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Record #15733

Name :: : Annie Emily GEVAUX (1906 - 1978)
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 26 Feb 1906
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: : 1978

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland

Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 23 Sep 1921
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Minnedosa
Placement Family: : Morton family in Dundas

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Barnardos

NotesIn 1921, Annie E. Gevaux, 15, arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 134 Barnardo children en route to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

This biography was pieced together by Lori Oschefski from on line notes made by Annie's great niece Stephanie Grant Duke. Stephanie loved to write and was keenly interested in Annie and her British Home Child history. Stephanie passed away on March 21, 2010.

Annie Emily Gevaux
A Letter from Hazel Brae

On February 25 1906, fraternal twins were born to Joseph Alfred John Gevaux and his wife Annie Beatrice Jackson. These children were named James Thomas and Annie Emily Gevaux. Their parent Joseph and Annie seemed to have everything going for them when they married in Bermuda in 1897, but in quick succession seven children were born to them in eight years. Thomas and Annie's older sibling were Joseph Albert John Jr, Florence Julie Joan, Frank Reginald, Alexandra May and Albert Robert. The young couple found themselves with nine mouths to feed.

Joseph, retired from the Royal Marines with testimonies that all spoke of his virtues--intelligent, honest, reliable, etc. The Prudential Insurance Company hired him and promoted him to their branch office in Guildford, a pretty little town in Surrey. Unfortunately, his salary of less than three pounds a week was inadequate for his family's needs, and he began to place bets with customer's premiums.Forces of destruction were overtaking him. With all those mouths to feed on three pounds a week, desperation may have led him into gambling away some of the firm's funds. By the time his little game was discovered, he had stolen over eighty pounds. As a gambler he no doubt believed one big win would pay back the losses.

One Saturday morning in August, Joseph made his way into London. There he visited his step mother Annie Ross. He might have been hoping that she would help him out of the serious trouble he had got himself into despite the fact they were not very close. Soon after she became the second wife of his father, Joseph Alfred John joined the Royal Marines. Annie Ross was much closer to her own children. Joseph's father, Joseph Alfred Gevaux , had died a few years earlier, and couldn't be appealed to. Annie had her own draper's shop, and was successful at it but tight-fisted. If he did make an appeal to her and she turned him down, he may have felt he could not return to Guildford where a warrant was out for his arrest. Instead he felt compelled to leave England immediately and escape punishment. His wife may have suffered even more if he had been sent to prison. It would have been intolerable for her to became known as a convict's wife. People were very cruel in those days.

There was an old family story of the golden sovereigns he supposedly left on the kitchen table. It is thought by family members to be apocryphal, or wishful thinking. If he didn't initially intend to leave his family, why would he leave them gold pieces? It's more likely that when he left he was almost penniless. A gambler with gold coins in his pocket would have been unable to resist throwing them into one last foolish gamble. According to the Barnardo papers, his wife was left with only ten shillings and sixpence.

Unable to care for her children, Annie placed the four youngest, Alexandra 4 years old, Albert 2 years old and her nine month old twins Annie and Thomas into the care of the Dr. Barnardo Homes. The older children stayed with her. The year was 1906. Annie kept in constant contact with Barnardo's for the first few years, requesting v.o.'s (visiting orders to see her children in their foster parents' homes), sent them cards, letters, even a little money although she herself was living way beyond the edge of poverty. Sometimes she didn't have money to buy a ticket for the complicated train journey, and had to borrow it.

On September 23 1921, fifteen year old Annie Emily arrived in Canada. She was brought here by the Dr. Barnardo Homes aboard the Minnedosa. Annie would be the only one of her siblings to come to Canada, she had actually volunteered for emigration. She said she wasn't going to stay in England and be somebody's servant. In fact, in Canada Annie had a fulfilling and eventful life.

Annie would come to Hazle Brae in Peterborough, Ontario. There was a camaraderie at Hazel Brae which seemed very nice. Annie was an intelligent girl who had received a pretty good education from Barnardo's--she'd been with them since she was 9 months old, boarded out until 14, and then returned to Barkingside for training as a parlor maid. She would keep in close contact with her friends and family back in England, writing many letters.

In October of 1921 Annie wrote to the Governor at the Girls Village, Barkingside:

Margaret Cox House
Hazel Brae
Peterborough, Ontario
October 7, 1921

Dear Madam:

As I am busy writing letters I thought perhaps you may like to hear from me. We are still at Hazel Brae because diphtheria has broken out among us. Ruth Millerick and Alice Chappel are in a hospital nearby, and Nora Millerick is in our own infirmary. There are ten other girls whose swabs are positive and if the rest of the girls' swabs are negative we are going to our service places. We have not seen much of Mr. and Mrs. Hobday because, we being isolated, they have kept at Toronto. Mrs. Hobday is lovely; she is exactly like a mother to us, and I am sure all the girls love her.

