Author Topic: how old to emigrate  (Read 1666 times)

Offline aem lanarkshire

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 24
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
how old to emigrate
« on: Wednesday 22 April 09 17:56 BST (UK) »

I have discovered two of gransfathers sisters emigrated to Canada in the early twenties, the elder of the two, married in Toronto in 1923 aged 26 and the witness to the wedding was her 18 year old sister, no other family went to Canada.  So far I have been unable to find details of them leaving, can anyone tell me what the official age was for someone to emigrate and also any likely reason why two young girls would have left Motherwell, Scotland to go to Toronto???

Bouncing Emails

MUIR ~ MOTHERWELL   MCCLURG  ~  MOTHERWELL     BLUNN ~ MOTHERWELL
CROWLEY, RUTHERFORD, FELLOWS, ALLAN

Offline jorose

  • Global Moderator
  • RootsChat Marquessate
  • ********
  • Posts: 9,746
    • View Profile
Re: how old to emigrate
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 23 April 09 11:58 BST (UK) »
Most likely, I think, if two young women went to Canada, one maybe 17/18, one in her early 20s, they would have gone under some sort of domestic program in which immigration agents found them work in Canada and brought them over specifically to fill positions (housemaid, nanny, that kind of thing). Alternatively, the elder one had met her husband in England at some point and followed him to Canada, taking her sister with her.

Emigration was always seen as the chance for a better life; perhaps they also had, if not relatives (cousins?), friends from their town who had gone over and sent back letters about how well they were doing.  Perhaps a friend of theirs had married a Canadian soldier during WWI and ended up in Toronto, for example.

Sometimes people are just listed in the emigration records by surname and initial (E. Smith) or just "Miss Smith", so you may have to play a bit with the records to find them. If you do find possibles for them leaving from the UK, you can try to pick them up in the records coming into Canada which might show more information.

If you give their names I'm sure people will be happy to try and help you find them.
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline aem lanarkshire

  • RootsChat Extra
  • **
  • Posts: 24
  • Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    • View Profile
Re: how old to emigrate
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 23 April 09 19:39 BST (UK) »

Thanks for info.

The two family members are Emily Muir born around 1905 in Motherwell, Lanarkshire and her older sister Helen "Nellie" Muir born 1895 also Motherwell.  I did know that Helen married a Canadian, Thomas James Brown, found the marriage details in Ontario in 1923, her sister was a witness.  Helen's occupation was a Chripractor on marriage, I have found details on Emily coming from Canada to America 1924 and also returning to Scotland in 1927, still single and her occupation was a waitress.   
Bouncing Emails

MUIR ~ MOTHERWELL   MCCLURG  ~  MOTHERWELL     BLUNN ~ MOTHERWELL
CROWLEY, RUTHERFORD, FELLOWS, ALLAN