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Record #12017
Name :
: Susan Jane ROBINSON (1867 - 1950)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1867 (approx.)

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 1950
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Surrey, Battersea
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Peterborough
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 15 Jun 1874
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Sarmatian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Maria Rye
NotesIn 1874, Susan Robinson, 7 (along with sister, Elizabeth Robinson, 10), arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 148 Maria Rye children en route to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

[EDITORS NOTE: Information copyright George Allison - {website}mysite.verizon.net/realgeorge/susanrobinson.html]

Susan was born in England, probably around 1867. Her father was Henry Robinson and her mother was Eliza Hill. Susan had five siblings that she knew of, but was probably not aware that she had a sister Emily who was born after she departed England. In 1874 at age seven, Susan was sent to Canada as part of the "British Home Children" scheme. She was placed on a farm near Arthur, Ontario which she later ran away from. She had two husbands and eleven children. Susan passed away in 1950 at Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, at age eighty three.

Susan always said that she was born in Putney, England... usually followed by "within the sound of Bow Bells." Recent discovery of her family on the 1871 Census however indicates that she was actually born in the adjacent borough of Battersea. Susan never knew the exact year of her birth, but thought she was about five when sent off to Canada, although the passenger list records her age as seven and is probably closer to being correct. The 1871 census would also indicate she was about age seven when sent to Canada.

Susan's father, Henry George Robinson was born about 1840 in Putney. Putney is in the county of Surrey, England and a part of greater London. Henry had older sisters Ann and Harriott and younger brothers George, Charles and John. Henry's parents were Henry and Mary Ann Robinson. Henry Robinson Sr. was a ?blacksmith and farrier? in Putney.

Susan's mother was baptized Eliza Sarah Hill on 22 November 1835 in Barnes. Barnes is in the county of Surrey, England and a part of greater London. Eliza was the daughter of William Henry and Elizabeth Mary Hill. Eliza had older sisters Louisa and Maria and a younger brother William. Eliza's father William was a "waterman" by trade. In the early days of London there were but a few bridges across the River Thames and people and goods depended on "watermen" and their boats for transport across the Thames. Watermen continue to work on the Thames today. In 1851 William at age sixty was an inmate of the Richmond Workhouse, as was his twenty-two year old unmarried daughter Louisa and her infant child.

Eliza Sarah Hill married Henry George Robinson probably around 1860. Henry was a "laborer" at the time they married and thereafter worked as a brick layer and a plasterer. In 1861 they were living on High Street in Putney.

Susan's father Henry, appears he abandoned the family about the time the twins George and Alfred were born. Eliza was apparently trying to support the family as a charwoman. A charwoman was a person for hire on an hourly or daily basis as a maid or housekeeper.

Susan occasionally made reference to her mother asking an "aunt" if she would take Susan and Elizabeth, but it was apparently not to be for in 1873 Eliza took Susan and Elizabeth and turned them over to Maria Rye. Susan and Elizabeth resided in the care of Maria Rye until June of 1874.

Susan's last recollection of England was that of standing on a dock with her mother, sister Elizabeth and brothers Alfred and George. She said her mother was crying and she did not know why. She was soon to find out, because the dock was in Liverpool and Susan age seven and Elizabeth age ten were about to be placed on a ship. The ship was the "Sarmatian" and it was carrying as a part of its passengers one hundred and fifty "home children" bound to work mainly on the farms in Canada. Susan and Elizabeth were not to see their mother or family again.

The records retained by Liverpool University and titled "Miss Rye's Emigration Home for Destitute Little Girls 1874" probably says it all:

#122 ER, (Elizabeth Robinson) aged 10 Father deserted; mother left with 6 young children - in the Home at Peckham - to sail in the Spring
#123 SR, (Susan Robinson) aged 7, sister to the above. Father deserted; mother left with 6 young children - in the Home at Peckham - to sail in the Spring

Some seven years after Susan's departure to Canada the 1881 Census for 38 Edmunds Street, Wandsworth, Surrey finds:

Eliza Robinson, head of household, married, age 44, born Barnes, Surrey, England. Occupation Laundress
George Robinson, son, age 11, born Wandsworth, Surrey, England. Scholar
Emily Robinson, daughter, age 4, born Wandsworth, Surrey, England. Scholar. Emily was born 10 June 1876 and the father is recorded as Henry Robinson.

Susan's first "Canadian" home would have been Maria Rye's "Our Western Home" facility at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

From there she was "adopted" by John Franklin Hollinger and his wife Catherine in Arthur Township, Wellington County, Ontario.

An Inspector's report of Susan's placement is as follows:

Susan Robinson age 7, Female, Ship SS Sarmatian, sailing dates 1874 Jun 4 - Jun 15 1874. Inspectors Report - Mount Forest Centre, age 9 at time of inspection, sending agency Peckham (England) 1874, Religion Church of England, with John Hollinger, Arthur Township, adopted, usual terms, here 1? years. Good Child, well cared for in a good home.

The situation of a "home child" was not always one of being "adopted" as we understand the term today, but rather of being "bound" to the family in the capacity of domestic servant and really not having the privileges of family. The Hollinger's appear to have owned two farms about five miles north of the town of Arthur. Lot 20, Concession I was a 200 acre parcel owned by "Captain" John Hollinger and the north half of Lot 24, Concession I was a 100 acre parcel owned by a Mrs. Hollinger. It would appear that Lot 24 Concession I acreage was sold to a John Gorvett in 1880. Concession I was the north/south boundary line between the townships of Arthur and West Luther and is known today as County Road 14. John Hollinger and his wife were born in Ontario and according to the Census were of Irish descent and Presbyterians.