We had two lots of Canadian ice cream, and it is lovely. When Colonel and Mrs. Carless came to see us, the Colonel told us to line up for a dose of 'castor oil,' and we pulled awful faces. I should like you to have been here and seen the difference in our faces when he gave us the dose, for it was Canadian ice cream. The Colonel also had one and he made out he didn't like it, but at any rate he soon ate it. Yesterday we had some races, and I won a prize for high jump; it was a lovely necklace. We really have a nice time here. When Mr. and Mrs. Hoday and Mr. and Mrs. Carless came to see us, we had a concert and several people sent us things such as apples, oranges, chocolates, and cakes. some of the girls did some dances, which Mrs. Gilling had taught them at school.

The Colonel said they were very good, and we all enjoyed that evening very much. We are all patiently waiting for Mrs. Hobday to come back, when we shall be quite happy. Will you kindly remember me to Miss Macnaughton, and kindest regards to yourself.

I remain,
Yours Truly,
Annie Gevaux

The Governor's reply

4th November, 1921

Dear Annie,

I was very glad to hear from you, but very sorry to hear that diphtheria has kept you at Hazel Brae and that you have not gone into your new home yet. However,by now I expect you have gone out. I wonder where you are, and hope very much that you are happy in your new home. Of course, Mrs. Hobday will always do anything she can for you. I am so glad that you like her so much. I shall be very glad to hear how you get on in your new place. You seem to have had a very gay time on the voyage, in spite of the fact that it was rough and many of you were sea-sick.

I am sure you will do your best to get on well in the new country, and not forget all that you have been taught in the Village here. I shall watch with great interest to see how you all do in your different homes. With every good wish.

Yours sincerely,
Governor

Miss Annie Gevaux
Margaret Cox Home
Peterborough
Ontario, Canada
Annie's first Barnardo's Visitor's Report

In November 1921, Annie was placed with the Morton family in Dundas. Her responsibilities were mother's helper and companion to a 3 year old little girl. In Annie's record package retrieved by her great niece Stephanie Grant Duke, were 10 Visitor's Reports and copies of a dozen letters. Annie had wrote to various friends in England. They are happy letters, written 82+ years ago telling of of her delight in being in Canada, of being treated equally and with respect, of motoring trips to Niagara Falls and the Mountains, of the Mortons teaching her to skate and ski, and other good times. It was Annie's good luck to go to the Mortons. Six months earlier, she was a household drudge in a cottage at Barnardo's Girls' Village, Barkingside, cooking for 18 children and the housemother, and scrubbing stone and wooden floors on her hands and knees every day to keep them "snow white" as she once told her niece.

Her first visitor's report from the Dr. Barnardo Homes

NAME: Annie E. Gevaux
PRESENT AGE: 16
PARTY September 1921.
NAME OF EMPLOYER: Mrs. Clifford Morton, Jr.
POSTAL ADDRESS: Uplands, Governor's Road, Dundas
GENERAL HEALTH, APPEARANCE, AND CLOTHING:
Neatly dressed, clothes good. Tall, dark girl, well developed.
Attractive appearance.
WORK, PROGRESS AND BEHAVIOR:
Very satisfactory-nice mannered-refined girl
TREATMENT BY EMPLOYER AND MEMBERS OF FAMILY;
As a maid - kindly
ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL;
Attends church and Sunday School regularly
ATTENDANCE AND PROGRESS AT DAY SCHOOL
Blank [Annie at 16 was not required to attend school]
CHARACTER OF THE HOME AS INDICATED BY
GENERAL APPEARANCE OF HOUSE AND SURROUNDINGS:
Mrs. Morton helps with all work. Very nice home-large house-Two
adults-one child.
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS:
Own room - very nice- lock but no key.
NAMES AND ADDRESS OF CORRESPONDENTS WHEN LAST WRITTEN TO:
Mother: Mrs. Gevaux, 17 Hill Place, Guildford, Surrey, England.
TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT EXISTING OR CONCLUDED BY VISITOR:
$15.00
GENERAL REMARKS:
Annie is very happy here and is doing well. Mrs. Morton speaks very
highly of her efforts, and hopes to keep her for some time. Annie wishes to
give $5 to Memorial Fund from her Trust Fund.

On Annie's first visitor's Report, F.L.M. Sharp wrote in the box marked Sleeping Arrangements, "Own room-very nice--lock but no key." The date was March 27, 1922. On the second report dated August 31, 1922, F.L.M.Sharp wrote, ""Very nice room. Tidily kept. Lock and key." The Mortons had complied with Barnardo's lock and key requirement. There were concerns even in those days about abuse of these children. In March 1998 Barnardo's presented a memorandum to a British House of Commons Committee hearing presentations on the history of child emigration.

