Deported

[Ann W]

Hi there.   It’s been a few years since asking for help.  But I want to pick someone brains.

My granddad.

W (Walter) WILLETTS b 1881. Birmingham, Warwickshire England,   Sent to Canada in 1896 With 120 other home children.   He returned in 1900 to uk.

How I know this. (Because he was home for all census records.) on immigrating to Canada 1921 April.  with wife Ethel and their two children he put that he had lived in Canada 4 yrs. Stating the years.
 
1.   Tried to find more info on his time in Canada.   No luck.
2.    Do you think if. What we were told he had a hard home life. He would want to go back.  And 1901 1910. Lived with his dad, sister and her family,  if it was so bad.

3.  Also when they went to settle in Canada they were only there for 6 months returning in Oct.   after being deported.      Any clue why someone would have been deported in those times

I was told they couldn’t afford fares to get home and my Nana played the piano  to cover their fare.

Many thanks
Hope you understand it. And I am in the right place. 

[Stanwix England]

I found this paper which explores some of the issues around deportation.

https://core.ac.uk/reader/268421500

Also there is a book about it.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1cn6s5p

[Ann W]

Thank you so much.    I am writing my family history. And felt this is an important story to tell

[Dundee]

http://www.britishhomechildrenregistry.com/Person/bhcInfo/83908

Middlemore Children's Emigration Homes, Settlement and reports of children sent to Canada: Walter WILLETTS - Date of Departure: 1896-06-16 - Date of Document: 1898-09-00 --- Source: Library and Archives Canada - Database Item Number: 169395

Middlemore Homes

https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/home-children-1869-1930/home-children-guide/Pages/middlemore-homes.aspx

Middlemore Children's Emigration Homes fonds (MG28 I492)

The original records are in the custody of the Birmingham Archives. Library and Archives Canada holds microfilm copies. Those microfilms can be viewed on site.

The records include application and history books, settlement and reports of children sent to Canada, case files and annual reports.

Volunteers with the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa have indexed the records by name. Those references can be searched in our Home Children Records database.

There is an email contact for Birmingham Archives at the bottom of this page.

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50164/family_history_research

Debra 

[ciderdrinker]

Hello
Yes this is an important part of his life.
The Home children product was to take orphaned or abandoned children from Children's Homes in Brittain to Canada and Australia.
It was not a cjoice for the childrn and it is very unusual for any of them to come back

Walter is on the Corean of the Allan Shipping line from Liverpool to Halifax arriving Halifax 27.6.1896
W Willate is a 15 year old labourer
There is a settlement document for him Sep 1898  which gives his arrival as 16.6.1896  in Canadian Archives.
He is at the Middlemore Childrens Emmigration Home
Walter Willetts  169395
Vol 262 page 382 2 pages
Microfilm A-2120
MG28 I492, reference 169395

He also went back in 1911 when he again gave the same 4 years in Canada
Walter Willets age 30 heading  to Halifax NS farm lab
Corinthian arr 8.5.1911 from Liverpool They departed 25th April.
He seems to have popped over the Border to Vermont
He did the same in 1921 with Ethel and the children again going to St Albans Vermont.
They returned to the Uk 13.10.1921  again Deported from Canada via Liverpool on Canada -White Star line from Montreal. Which since they left 28.4.1921 is a quick turn around.

You can order a copy as it is now over 100 years old.They have privacy laws before that.

I'm assuming Walter was taken into care after his mother died in 1892 and with a large family his Dad struggled to cope.
Unfortunately  Walter seems to be back in th Uk for the censuses so it is tricky.

There is an entry 1911 Canda census at Nova Scotia
Walter Willett 30 lodger  arr England 1911 English C of E farm lab pay $9.00
He is with the Antonia and Elizabeth Vankirk family who are labourer from France.
They have several lodgers in Halifax and the page is labelled immigrants.

1921 1 June  Canada census Qu'appele Saskakatchwen (Silverwood Muncipality)
Walter 40 England lab
Ethel servant 29
They are with a Harvey and Alice Potter a local farmer

I'd get a copy of his record and see what it says
Beat me to it!

Ciderdrinker

[Ann W]

Wow wow wow.  Thanks so much.     I did wonder what he did between 1900 and marrying my nana. 1914.   Plus family said she married below herself 

I appreciate what you have found.     

Doesn’t that make me Canadian if my dad was conceived there.   Lol   

Thanks everyone gives me something to work on while in bed with Covid .. 

I was told that Walter had a hard home life.    He went on to have a large family boys. One girl.
They were the most honest hard working people ,  so I couldn’t see that he would have done anything bad to get deported.  Cept maybe not finding work ….

[Ann W]

Any must sleep.  I am in New Zealand
Thanks xx

[Dundee]

Cept maybe not finding work ….

I think that is the most likely reason.

1921 census

https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1921&op=img&id=e003220058

Debra 

[Ann W]

Thank you.  Interesting it doesn’t  mention Ethel’s 2 children. One being a baby

Possibly Ethel was missing the daily shopping and outings with her sisters,  so was home sick