Sowing the seeds, reaping the stories

The month of August is already here and that means the Judy Neville British Home Child Museum located at the Aultsville Station will once again be open to the public.  The museum will be open between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on August 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and September 1.

Header photo: There are many displays and artifacts inside the Judy Neville British Home Child Museum at Aultsville Station.  These include trunks such as the three seen in this display which contained all the possessions of these children as they travelled to their new home in this country.  Courtesy Photo

 Between the 1860’s and the 1930’s over 120,000 impoverished children came to this country.  Known as British Home Children these children worked as domestics and farm workers in many parts of this country.    

Boys and girls between the ages of 5 years and 18 years of age worked on the farms and in the homes of Canadians as indentured servants.  For many reasons, such as the treatment they received in this country, the stories of the British Home Children (BHC) were not passed on to successive generations. 

It is only within the past few years that information on the Child Emigration Scheme which brought them to Canada as well as individual stories of these littlest of emigrants are being actively researched, recorded and shared.

Since being formed in 2011, members of the Eastern Ontario British Home Child Family (OEBHCF) have worked to ensure the story of the British Home Children is told.  “The story of the children who came to this country to work in the houses and on the farms of this country is a part of our history which must be told.” commented Carolyn Goddard, president of the OEBHCF.

The late Judy Neville was the founder of the Eastern Ontario British Home Child Family and worked to ensure the stories of these littlest of immigrants are discovered and recorded for future generations.

It was Judy’s dream to have a BHC museum at the Aultsville Station and she made this dream come true several years ago.  She met with representatives of the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, and in 2012 the OEBHCF were able to open the museum.  In 2023 the museum was named The Judy Neville British Home Child Museum in her honour.  The museum houses displays and artifacts on British Home Children as well as providing people with the opportunity to speak to informed volunteers about the BHC.

More information is available on the social media pages of the OEBHCF or by contacting Carolyn Goddard, president, Ontario East British Home Child Family, at [email protected] or call her at 613 938 2455.

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