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Record #3880

Name :: : Joseph Henry SMITH (1895 - 1963)
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: : 1895 (approx.)
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: : 1963

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland

Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 10 Jun 1903
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Siberian
Placement Family: :

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Middlemore

NotesIn 1903, Joseph Smith, 7, arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, along with a group of 124 Middlemore children.

On September 24, 1914, Joseph Henry Smith, 18, enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces (1st Div. Ammunition Column, Canadian Expeditionary Force). He declared that he was born in London, England; that he had no next of kin; that he was born January 1, 1896; and that he was a laborer. He was described as 5 foot 5 inches in height; fair complexion; blue eyes; fair hair. He was a member of the Church of England. He had distinguishing marks of 3 vaccination marks on his left arm and a scar on the right side of his chin. He served in Canada, England and France. He was discharged by reason of Demobilization on March 31, 1919.

His daughter, Marilyn J. (Smith) Hall wrote about him (Source: Pier 21 - Canada's Immigration Museum, {website}pier21.ca/research/collections/the-story-collection/online-story-collection/british-home-children/)

I have been able to determine that my father landed as a Home child in 1903 at Pier 21. He died in 1963 never knowing he entered through Pier 21. I only found out this information a few months ago. My father eventually was sent to Anegance N.B. and lived there until he joined the Canadian Army in 1914. He served and fought overseas until the end of the war in 1918.

Dad married and had two daughters. We lived and went to school in Halifax. I eventually married and had five children. My Dad worked for many years in the lumber business. As children back in the 1930's, my sister and I, along with Mom and Dad, boarded different ships that were tied up in Halifax. I remember we would be sitting having a meal with the Captain and "Stewart" always brought us our meals and treats. It was many years before I found out his name really wasn't "Stewart".

The word Home child did not exist in our home. Dad knew nothing of his background before coming to Canada. Nobody spoke much about those things. One thing I do know is that a little boy was born in England and for some unknown reason to me was sent from his family to the Middlemore Home in Birmingham and then put on a ship and sent to Canada. He grew up to be a fine gentleman and a wonderful Father and Grandfather.

As long as I live I will always remember the great man he turned out to be. On Remembrance Day, November 11, 1992 I penned the following:

I Remember My Dad.
He never did complain, nor gory details reveal,
But I was old enough to know he kept his wounds concealed.

I Remember.
On parade he wore his black cap with the red chevron on it -
That signified the FIRST WORLD WAR. He came home from it!
My Dad marched from the Halifax Common, then along the parade route,
Somewhere along the way he gave a salute.

Not many left now from World War One, they're all leaving us one by one.
So many went over never to return.
Take time to remember them and their job well done.

I Remember.
Then it was World War II. Soldiers marching to the ships.
They sailed to far away shores. They wore shiny boots and knapsack kits.

I Remember.
All those ships anchored in Bedford Basin;
The convoys that sailed when called to hasten.

I Remember those men and women so dear
Who left us at home while they fought over there
They fought for our freedom, they fought for world peace.
PLEASE don't allow your memory of them to cease!

I Remember.

"Thank You" Grandmother

I never knew my grandmother,
the mother of my dad -
but neither did he know her;
I find that so very sad.

I know dad had a mother,
the fact is, the lady bore a son;
if there were other siblings
alas, I know not one.

My dad was a "Home Child",
sent away from England's shores -
aboard the steamship "Siberian"
off to Canada's open doors.

My dad fought for Canada
during the years of World War One -
after which, his life took a different course,
he met and married my mom.

So today I thank my grandmother
the one I wish I knew -
if it wasn't for that lady
I couldn't write about my dad for you

ContributorsCreated : 2008-07-13 12:20:25 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-02-01 14:03:31 /

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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 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 1495 Entries

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
5126	ABBOTT, Emily	1886	ENG,	May 1898 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
3011	ABBOTT, Frederick	1896	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1906 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
3012	ABBOTT, George	1893	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1906 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
3058	ABBOTT, Herbert William	1893	ENG, WAR, Aston, Erdington	Jun 1906 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
3140	ACKROYD, Frances May	1899	M__,	Jun 1915 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
3143	ACKROYD, Mabel Emma	1904	IRL,	Jun 1915 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
3144	ACKROYD, William Henry	1906	IND, , Quetta	Jun 1915 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
6924	ADAMS, Ann Elizabeth	1867	ENG,	Jun 1878 : Sarmatian	CAN	Middlemore
8778	ADAMS, George	1875	ENG,	Jun 1887 : Lake Ontario	CAN	Middlemore
8128	ADIE, Dorothy May	1914	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jul 1928 : Newfoundland	CAN	Middlemore
10057	ADIE, Henry	1896	ENG, WAR, Aston	Jun 1906 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
10056	ADIE, Mary	1895	ENG,	Jun 1906 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
5834	ADKINS, Edith May	1907	ENG, WAR, Alcester	Jun 1910 : Mongolian	CAN	Middlemore
9641	AGAR, John	1905	ENG,	Jun 1911 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
8129	AGER, Arthur Charles	1915	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jul 1928 : Newfoundland	CAN	Middlemore
23376	ALEXANDER, Walter	1906	ENG,	May 1920 : Minnedosa	CAN	Middlemore
4645	ALLDRIDGE, Arthur	1897	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1904 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
4640	ALLDRIDGE, Francis	1889	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1896 : Corean	CAN	Middlemore
4644	ALLDRIDGE, Harry	1892	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1904 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
4639	ALLDRIDGE, John Leonard	1884	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1896 : Corean	CAN	Middlemore
4641	ALLDRIDGE, Ruth Rebecca	1890	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1896 : Corean	CAN	Middlemore
4643	ALLDRIDGE, Violet	1893	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1904 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
4642	ALLDRIDGE, William Henry	1886	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1896 : Corean	CAN	Middlemore
9650	ALLEN, Dorothy	1903	ENG,	Jun 1911 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
17060	ALLEN, Edward	1887	ENG,	Jun 1899 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore	hlomiller
3860	ALLEN, Florence Elizabeth	1891	ENG, WAR, Birmingham	Jun 1902 : Siberian	CAN	Middlemore
4703	ALLEN, Thomas Henry	1899	ENG, WOR, Kings Norton	May 1907 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
12871	ALLEN, Walter Harry	1883	ENG, WOR, Kidderminster	Jun 1895 : Carthaginian	CAN	Middlemore
16328	ALLMAN, Sophia Mary Ann	1875	ENG, MDX, St. George in the East	Jun 1885 : Lake WWnnipeg	CAN	Middlemore
6925	ALLSUPP, Eliza Matty	1865	ENG, , Upton on Severn	Jun 1878 : Sarmatian	CAN	Middlemore
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links

Page: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 1495 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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