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Record #4442
Name :
: Ernest BISHOP (1908 - 1983)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 8 Aug 1908

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 1983
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, Warwickshire, Birmingham
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Catalone
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 23 May 1920
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Minnedosa

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Middlemore
NotesA birth registration was found for Ernest Walter Bishop: Year of Registration: 1908; Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep; District: Nuneaton; County: Leicestershire, Warwickshire; Volume: 6d; Page: 485. Parents: Edgar and Edith Bishop, married 1910, Solihull, Warwickshire, England.

In 1920, Ernest Bishop, 11, arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 94 Middlemore children en route to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

In 1921, Ernest H Bishop, 12, was found residing as an adopted son in the household of Ronald McDonald and family in Catalone Road, Bateston, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia,

Ernest, affectionately known as "Ernie's" life was profiled in the Louisbourg Seagull in August 1983 (copyright and credit to the Louisbourge Seagull Newspaper--the article archived in the Beaton Institute on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, at the University of Cape Breton (UCCB)):

"THE ERNIE BISHOP STORY
OUR SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY FEATURE.

Councilor Ernie Bishop served as a sitting member of Cape Breton County Council since 1945. He followed his foster father, the late Alex R. MacDonald who served for forty-one years. Together, they have given seventy-nine years.

Ernie Bishop came to Canada from England in 1920, one of those young boys and girls who, because of economic hard times, could no longer remain in their own homes. Many of these young people, on coming to Canada found themselves in circumstances approaching servitude, wherein they worked long hours for little or no reward with poor accommodation, sparse food and a meager clothing allowance from their new "parents." Much has been written about the disgraceful manner in which these young people were treated. This is not one of the brighter chapters in Canadian history.

We are pleased to carry the Ernie Bishop Story because it is a bright page in an otherwise rather dark chapter in the annals of Canada. It is a happy story and should be of broad human interest because it tells of love, kindness and humanity. The story is printed exactly as provided to us be Ernie. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ernest Bishop-Life Story

Born in Birmingham, England in the 8th day of August, 1908, son of Edgar and Edith Bishop.

My father was a window cleaner. One day in the year 1913, he was cleaning a third story window and suddenly the ladder slipped. He fell to the pavement and was seriously hurt. He was unconscious for three days and passed away on the fourth day. My mother, Edgar, Jess, Mary and myself were left behind and we were young, I being the oldest. Our mother had the responsibility of providing food and clothes for us.

After my father's death, I went to my grandfather's to stay. I was there two years when he died suddenly. Having children of their own, my grandmother found it difficult to provide for all of us, so I was sent back home to my mother's house. It must have been a hard go. I was too young to look for work.

In the year 1920, my mother found it difficult to carry on and so, she decided to put me and my brother in the home for boys and girls. She made an application to the Blue Coat Home for the two of us. At that particular time, there was only room for one of us, Edgar being the youngest, she placed him the home. Regulations for this home were that when a boy reached the age of 14 or 15 he was sent back home to his relatives.

Having no room at the Blue Coat Home, I was placed in the Middlemore Home in Birmingham. The policy of that home was that children were sent over to Canada for adoption in private homes, especially out west for the farmers who needed help.

On the 20th of May, 1920, a number of us boys and girls left Liverpool on the SS Minnedosa. We arrived in Quebec on the 25th of May and went by train to Halifax, Nova Scotia. We were met by Mr. W.S. Ray, Superintendent of the Middlemore Home Branch Office. I think there were about 20 of us who left Halifax for parts of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.

I remember three of us came to Sydney, (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia) two boys and one girl. We left on the morning train for Louisbourg. The other boy and girl got off at Morien Station and I was to get of at Catalone Station. I was in the care of the conductor of the train and he told me when to get off. I was met at the station by Mr. Alex. R. MacDonald. He was caretaker at the station and also operated a grocery store nearby.

It was a real warm day. We went down to the store about 10:00 a.m. and Mr. MacDonald said he would be going home about 12:00 noon for dinner which was about 3/4 of a mile from the store. I remember him giving me a bottle of pop and a bar of candy, then I went outside to sit on the doorstep. I was very lonesome thinking of my mother, brother and sisters - not knowing where I was going, and wondering if the people would be good to me.

Anyway, 12 o'clock came and we started for home. I remember having a burlap bag with what little clothes I had - toothbrush and a comb and a Bible. Mr. MacDonald found a small stick and put it through the handle so I could carry it on my back. We walked home as Mr. Mac Donald had no car, in fact, I don't believe there were any cars in the area at that time.