Section 2.2.6 states: Barnardo's established a small team of workers and an Advisory Committee in Canada. Children were visited and foster homes inspected on an annual basis. There clearly was some abuse of children and efforts were made to counter such concerns as early as 1889 when Miss Stent, Honorary Secretary of the Girls Village Home, was sent to the Girls Home in Canada to try to devise safeguards for Barnardo's wards, requiring employers to provide chaperons and locks to be fitted to bedroom doors and windows.

"A splendid and capable girl"
description of Annie on a Visitor's Report in 1923.

In 1940 Annie married Richard Henry Lear Dinsmore. Annie and Richard would have no children. Annie had lived a fulfilling and happy life. She had become a nurse. In 1937 she had sailed home in style aboard the Queen Mary for the Coronation of Geo VI and Elizabeth. By all accounts she was happy. Richard passed away in 1962, Annie in 1978.

ContributorsCreated : 2011-12-22 21:01:38 / From original database

Last Updated : 2012-05-22 08:39:30 /

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Readers Comments

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 76 Entries

Surnames starting with: G »GARC »GATI »GENT »GIBS »GILL »GLOC »GOLD »GORN »GRAH »GRAY »GREE »GRIM »GSCH » GZZZ

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
10515	GENT, John	1916	ENG, , Cambridge	Mar 1930 : Duchess of Richmond	CAN	Barnardos
12788	GENTLE, Florence	1896	ENG, , Woolwich	Jun 1910 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
12789	GENTLE, Horace	1908	ENG, , St Albans	Jun 1920 : Scotian	CAN	Barnardos
23505	GENTLE, Isa Cunningham	1884	SCT, , Peebles	Jun 1894 : Pomeranian	CAN	Quarriers
23506	GENTLE, Janet Anne	1890	SCT, , Peebles	Jun 1894 : Pomeranian	CAN	Quarriers
16976	GENTLE, John	1898	ENG,	Apr 1910 : Corsican	CAN	Unknown
23504	GENTLE, Marion McBain	1882	SCT, , Peebles	Jun 1894 : Pomeranian	CAN	Quarriers
3866	GEOGHAN, Grace	1872	ENG, STS, Stafford	May 1885 : Parisian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
25102	GEOGHAN, Harriet	1876	ENG,	Sep 1883 : Polynesian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Children's Protection Society
3867	GEOGHAN, Laura	1875	ENG, STS, Stafford	May 1885 : Parisian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
25103	GEOGHAN, Margaret	1874	ENG,	Sep 1883 : Polynesian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Children's Protection Society
15941	GEOGHAN, Martin	1874	ENG,	Aug 1886 : Parisian	CAN	Catholic Protection Society
25104	GEOGHAN, Mary	1871	ENG,	Sep 1883 : Polynesian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Children's Protection Society
3864	GEOGHAN, Stephen	1873	ENG, STS, Stafford	May 1885 : Parisian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
13042	GEOGHEGAN, Thomas	1882	ENG,	Sep 1896 : Mongolian	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
17054	GEORGE, Alan	1903	ENG,	Mar 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
10841	GEORGE, Alfred J	1890	ENG,	Jul 1902 : New England	CAN	Barnardos
26476	GEORGE, Alfred W	1890	ENG,	Mar 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
24868	GEORGE, Arthur	1895		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
26517	GEORGE, Arthur	1895	ENG,	Mar 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
23265	GEORGE, Duncan	1863	ENG,	Jul 1873 : Manitoban	CAN	MacPherson Homes
26038	GEORGE, Edward	1872		Jun 1881 : Parisian	CAN	Middlemore
21278	GEORGE, Frank B	1914	ENG, NFK, Wayland	Jun 1929 : Berrima	AUS	Barnardos
4574	GEORGE, Gwendoline	1909	ENG,	Jun 1920 : Scotian	CAN	Barnardos
26025	GEORGE, J A	1892	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
13667	GEORGE, James	1837	ENG,	Jan 1850 : James	BRM	Board of Guardians (Various)
21851	GEORGE, James	1911	ENG,	Mar 1929 : Doric	CAN	British Immigration and Colonisation Association
12854	GEORGE, John Lydiet	1883	ENG, LDN, London	Apr 1895 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
7181	GEORGE, M.	1855	ENG,	Aug 1871 : Prussian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
4570	GEORGE, Matilda	1906	ENG,	Jun 1920 : Scotian	CAN	Barnardos
4573	GEORGE, Susan	1907	ENG,	Jun 1920 : Scotian	CAN	Barnardos
24617	GEORGE, Walter E.	1895		Jun 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
