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Record #3894
Name :
: James DAVIDSON (1884 - )


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1884 (approx.)

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
:
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Durham, Gateshead
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 15 Sep 1895
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Sardinian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Barnardos
Notes(Parents: Henry Davidson and Caroline Graham.)

His niece, Fay Braithwaite, relates Caroline's story (in Pier 21 - Canada's Immigration Museum {website}pier21.ca/research/collections/the-story-collection/online-story-collection/british-home-children/):

First of all, I am the daughter of Caroline and had three brothers. We grew up in a small town near Edmonton, Alberta and our Father died when I was six years old. I knew names of my mother's brothers and sister. James and Elizabeth remained in Ontario, while my mother and her brother Henry came to Alberta, so I met my farm cousins; Alec, Jane, and another brother. I knew my Davidson grandparents had died while the children were young and all my mother would say, the family came to stay with an uncle but would not give a name, other than they lived in Ontario.

Since the work of my husband took us to many areas of Canada and when we lived in Brampton, Ont. In the 1960's, I started to locate my aunt Elizabeth's family. She had been married twice, Culp and Hamilton, and had run the Post Office in the now ghost town of Ballycroy, about 10 miles north of Brampton. History buffs there were able to point me in the direction of finding two cousins, one from each family. Elizabeth's eldest daughter also had a daughter living in Brampton, and her children and my two daughters went to the same high school. It was about this time that I first heard of Home Children and thought my mother might have been one of them, but did not start inquiries until 1997.

I received this information from Barnardo Homes, London , England in 1998:

These four orphan children were admitted temporarily to our Newcastle - Ever Open Door - on an application by the Rev. G. R. Taylor, Vicar of Byker. After a report on the case by our local inspector, they were granted permanent admission to the Homes. James and Henry are thirteen and ten years of age, respectively. Elizabeth and Caroline eight and six.

The facts of the case are few and simple, but sad enough. The parents, Henry and Caroline Davidson were steady, respective working people, who brought up their children well. On 9th January, 1892, the Father, a labourer, died at St. Cuthbert St., Gateshead of bronchitis. The mother and children then went to two rooms at 115, Harvey Street in Byker, and received out-door relief from the parish: the mother, in addition, goes out to work at washing and charring. About two years ago, the mother's health began to fail, and owing to an internal malady, and after getting worse she entered the workhouse infirmary in January last. An operation was preformed, and a tumor removed, and the mother remaining two months in the infirmary was taken home. The operation proved unveiling to save her, and after lingering for a few weeks, she died. The death occurred on the 9th at the above mentioned address. The little home was sold to defray the funeral expenses, and to save from entering the workhouse, Mr. Taylor asked that he might bring these children to our shelter.

Of the six children left surviving, the eldest (Robert) is able to support himself. The next (Mary) is in a very weak state, consequently on long privation and attendance upon her mother. She is about to be sent away by the local Country Holiday Committee for a month, and a situation will probably be found for her afterwards. For the children now admitted no home, or the workhouse was available. They have no relatives, save an aunt and a cousin. Both these persons have done what they could for mother and children in the past, but were not prepared to offer a home to any of the orphans. The aunt declined to do so, and did not even attend the funeral. The cousin has five children of his own. All the children are delicate, but not ailing. They are respectful and well behaved.

Relatives:

Brother, Robert-17, apprentice at a ship yard, 114-Harboy Street, Byker, Newcastle
Sister, 14, at present sheltered by a neighbour
Aunt (maternal) Maria Phillips, wife of a carpenter, New Road, Walker,
Newcastle

The 5th Sept. 1895 - on this date James and Henry were sent to Canada, to Hazelbrae Home, Pererborough, Ont. (EDITORS NOTE: Harry Davidson, 10 (along with his brother, James Davidson, 13) arrived at Quebec, Canada, with a group of 298 children accompanied by Mr. Owens and en route to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.) 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-07-14 13:30:40 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-02-04 14:39:40 /

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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  14 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
5601 ALLENDER, Samuel1892ENG, DUR, Gateshead Sep 1907 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
10915 BARTON, Thomas1892ENG, DUR, Gateshead Mar 1906 : Dominion CAN Barnardos Jennie1964  
7368 BELL, Ann Clementine1902ENG, DUR, Gateshead Mar 1914 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
7268 CASSIDY, Gerard J1912ENG, DUR, Gateshead Sep 1929 : Duchess of Atholl CAN Catholic Emigration Association  
3890 DAVIDSON, Caroline1889ENG, DUR, Gateshead Jul 1898 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
3891 DAVIDSON, Elizabeth1887ENG, DUR, Gateshead Mar 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3893 DAVIDSON, Henry1885ENG, DUR, Gateshead Sep 1895 : Sardinian CAN Barnardos  
3894 DAVIDSON, James1884ENG, DUR, Gateshead Sep 1895 : Sardinian CAN Barnardos  
4709 KILFORD, Joseph Robert1869ENG, DUR, Gateshead Apr 1884 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
5222 MCDONALD, Matthew1923ENG, DUR, Gateshead Sep 1935 : Duchess of Atholl CAN Fairbridge Homes  
23788 MURPHY, Abraham George1898ENG, DUR, Gateshead May 1914 : Victorian CAN Childrens Aid Society  
23512 PAIGE, Archibald Thomas1892ENG, DUR, Gateshead Jul 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
15777 SLOAN, George Weddle1907ENG, DUR, Gateshead Jun 1924 : Minnedosa CAN Barnardos  
15924 TRESTRAIL, Winifred1911ENG, DUR, Gateshead Jun 1924 : Minnedosa CAN Barnardos