Fairbridge Reginald S C Hallewell - need know why sent by finding family

[mckha489]

I can see him on a ship to Australia in 1929
With a group of boys headed “ The child emigration Soc. savoy House”  age 13.

Obviously, he managed to return to England before his marriage in 1938, and one would assume a reasonable length of time before.  Say 1936?  But I haven’t found the incoming passenger list yet.

He cannot have been totally put off Australia because there are a number of trips later on.

[mckha489]

Found him returning

30 Jun 1937, age 22, Farmhand

Address in UK Child Immigrants Society, London

[jim1]

That's a good find.
Generally speaking children weren't in the Middlemore Home
for a long period before being sent abroad so he may have been put there
as an older child.

[hanes teulu]

Looking at Blanche's birth registration Benjamin Kitson's age given as 28, occupation card adjuster. Ann Shaw is also 28, no occupation. It states they were married the previous August, Parish of St Oswald's, Manchester.

Marriage registration (FindMyPast)
Ann Shaw, 3rd Qtr 1884, Manchester, 8D 246 - on same page Benjamin Shaw Kitsch (sic)

[hanes teulu]

The Stratford on Avon Herald, 14 June 1974, carries an article about a Reginald Hallewell, age 57, retired pharmacist, living at Stratford. It refers to his wife's death in 1968 (an Ethel Mary Hallewell died 1968 Birmingham) and his being treated for a heart attack by Christiaan Barnard's medical team in Capetown, 1970. The article includes a photograph of Reginald..


Ethel Mary's des res 1966

[Dundee]

Despite what Reginald's birth registration says, it is unlikely that Blanche KITSON was his mother.  They were married in 1905 and Reginald was born 11 years later at Downham in 1916.

Vernon's second wife Gertrude was also born at Downham in 1885.

HYNER, GERTRUDE  ALBERTA COVILL
Mother's maiden surname: CORNWELL     
GRO Reference: 1885  D Quarter in DOWNHAM UNION  Volume 04B  Page 375

Gertrude's maternal grandmother was Sarah COVILLE.

Vernon moved to Downham in July 1911 and Gertrude was living there with her mother and working as a typist.

Debra 

[jim1]

As there are no other Hallewell/Kitson births it seems
likely that Blanche wasn't the mother but not impossible.
Blanche died in Downham.
It does beg the question that if Gertrude was the natural mother
why put him into the care system.

[Dundee]

By 1929 Vernon and Gertrude had seven children and they most likely thought it was a good opportunity for Reginald.  Vernon died from a 'long and painful illness' in 1931, so perhaps he was was already sick in 1929.

As far as I know the Middlemore Homes were intended to be training schools to prepare children for emigration.

The welfare officer's report for the journey on the Largs Bay in 1929 (34 pages)

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=451344

Debra 

[jim1]

& there he is.
If the 100 year rule applies his record won't be available until 2029.