20112	GEORGE, William	1875	ENG,	Jun 1886 : Lake Superior	CAN	Barnardos
23037	GEORGE, William J.	1899	ENG,	Apr 1912 : Empress of Ireland	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
5869	GEORGIE, John	1896	ENG,	May 1910 : Corsican	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
11462	GERAGHTY, Charles	1906	ENG, , Walton	Oct 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Father Hudsons Homes
11429	GERAGHTY, John	1905	ENG, LAN, Darwen	Sep 1922 : Montcalm	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
10666	GERAGHTY, Peter	1871	ENG, , Chester	Jul 1882 : Peruvian	CAN	Lord Archibald Douglas
6613	GERGENA, Georgina	1902	ENG,	Aug 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
10250	GERHOLD, Arthur	1876	ENG, KEN, Greenwich	Jun 1893 : Lake Superior	CAN	Sailing Alone
27472	GERMAIN, Charles	1864		Aug 1872 : Sarmatian	CAN	Macpherson Homes
10656	GERONOMO, Edward	1899	ENG, , Keynsham	Apr 1915 : Missanabie	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
18634	GERRARD, Francis	1884	ENG,	Apr 1895 : Sardinian	CAN	Liverpool Sheltering Home
5729	GERRARD, Henry	1868	ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
7931	GERRARD, James Allan	1915	SCT, , Arbroath	Apr 1930 : Letitia	CAN	Church Army
21679	GERTRUDE, Bassett	1891	ENG,	- Unknown -	CAN	Unknown
15733	GEVAUX, Annie Emily	1906	ENG,	Sep 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Barnardos
19910	GHEDZOY, Albert	1888	ENG,	Apr 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
11892	GIBBINS, Rhoda	1902	ENG, , Chelsea	Apr 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Salvation Army
4139	GIBBINS, William Henry	1869	ENG,	May 1876 : Sardinian	CAN	Middlemore	mcintaylor
5492	GIBBON, Bernard	1913	ENG, MDX, Willesden	Jan 1924 : Baradine	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
9760	GIBBONS, Albert Edward	1899	ENG,	Sep 1912 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
13321	GIBBONS, Amy	1879	ENG, , Beaminster	Jun 1889 : Texas	CAN	Bristol Emigration Society
17511	GIBBONS, Christiana	1899	ENG,	May 1899 : Gallia	CAN	Canadian Catholic Emigration Committee
8380	GIBBONS, Florence	1894	ENG,	May 1907 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
14412	GIBBONS, John	1883	ENG,	Sep 1895 : Sardinian	CAN	Waifs & Strays
6114	GIBBONS, Mary	1886	ENG,	Aug 1895 : Numidian	CAN	Maria Rye
18983	GIBBONS, William	1891	ENG,	May 1905 : Bavarian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
20262	GIBBONS, William		ENG,	May 1911 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
15076	GIBBS, Albert	1884	ENG,	1897 : - Unknown -	CAN	MacPherson Homes
14290	GIBBS, Daisy	1891	ENG,	Jun 1901 : Lusitania	CAN	Bristol Emigration Society
13774	GIBBS, Ethel	1882	ENG,	Jul 1901 : Numidian	CAN	Barnardos
19941	GIBBS, G. A.	1886	ENG,	Apr 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
21345	GIBBS, Gladys	1904	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
4672	GIBBS, Henry	1896	ENG,	Jul 1908 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
14291	GIBBS, Jesse	1888	ENG,	Jun 1901 : Lusitania	CAN	Bristol Emigration Society
7328	GIBBS, John	1869	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1878 : Sarmatian	CAN	Middlemore
19081	GIBBS, Kate	1903	ENG,	Sep 1912 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
16482	GIBBS, Louisa	1888	ENG,	Jun 1900 : Cambroman	CAN	Barnardos
19108	GIBBS, Nellie Florence	1898	ENG,	Sep 1912 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
24963	GIBBS, Richard	1901		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
7169	GIBBS, S.	1852	ENG,	Aug 1871 : Prussian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
16453	GIBBS, Samuel Henry	1903	ENG, MDX	Apr 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
23919	GIBBS, Sydney Thomas	1913	ENG,	May 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Middlemore
7329	GIBBS, Thomas	1866	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1878 : Sarmatian	CAN	Middlemore
18690	GIBBS, William	1901	ENG,	Sep 1911 : Lake Manitoba	CAN	Unknown Catholic Group
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Surnames starting with: G »GARC »GATI »GENT »GIBS »GILL »GLOC »GOLD »GORN »GRAH »GRAY »GREE »GRIM »GSCH » GZZZ

Surnames starting with: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 76 Entries

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