.

However, when I searched the Home Children database, it returned the following:
------------------------
    Home Children
------------------------
EVANS , Charlotte
 Age: 11 
Sex: F 
Year of arrival: 1880 
Microfilm reel: C-4530 
Ship: Sarmatian 
Port of departure: Liverpool 
Departure Date: 10 Jun 1880 
Port of arrival: Quebec 
Arrival Date: 21 Jun 1880 
Party: Miss Rye's 
Destination: Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario 
Comments: Difficult to read 
Note: The child's surname was illegible or difficult to decipher.
Reference: RG76 C 1 a 
--------------------------------------

My heart skipped several beats!

Charlotte Evans!
From Liverpool!
Aged 11 !

But, sadly, the year is 1880, whereas Charlotte was not born until 1896.

Is it possible that the date was not transcribed correctly?
Or is it, as I suspect, just a spooky coincidence?

How can I find out for certain?

..... Steven.

[jorose]

An coincidence, I suspect.  She wouldn't necessarily have been from 'Liverpool', Liverpool was one of the major ports and probably a good half of the Home Children left via there, if not more.  I think this might be yours, as she's actually headed for Quebec:

C. Evans
 Age:    12
 Year of arrival:    1909
 Microfilm reel:    T-4734
 Ship:    Corsican
 Port of departure:    Liverpool
 Departure Date:    19 Feb 1909
 Port of arrival:    Halifax
 Arrival Date:    27 Feb 1909
 Party:    Mrs Birt
 Destination:    Knowlton, Que

(Knowlton is one of the areas that is not fully transcribed in 1911 yet, also.)

There's in the 1881 census in Tecumseth, Simcoe South, Ontario, a 'Lottie Evans', 10, b. England, a servant to Robert Banting and family, who I think is likely to be the 1880 arrival you found.  (1881 is on www.familysearch.org ) 

[katherinem]

Hi Steven,

Do you know anything about Charlotte's siblings, parents names etc?  I had a look on the 1901 census and there is a Charlotte Evans, in the Liverpool Workhouse, born c1896.

Kath

[llysfaen]

Thank you very much indeed, Jorose and Cath!

Jorose:
            I shall enter those details as the most likely to be hers.
Thank you so very much for your efforts on my (and Charlottes) behalf!

Kath:
            I looked at the Workhouse record you describe, and called my mother, who recalls Charlotte relating her experiences as a child, in poverty in Liverpool.

Charlotte was indeed in that Workhouse during her childhood.

Her mother, Suzy Evans (Susan?), was often in trouble with various authorities, and Charlotte's father abandoned the family at some point in her early childhood.

There is also listed at the Workhouse a certain Susan Evans, aged 30, an unmarried domestic servant. (could this be her mother Suzy?).

As for Charlotte's siblings, my mother recalls Jacky, Bobby, Tommy and Mary, so John or James (usually), Robert, Thomas and Mary.
She does not know if those were all.

The only other information that my mother can recall regarding Charlotte's years in Canada is that she was living/working on a farm belonging to Mr MacDonald (sp?), and worked for a time at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Thank you for your interest and assistance, Kath...
..... Steven.

[jorose]

http://ist.uwaterloo.ca/~marj/genealogy/children/Organizations/birt.html - information on Mrs Birt, it seems Barnados now hold the records and may be able to give you more information.  The Liverpool Records Office probably have the workhouse records.

[llysfaen]

Thank you, Jorose!

I shall look into both.

..... Steven.

[katherinem]

Hi Steven,

Did you also notice at the Liverpool Workhouse in 1901 there is a 1 year old boy called Robert Evans (could be your Bobby).

There is a great website about workhouses, and it has Liverpool Workhouse listed at:

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/Liverpool/Liverpool.shtml

Good luck in your research.

Kath

[llysfaen]

Ooh! I missed him!
Thank you for that and for the link to the Workhouses, Kath!

You have been most kind, and I truly appreciate it!

..... Steven.

[llysfaen]

Having searched more thoroughly for Charlotte's siblings, with the premise that her mother Suzy was the Susan Evans, 30,  in the Workhouse, I have come up with the following potential family names...

1901 Census:
            Thomas    Evans age 8  Pauper/Inmate  Liverpool Kirkdale Industrial School  B/P Liverpool
            Thomas    Evans age 7  Pauper/Inmate  Liverpool Kirkdale Industrial School  B/P Liverpool
            Charlotte  Evans age 5  Inmate              Liverpool District Workhouse            B/P Not Known
            Mary         Evans age 3  Inmate              Liverpool Toxteth Park Workhouse   B/P Not Known
            Robert      Evans age 1  Inmate              Liverpool District Workhouse            B/P Not Known

I shall look for their births, and if found, send for birth certificates, in the hope that Suzy is the mother.

Again, thank you, both, for your interest and help...
..... Steven.