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Record #3891
Name :
: Elizabeth DAVIDSON (1887 - )
  aka : Betty


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 1887 (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
: 18 Mar 1910
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Tunisian

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

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

In 1891, Elizabeth Davidson, 4 years of age, was shown residing at the West Side of Road, Flint Hill, Dipton, Collierly, Durham, England. Other family members included: Caroline Davidson, 37; Caroline Davidson, 2; Henry Davidson, 38, general laborer; Henry Davidson, 6; James Davidson, 8; John J. Davidson, 16, brick yard laborer; Mary A. Davidson, 11; Pearce Davidson, 1 month; and Rubert Davidson, 13. (Source: 1891 Census of England; Class: RG12; Piece: 4088; Folio 141; Page 52; GSU roll: 6099198.)

Her niece, Fay Braithwaite, relates (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 Davidson 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.

The 14th July, 1898 --- on this date Elizabeth and Caroline, aboard the SS Labrador, arriving in Quebec on 23rd(or 25th) July 1898. They also went to Hazelbrae Homes.

(EDITORS NOTE: In 1898, Elizabeth Davidson, 11 (along with her sister, Carolina Davidson, 9), arrived in Quebec, Canada, with a group of 127 Barnardo girls en route to Peterborough, Ontario. In 1901, Elisa Davidson, 15, was shown as a lodger with Louisa Pilgrim and family at Richmond, Richmond and Wolfe, Quebec, Canada. Her date of birth is shown as April 26, 1885, and her immigration year as 1899.) 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-07-14 10:27:34 / From original database

Last Updated : 2009-07-30 09:43:05 /

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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 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 1756 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
3025 ABBOTT, David Henry1891ENG, ESS, Grays Mar 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3030 ABBOTT, Ellen1893ENG,     Aug 1906 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
3040 ABBOTT, James1893IRL,    , Carlew May 1906 : Tunisian CAN Smyly Homes of Dublin  
3060 ABBOTT, Lilian1903ENG,     Jun 1912 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3049 ABBOTT, Penelope1901ENG, KEN, Sidcup Jun 1912 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3063 ABEL, Albert Edward G.1901ENG, ESS, West Ham Aug 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3065 ABEL, Florence1902ENG, ESS, West Ham Aug 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3067 ABEL, Frederick1889ENG,     Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
3064 ABEL, Queenie Victoria1900ENG, ESS, West Ham Aug 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
5599 ABERNETHY, Henry1897ENG, CUL, Whitehaven Aug 1914 : Tunisian CAN Sailing Alone  
3101 ABRAMS, Ada1894ENG, ESS, West Ham May 1912 : Tunisian CAN Unknown  
6354 ABREY, William Roger1901ENG,    , Croydon Aug 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
3130 ACKERS, Frederick1893ENG,     Mar 1911 : Tunisian CAN Labourers & Domestics  
6859 ADAMS, George1889ENG,     Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
8886 ADAMS, Henry1889ENG,     Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
9229 ADAMS, Maud1885ENG, LND, Kingsland Sep 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
15500 ADAMS, Reuben Stanley1893ENG,     May 1907 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
20734 ADAMS, William1893ENG,     Aug 1908 : Tunisian CAN Catholic Emigration Association  
22562 ADAMS, William1895ENG,     Mar 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
23862 AGAR, Horace1888ENG,     Sep 1901 : Tunisian CAN Waifs & Strays  
4319 AIKEN, William1891ENG,     Mar 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
22143 AIKIN, David1892IRL, ANT, Belfast Mar 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
6550 AINGER, Florence1886ENG, WOR Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
6477 AINGER, Pollie1889ENG, WOR Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
23743 AINSWORTH, Muriel1889ENG,     Oct 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
2852 AIRD, Arthur1895ENG, LAN Apr 1911 : Tunisian CAN MacPherson Homes  
17056 AITKIN, David1892ENG,     Mar 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
17057 AITKIN, William1891ENG,     Mar 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
5391 AKERMAN, Martha Rosina1891ENG, MDX, St. Giles Sep 1901 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
9843 ALBON, Frank Baldwin1889ENG, MDX, Staines Jul 1900 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
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 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 1756 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