In the 1871 census John indicates his occupation as a tanner. There was a tannery on the Conestoga River in the village of Arthur operated by John Jopp and Captain John F. Hollinger. In the 1881 census John states his occupation as a farmer.

At the time of Susan's arrival in 1874 John is 30 years of age and his wife Catherine Victoria is 29 years of age. Daughter Minnie F. is 3 years of age and son Calvin Giles is 1 year of age. The Hollinger family grows with Arthur T. P. in 1776, Kate V. in 1778 and Hatty V. in 1880. Although the Hollinger's children went to school Susan did not. Susan however was taught to read and write by John's wife, Catherine.

Arthur Township was surveyed in the early 1840's and early pioneers set about the task of clearing the heavily forested land for farms. The terrain is fairly flat and lends itself well to cultivation and mixed farming. A few of the old farm building remain and Arthur and Mount Forest are the primary towns.

Whatever Susan's situation with the Hollinger's may have been it was apparently not to her liking for she eventually ended it by running away. Susan said what finally prompted her to leave was being sent out in the snow and bitter cold to dig potatoes from the frozen ground. When that occurred we do not know nor do we know where she ran to.

No one is quite sure when or where Susan met Henry Allen, but their marriage certificate indicates they were married in July 31 1883 in Arthur (could be the village of Arthur or the Township of Arthur). There were eight children of this marriage, the first being born in the area of Mount Forest. The children were George Albert "Bert", John "Jack" Henry, Willie Ross, James Wesley "Wes", Nellie May, Ethel Rosetta, Lillian "Lilly" Maude. Willie Ross did not survive, nor did another single birth infant.

At some point Henry Allen was "invited to leave" and around 1897, Susan met up with Henry Smith. Their first born were twins, Gertrude "Gertie" Amelia and Henry "Harvey" followed by Orvel Lewis and Viola Hazel. At the time of Gertie and Harvey's birth the family was living in Toronto, but relocated several times before settling in Peterborough. In 1816 husband Henry enlisted in WW1. He was wounded in a battle near Courcellette, France and died a few days later. He was buried in the small village of Warloy-Baillon, France. Susan continued to live in Peterborough, managed to purchase a house and raised the children until they were grown and on their own. In 1937 at age seventy, Susan moved to live in the home of her married daughter Viola and family.

Susan was my Grandmother and a part of the family as long as I can remember. I guess as a child I always looked upon her as being old and indeed she was sixty-eight years old when I was born. She was small in stature, with soft blue eyes and long white hair neatly pulled in a bun. She was always there to comfort and the bag of "hum bugs" that she kept in her dresser drawer always made a trip to her bedroom a special treat. I always remember her wearing a dress, black shoes with small heels and laces. She wore a gold ring with several opals in it and on dress up occasions, earrings and a cameo necklace. She also had an inexpensive necklace watch chain with a small slide on it that held a row of small pearls and green glass stones. I don't recall how I came into possession of the chain, but I hold it amongst my treasured possessions. Susan always seems a rather proper lady and her straight posture and proud aire possibly belied the difficult life and times that she had seen. She stayed in touch with her children and they would often visit with her in our home. As a beloved member of our family she went everywhere that we did and sometimes just to be sure she would sit for hours in the back seat of the car "just in case" someone decided to go somewhere without her. I can remember as a small child asking her to recite the alphabet and waiting in anticipation until she got to "Z" with the strange english pronunciation. She never seemed to tire of my requests and I guess I never convinced her that she was saying it all wrong. Susan's marriage license states her religion as Church of England. She enjoyed the bible stories, although in later years her reading eyesight failed as did her hearing. She was a wonderful grandmother and I regret that I know so little of her life.

George Allison
Grandson 
ContributorsCreated : 2010-06-22 13:14:05 / From original database

Last Updated : 2010-06-25 15:08:08 /

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3105 ABRAMS, Reginald Edwin1896ENG, LND, Battersea Apr 1909 : Empress of Britain CAN Fegan Homes for Boys Diblet  
10030 ALBERY, Charles Samuel1882ENG, LND, Battersea Jun 1893 : Vancouver CAN Barnardos  
17255 BARNICOAT, Ethel1898ENG, SRY, Battersea May 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
17670 BARNICOAT, Harold Frederick1901ENG, SRY, Battersea May 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
8427 BROOKMAN, William1889ENG, LND, Battersea Jul 1901 : Numidian CAN Barnardos  
4463 BUTTERWORTH, Charles1874ENG, SRY, Battersea Apr 1885 : Peruvian CAN MacPherson Homes  
16139 CONYERS, Paul1878ENG, SRY, Battersea Jul 1895 : Sardinian CAN Barnardos  
4467 DIXON, Louisa Ellen1887ENG, SRY, Battersea Aug 1889 : Caspian CAN Barnardos  
5557 HINCH, Stephen F.1946ENG, SRY, Battersea Oct 1951 : New Australia AUS Fairbridge Homes  
9718 MALLARD, John Wallis1887ENG, LND, Battersea Oct 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
2718 PORTER, Herbert Cecil1888ENG, SRY, Battersea May 1902 : Tunisian CAN Shaftesbury/Bisley Farm School  
12017 ROBINSON, Susan Jane 1867ENG, SRY, Battersea Jun 1874 : Sarmatian CAN Maria Rye  
7439 SPRINGALL, Albert1880ENG,    , Battersea Mar 1892 : Carthaginian CAN Barnardos  
9845 STIFF, Abraham Albert1900ENG, LND, Battersea Mar 1911 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos