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Record #3831
Name :
: Robert HOLLAND (1868 - )


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1868 (approx.)

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
:
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Middlesex, London
Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 6 May 1884
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Sarnia

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: National Childrens Home
Notes[POSSIBLE MATCH] A birth registration was found for Robert Holland: Year of Registration: 1868; Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep; District: Pancras (1837-1901); County: London, Middlesex; Volume: 1b; Page: 129.

[POSSIBLE MATCH] In 1871, Robert Holland, 4 years of age, was shown residing at Wellington Mews, St. James Square, St. James Westminster, London, England. Other family members included: Elizabeth Holland, 31; Florence Holland, 7; and Robert Holland, 30, servant. (Source: 1871 Census of England; Class: RG10; Piece: 133; Folio: 85; Page: 73; GSU roll: 823290.)

In an application to what is now the National Children's Home, dated March 29th, 1876:

Made by William King, Reformatory & Refuge Union
Name: Robert Holland
Present Residence: 19 Pratt Street, Lambeth,
Child's age last birthday: about 7
Father's name: Not known,
Mother's name: Don't know,
Her occupation: a Vagrant.

Special circumstances which give the Child a claim to be admitted into
the home: "The boy was ill and was left by his mother in Westminster Hospital when the child was recovered. Mrs. Williams took charge of him and has been supporting him for more than 12 months and although Mrs. Williams has seen the mother she does not know where she is now but she gave the child entirely into Mrs. Williams care to do with him as she thought proper. Recommended by William King Reformatory & Refuge Union."

Robert Holland was admitted to the Home on June 8, 1876.

His file contains an undated letter from Frances Hibbert, 860 Tabbard Street, Borough, London which says, "I have taken the liberty of writing to you to enquire about a lad you have in your home named Robert Holland or Hibbert, he had a diseased elbow at the time Mrs. Williams got him in your home. I have applied to see him before but was told to write to you. I understood Mrs. Williams when she got him into the home that anyone could see him. Will be kind enough to inform me when I can see him I shall feel greatly obliged as is [sic] brother George has written several times about him and wishes to come and see him, being the nearest relative. Here's hoping you will answer this as I am very anxious to know about him."

The 1881 Census for Bethnal Green, London, lists him as an "Inmate" of the Children's Home, Bonner Road, London. In May 1884, at the age of 16, he immigrated to Canada on the SS Sarnia of the Dominion Line.

The 1881 Census also contains a Charles Hibbert (address 5 Hambro Ter, Norwood, Middlesex) with his wife, Fanny, and their children, plus his unmarried sister, Eliza, and her daughter, Annie. Also shown is a George Hibbert, age 14, as a Boarder, Inmate of Industrial School (Stdts) at St. Swithins Ind School, St Mary Kalendar, Winchester, Hampshire.

He arrived in Quebec on May 11, 1884, and would have gone from there by train to the Children's Home in Hamilton, Ontario. By May 15 he had been placed with a family in Nassagaweya Township, Ontario. Entries wre found relating to Robert Holland from the NCH (National Children's Home) Register which was returned to the United Kingdom following the closure of the Hamilton Home in 1934:

Robert Holland, Lancashire

* April 1884 (date, but nothing written beside it)
* August 1884

* Went May 15th to Mr. G. Fletcher, Nassagaweya, PO @ $50 the year. A most comfortable, genial home and Robert is doing well there. August 1885

* Renegotiated at $65. Writes very gratefully of the kindness of his employers and Mr. F. says he has done well on the whole. November 1888

* Came to the home on a short visit and will remain in Ont. (Nassagaweya) for the winter. Has done well in Manitoba the last two years and has earned board, clothes, $8 per month, a yoke of Oxen and a homestead of 160 acres. A well conducted Christian young man. Gave $10 to the home. March 1891

* A letter from Henry Popple says Robert is a fine, steady young man and he is working his trade as a stone mason and does get a lot of credit for the work he does. March 1900

* Dick Suright says he is making a great success of life being only a bricklayer. Dick pays for us to send "Our News" to Robert, but wishes this act to be anonymous. Address 677 Ross Street, Winnipeg. He is poor, being often out of work. 19.7.22 (19 July 1922)

* Called. Came to Canada with the 1884 party. Now living in Winnipeg. Married, settled and doing well. Visiting Niagara with his family. 1919.XII.27 (1919 December 27)

* Writes asking for BC (birth certificate). Has worked for Canadian Pacific Railway Company for 30 years. Wants to have is papers right for pension. Married with ten children.

On December 4, 1895, Robert Holland married Elizabeth Anne Grice in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over the next 25 years they had 12 children: Mary Ada Elizabeth, Ethel Rosina, Alice Winifred, Lillian Annie Bell, Gladys Roberta, Robert John, Grace Margaret, Albert David, Florence Mildred, Leonard Joseph, William Bernard and Frederick Grice.

Robert Holland's wife and children knew he was a home child and, in fact, one of his youngest children relates the story of a visit to Toronto when he and his father stopped at the Barnardo Home. He was a resident of the Children's Home in England, which was started by the Rev. Thomas Bowman Stephenson in 1869. This home later became known as the National Children's Home.

Robert Holland wrote to the Children's Home in 1927 requesting a birth certificate for pension purposes. The Home sent Robert a birth certificate, giving his place of birth as Camden Town, his parents as Robert and Elizabeth Holland (nee Holliday), and his date of birth as August 18, 1868. According to the original application; however, they didn't know who his parents were in 1876. He said in his letter dated December 19, 1927:

"Just a line or too from one of your old boys. I have no doubt I have long been forgotten, but I have never forgot the kind care and love that was shown me while under your care. I have made good in Canada tho not rich in money I am blest with a good wife and 10 healthy children ... am well respected here ... May God bless the Childrens Home in the old land. P.S. This dollar for the Home."

Robert Holland didn't know his own family, but he and his wife created one. Their love and sense of family carries down through the generations.


Copyright The Holland Family (genial-ogy@shaw.ca)
{website}freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mckillop/index.html 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-05-12 09:58:25 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-01-24 14:57:32 /

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8695 ADAMS, James1884ENG, LDN, London Sep 1896 : Mongolian CAN Unknown Catholic Group  
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12790 ALLEN, Ernest1916ENG, LDN, London May 1930 : Duchess of Bedford CAN Crusade of Rescue  
6259 AMEY, Elizabeth1904ENG, LDN, London Oct 1913 : Corinthian CAN Barnardos  
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10452 ANDERSON, William1906ENG, LDN, London Jul 1921 : Megantic CAN National Childrens Home  
8858 ANNESS, James Edward1901ENG, LDN, London Jul 1914 : Empress of Britain CAN Salvation Army  
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4899 BAKER, Lilian E1911ENG, LDN, London Mar 1925 : Aurania CAN Liverpool Sheltering Home  
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Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 596 Entries        
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