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Record #12752

Name :: : Sarah Amelia ROBINSON (1866 - 1904)
aka : Millie
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 13 Apr 1866
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: : 10 Nov 1904 Notes : heart failure

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Surrey, Bermondsey

7 St James Street

Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, York, Toronto

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 29 Sep 1873
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Polynesian
Placement Family: : IRWIN, William and Mary

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Maria Rye

NotesAmelia ROBINSON was among the tens of thousands of orphaned and destitute British Home Children who were sent to find a better life in Canada.

In 1873, a missionary from the London City Mission rescued Amelia, an orphan, from a "house of ill-fame" (probably the Rotherhithe Workhouse). "Covered in sores", she was brought to the care of Miss Maria Rye at her Emigration Home for Destitute Little Girls at Avenue House, High Street, Peckham, London. (Source: Maria Rye, 1872/73 Annual Peckham Report)

Amelia probably spent a few months there receiving medical treatment, proper nourishment, clean clothing and domestic training, all in preparation for her emigration to Canada and placement with a family there. That voyage took place in 1873 when Maria Rye, escorted a party of 60 girls from Liverpool to Ontario. They left on 18 Sep 1873 aboard the "Polynesian", and arrived in Quebec on 29 Sep 1873. From there the group travelled by rail to their destination... Miss Rye's distributing home at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

According to records, Amelia was destined to become indentured to the William IRWIN family, who lived on Lot 13 of the 1st Concession of Westminster Township, Middlesex County. She spent at least five years with William and Mary IRWIN, as there exists a follow-up inspection report that indicates she was still living with them in 1878.

That initial placement was not completed as planned. By 1881 Amelia had been transferred from the IRWIN home to live with Mary's mother, Mary HOWITT, at 22 Hill Street in nearby London. The latter was a widow with six children, several of whom were still living at home at the time. Though the exact reason for the transfer is not known, it was likely prompted by a greater need for domestic assistance for Mary HOWITT.

Amelia probably stayed with Mrs. HOWITT until she turned eighteen in 1884. At that time she would have been free to lead her own life.

There is a story shared by a descendant of the HOWITT family that speaks both to the character of Amelia and to her status as a home child within the family unit.

A funeral for a member of the HOWITT family took place in London, but the burial was to be in a cemetery in North Dorchester Township near the original family farm. Not being "family", Amelia was not allowed to ride with the other immediate family members in the lead carriage just behind the hearse. Obviously feeling offended, Amelia chose to walk and jog behind the carriage the entire thirteen miles from London to the township! No amount of persuasion could convince this proud young woman to accept a ride in one of the other carriages.

ContributorsCreated : 2010-08-26 13:57:50 / From original database

Last Updated : 2012-04-04 20:52:14 /

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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 30 Entries

Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 205 Entries

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
3033	ABBOTT, Frederick	1893	ENG, SRY, Kingston Upon Thames	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	National Childrens Home
3106	ABSALOM, Richard	1874	ENG, SRY, Cobham	Apr 1890 : Sardinian	CAN	Unknown
7354	ADDISON, Annie Louise	1879	ENG, SRY, Newington	Oct 1892 : Sardinian	CAN	Barnardos
7355	ADDISON, Emily Josephine	1880	ENG, SRY, Newington	Oct 1892 : Sardinian	CAN	Barnardos
19366	AKEHURST, Wilfred John Kelly	1896	ENG, SRY, Chertsey	Sep 1912 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
16539	ALDRED, Albert	1904	ENG, SRY, Balham	Apr 1912 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
26426	ALLEN, Walter Bevis	1901	ENG, SRY, Kingston	Jul 1913 : Belgic	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
13065	ANDERSON, Samuel	1874	ENG, SRY, Croydon	Jul 1887 : Sardinian	CAN	Board of Guardians (Various)
9798	ANDREWS, Alice Doris	1905	ENG, SRY, Camberwell	Mar 1920 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
27648	ANDREWS, William	1902	ENG, SRY, Wandsworth	Jul 1914 : Victorian	CAN	MacPherson's
13311	ANSELL, George Edward Cecil		ENG, SRY, Lambeth	Aug 1927 : Alaunia	CAN	Church Army
25271	ARTHUR, Frederick	1913	ENG, SRY, Kingston	Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
10900	ASHLEY, Bernard Cecil	1896	ENG, SRY, Richmond	Jul 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
4566	ATKINS, Ena Mary	1906	ENG, SRY, Croydon	Sep 1915 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
3568	ATTWELL, Frederick William	1909	ENG, SRY, Old Windsor	Sep 1920 : Metagama	CAN	MacPherson Homes
25141	ATTWELL, Richard	1916	ENG, SRY	May 1928 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
3932	BACKHURST, Frank	1895	ENG, SRY, Kingston	Aug 1905 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
9835	BAGUST, Albert Edward	1897	ENG, SRY, Peckham	Mar 1907 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
3968	BAKER, Edith Jemima	1887	ENG, SRY, Camberwell	Jul 1902 : New England	CAN	Barnardos
17019	BALDWIN, William Jeffery	1876	ENG, SRY	Jun 1885 : Sarmatian	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
11941	BANKS, Bernard	1910	ENG, SRY, Bermondsey	Jun 1924 : Athenia	CAN	Salvation Army
17167	BARNARD, Reginald	1885	ENG, SRY, Lambeth	May 1899 : Gallia	CAN	Young Colonists Aid
17255	BARNICOAT, Ethel	1898	ENG, SRY, Battersea	May 1911 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
17670	BARNICOAT, Harold Frederick	1901	ENG, SRY, Battersea	May 1911 : Tunisian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
8267	BARRETT, Frank	1915	ENG, SRY, Wandsworth	Apr 1928 : Montclare	CAN	Barnardos
17169	BARTH, Ethel Florence	1889	ENG, SRY, Brixton	Jul 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
3855	BARTH, Evelyn Winifred	1887	ENG, SRY, Brixton	Jul 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
4238	BEAGLE, George William	1868	ENG, SRY, Camberwell	Apr 1885 : Circassian	CAN	Barnardos
9249	BEARE, Joseph George	1893	ENG, SRY, Wandsworth	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
5682	BEATON, George Edward	1898	ENG, SRY, Norwood	Mar 1912 : Dominion	CAN	Unknown
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 205 Entries

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 30 Entries

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