We arrived home about 12:30 p.m. Mr. MacDonald's sister, Margaret, met us at the door and made me very welcome. Also, their father, who was in this early nineties, and very bright for his age, was sitting on the sofa. I remember walking him down the road to the polling station to cast his vote about a mile down the road when he was ninety-two. I went with him. He was a Liberal. I believe Hon. George N. Murray was Premier of Nova Scotia then. The old gent spoke mostly Gaelic, which I could never learn to speak but understood some. Mr. MacDonald went back to the store about 1:30 p.m. I stayed home with the old gent and went to look over the farm, which consisted of two cows, some sheep and hens, but no horse.

During the conversation in the afternoon, they told me they had a little girl living with them. She was in school and her name was Flo MacLean. She was Mr. MacDonald's grandaughter. They lived in Louisbourg. She was only five years old when her mother died.

About 4:00 p.m. she came home from school. There was no bus service then and she had to walk to school, a distance of about 2 1/2 miles. I knew very well she didn't understand me sometimes, but we soon got along very well.

Mr. MacDonald came home about 7 p.m. from the store. One of my first chores was to feed the hens and learn to milk the cows, which did not take too long to learn.

My education was discussed and having told Mr. MacDonald I was in standard grade VI in this county, it was decided that I would go to school for the month of June so I would get acquainted with the rest of the school children and the school system. The teacher was Miss Mary MacVicar. It was quite a change and I believe most of the scholars did not understand me on account of the English Accent. It did not take too long to make friends.

Next time I went to school, the teacher was Miss Sophia MacLeod. She was the daughter of Rev. Donald MacLeod, Minister of the Mira and Catalone Churches. I started the term in grade VI and at the end of the term I graded in 7. When I went to school next term, the teacher was Miss Sarah Farmer of Sydney. I found the school work a little hard as the teacher was giving us extra work such as French and Algebra. Anyhow, I passed my exams and graded into VIII.

During the summer I worked around the farm, and when Mr. MacDonald went to Sydney or Glace Bay, Flo and I worked in the store. When it was getting near to the school term, I asked Mr. MacDonald if I could stay home as I thought I had enough education and found it hard to learn French and Algebra. He said it was up to me, but he preferred for me to go another term or two. Anyhow, I decide to not go any further in school.

When I did not work about the farm, I would go down to the store and station to help Mr. MacDonald. Mr. MacDonald was caretaker at Catalone Station. There were only two trains operating from Sydney and Glace Bay to Louisbourg every day. (Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia).

As I grew older, there didn't seem to be enough work for me around the
store and small farm, so a thought came to me that I should take a trip back to see my mother, brother and two sisters, as I always kept in touch with them through the mails. In the fall and winter of 1929 I would go to the woods in my spare time and cut some pit timber and sell it at the road. In 1930, after talking it over with Mr. MacDonald, I decided I would go over to England after planting time and come back before hay making, I made reservations with the Furness and Whithy Lines in Halifax.

The fare was about $250 return, so I went back home around the first of June.

The ship took nine days to get over as it called at St. John's Newfoundland, and stayed there two nights. When I landed at Liverpool, I went looking for my mother and sisters who were supposed to meet me at the dock. After looking for some time, I decided there must be some delay as they did not get there on time.

My next stop was to find out how to get to Birmingham. I went to the shipping office to get some information on trains. I started for the railway station and as I was leaving the shipping office, I noticed my mother and two sisters coming down the street. I always had photos of them, so I had no difficulty in identifying them. It was a reunion I'll never forget. We went to the station, got tickets, and boarded the train for Birmingham. My brother Edgar, met us at New Street Station, then we took a bus HOME.

It was not the same house as the one I remembered. Everything seemed so different. I was lonesome, wishing to be back in Catalone, in Canada, but I would make the best of it. After visiting all my relatives, I went to visit the school I had attended, also the Middlemore Home. The officials were very pleased to see me and to know
I made out very well in Canada. I was still lonesome and wanted to get back to Canada.

I was going to stay six weeks but after consulting with the Furness and Whithy Lines, I had two weeks cut off my return passage. As the time was getting short for my return visit, my mother and the rest of the folks wanted me to stay. They did all they could for me - offered to get employment, but I had my mind made up but felt sorry for my mother. She did not want to see me go back. I explained to her that Mr. MacDonald was like a father to me and needed help, so I promised my mother if anything happened to him and his sister ahead of me, I would make my decision then whether I should go back to England, and I promised her as soon as I could save enough money, I would have them come over for a visit to Canada.

I arrived in Catalone in June, 1930. Mr. MacDonald was very pleased to see me back. In fact, when I was away in England, he gave me a gift of fifty dollars. He really never expected me to come back. I learned after I came back that he had mentioned to a neighbor he never expected for me to return to Catalone.

After I arrived back, I went to work as usual about the farm, store and also the Station. It didn't seem to me that I was getting enough work and I needed extra money, so I would go to the woods to cut some pit timber and sell it at the road side.

In 1931, Mr. MacDonalds sister passed away suddenly. We really missed her as she was a good housekeeper. We were fortunate to have their niece, Flo MacLean, with us.

