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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  38 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
7206 BISHOP, Albert 1896ENG,     May 1909 : Corsican CAN Catholic Emigration Society  
9744 BISHOP, Albert1892ENG,     Jul 1902 : New England CAN Barnardos  
18393 BISHOP, Albert1911ENG,     Mar 1929 : Duchess of Richmond CAN Unknown  
12741 BISHOP, Albert George R1901ENG, KEN, Strood Mar 1911 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
22181 BISHOP, Albert W.1881ENG,     Apr 1897 : Labrador CAN Barnardos  
27101 BISHOP, Albert William Leslie1920ENG, BDF, Luton Jul 1930 : Balranald AUS Fairbridge Homes  
10053 BISHOP, Amelia S1882ENG, DOR Oct 1892 : Sardinian CAN Barnardos  
24900 BISHOP, Arthur1901 Mar 1910 : Tunisian CAN Barnardos  
16183 BISHOP, Arthur Tom1874ENG, SOM, Compton Bishop Jun 1886 : Lake Superior CAN Barnardos  
22789 BISHOP, Baby1881ENG,     Aug 1882 : Circassian CAN MacPherson Homes  
6877 BISHOP, Christina1888ENG,     Jun 1900 : Cambroman CAN Barnardos  
19982 BISHOP, Cyril1915ENG,     Mar 1930 : Albertic CAN British Immigration and Colonisation Association  
17214 BISHOP, Edward1888ENG,     Sep 1899 : Arawa CAN Barnardos  
17988 BISHOP, Elizabeth Alice1890ENG,     Aug 1896 : Scotsman CAN Barnardos  
4585 BISHOP, Emily R.1907ENG,     Mar 1914 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
4442 BISHOP, Ernest1908ENG, WAR, Birmingham May 1920 : Minnedosa CAN Middlemore  
12455 BISHOP, Ernest1892ENG,     Jul 1903 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
19253 BISHOP, Ernest Edward1905ENG,     Sep 1912 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
4695 BISHOP, Fred ENG,     Feb 1908 : Grampian CAN Louisa Birt  
17352 BISHOP, Frederick William1896ENG,     Apr 1912 : Corinthian CAN Barnardos  
10463 BISHOP, George1908ENG, LDN, London May 1924 : Montrose CAN Sailing Alone  
19871 BISHOP, George1896ENG,     May 1907 : Empress of Britain CAN Fegan Homes for Boys  
12470 BISHOP, George H1886ENG,     Jul 1894 : Sardinian CAN Barnardos  
20773 BISHOP, Henry ENG,     May 1892 : Sardinian CAN Rev. William J. Pady  
22507 BISHOP, Henry J1899ENG,     Mar 1909 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
4117 BISHOP, James1898ENG, MDX, St Luke, London May 1914 : Victorian CAN Catholic Emigration Association  
5239 BISHOP, John1913ENG, LAN, Manchester Mar 1930 : Scythia CAN Salvation Army  
20579 BISHOP, John1890 Apr 1905 : Kensington CAN Barnardos  
8024 BISHOP, Julia1850ENG,     Jun 1869 : Austrian CAN Maria Rye  
10577 BISHOP, Laura1912ENG,    , Cardiff Jul 1923 : Minnedosa CAN Barnardos  
9789 BISHOP, M A1885ENG,     Aug 1897 : Vancouver CAN Barnardos  
11964 BISHOP, Marian Melita1877ENG,    , Compton Bishop Jul 1886 : Parisian CAN Barnardos  
6960 BISHOP, Mary A.1860ENG,     Aug 1871 : Prussian CAN Maria Rye  
10201 BISHOP, Maurice Avery1894ENG,    , Henley Apr 1904 : Southwark CAN Barnardos  
25956 BISHOP, Owen George Frederick1916ENG, LND, Lambeth Nov 1929 : Ballarat AUS Fairbridge Homes  
22753 BISHOP, Thomas H1885ENG,     Oct 1896 : Scotsman CAN Barnardos  
9290 BISHOP, William1900ENG,     May 1908 : Dominion CAN Barnardos  
26876 BISHOP, William1920ENG, LND Nov 1931 : Ballarat AUS Fairbridge Homes  
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
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  38 Entries