In 1933 the liberals won the election. Hon Angus L. MacDonald became Premier of Nova Scotia.

Then I saw a chance of some highway work with a truck and so I discussed going into the trucking business with Mr. MacDonald. He bought me a new truck. I went to work on the road in the summer, and in the fall and winter, I would haul pit timber which we bought at the roadside and shipped on flat cars at Catalone spur to the Mines. It improved the business at the store.

In 1939 I married Margaret MacCuish. She was a resident of Catalone and a graduate of Glace Bay General Hospital. We have two children, Kaye and Harold.

On the 10th of August, 1945, as Mr. MacDonald was preparing to go to a Council Meeting, he passed away suddenly at the age of 79. After the death of Mr. MacDonald, the responsibility of his estate was entirely left to me.

I was interested in politics, having gone quite often with Mr. MacDonald to political meetings. I was informed by Warden Wilfred Carmichael that a by-election would be held in October, 1945. I met with a number of citizens to find out if anyone wanted to offer as candidate. During the latter part of September, I was invited to a meeting in a private home. On arriving there that night, there were a number of residents present. During the conversation regarding the by-election, I was requested to run for office as Councilor for District 24. Nomination day was the first part of October. I was the only one to file papers, so I was declared elected to
represent District 24.

During the year, the Amalgamation of district came about, so Districts Number 5,6,15, and 24 were combined into one to be known as District 14. Councilor Mark Connington represented District No. 6, West Louisbourg. He being the longest sitting member, I requested him to offer but he declined in favor of me, so in October the election was called. Mr. William D. Burke of Little Lorraine, who represented District N. 24, was nominated to run for office. On election day, I was re elected to represent the District No. 14."

Ernest Bishop died in Catalone, New Brunswick, Canada, at the of 75. Margaret Johena MacCuish died March 8, 1977, in Catalone, New Brunswick, Canada. 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-10-22 13:04:47 / From original database

Last Updated : 2013-12-02 15:00:22 /

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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        
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IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
5126 ABBOTT, Emily1886ENG,     May 1898 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
3011 ABBOTT, Frederick1896ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1906 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
3012 ABBOTT, George1893ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1906 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
3058 ABBOTT, Herbert William1893ENG, WAR, Aston, Erdington Jun 1906 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
3140 ACKROYD, Frances May1899M__,     Jun 1915 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
3143 ACKROYD, Mabel Emma1904IRL,     Jun 1915 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
3144 ACKROYD, William Henry1906IND,    , Quetta Jun 1915 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
6924 ADAMS, Ann Elizabeth1867ENG,     Jun 1878 : Sarmatian CAN Middlemore  
8778 ADAMS, George1875ENG,     Jun 1887 : Lake Ontario CAN Middlemore  
8128 ADIE, Dorothy May1914ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jul 1928 : Newfoundland CAN Middlemore  
10057 ADIE, Henry1896ENG, WAR, Aston Jun 1906 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
10056 ADIE, Mary1895ENG,     Jun 1906 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
5834 ADKINS, Edith May1907ENG, WAR, Alcester Jun 1910 : Mongolian CAN Middlemore  
9641 AGAR, John1905ENG,     Jun 1911 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
8129 AGER, Arthur Charles1915ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jul 1928 : Newfoundland CAN Middlemore  
23376 ALEXANDER, Walter1906ENG,     May 1920 : Minnedosa CAN Middlemore  
4645 ALLDRIDGE, Arthur1897ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1904 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
4640 ALLDRIDGE, Francis1889ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1896 : Corean CAN Middlemore  
4644 ALLDRIDGE, Harry1892ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1904 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
4639 ALLDRIDGE, John Leonard1884ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1896 : Corean CAN Middlemore  
4641 ALLDRIDGE, Ruth Rebecca1890ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1896 : Corean CAN Middlemore  
4643 ALLDRIDGE, Violet1893ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1904 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
4642 ALLDRIDGE, William Henry1886ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1896 : Corean CAN Middlemore  
9650 ALLEN, Dorothy1903ENG,     Jun 1911 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
17060 ALLEN, Edward1887ENG,     Jun 1899 : Siberian CAN Middlemore hlomiller  
3860 ALLEN, Florence Elizabeth1891ENG, WAR, Birmingham Jun 1902 : Siberian CAN Middlemore  
4703 ALLEN, Thomas Henry1899ENG, WOR, Kings Norton May 1907 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
12871 ALLEN, Walter Harry1883ENG, WOR, Kidderminster Jun 1895 : Carthaginian CAN Middlemore  
16328 ALLMAN, Sophia Mary Ann1875ENG, MDX, St. George in the East Jun 1885 : Lake WWnnipeg CAN Middlemore  
6925 ALLSUPP, Eliza Matty1865ENG,    , Upton on Severn Jun 1878 : Sarmatian CAN Middlemore  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily 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