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Record #14575
Name :
: Margaret BLANCE (1871 - 1942)
  aka : Maggie


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 21 Oct 1871

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 5 Nov 1942
Abode (1) : Place of BirthScotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh

4 Infirmary Street
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Brockville
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: 19 Jun 1884
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Buenos Ayrean

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Quarriers
NotesWhen Margaret was only 11 years old her father died, and she and her 4
youngersiblings entered St. Cuthbert's Poor House. Her mother was
described as " paralyzed and unable to care for her children. " Three
months after her father,James', death in February 1883, she and her
sister and brothers were transferr ed to Quarrier's Orphan Home in
Bridge of Weir, Scotland. Her mother signedp aperwork authorizing this
action. A year later, June 7, 1884, all 5 children sailed from Greenock,
Scotland on the Buenos Aryean bound for Canada. Theywe re placed
initially in the Marchmont Home for Orphans in Belleville, Ontario,
Canada. From here, she was taken in by the Copland family living on a
farm n ear Lansdowne, Ontario where she worked for her keep. In the
surviving record s was this letter written by Margaret to Mr. and Mrs.
Quarrier back in Scotlan d dated 1884--" I am very glad that you sent me
to Canada, for I have got such a good home. We have six cows and I have
a grey one. We have hens, chickens , pigs, and horses. I go to the
Sunday school, and I get little books. Andre w and John have got a good
home, too. My mistress and master are very kind to me. They are all
very nice people. I get good food. John is one mile from me; Andrew is
two miles from me. Remember me to all the girls. My best love t o you
all. Margaret Blance " Then, later, dated February 9, 1886, she wrote- -
" I now take the pleasure of writing you a few lines, as I am nowable to
w rite a little, but not much. I have been very sick for the last three
weeks s o that I could not go to school, but the doctor says that I am out
of danger n ow, and I am a little better today. I hope you and your
family are well, and all the children too. John and Andrew and Mary are
well, and doing well, too ; but we are all doing well. I don't know how
poor little Jamesis, but I thi nk he is well, at least he was the last I
heard of him and thatwas at Christm as. The winter is very rough and
cold here, but I read in thepaper that ther e was two feet of snow in
Scotland, which was never k nown before, so the pape r said, but I don't
know. The snow is not so deep here, butit was deeper las t winter. Dear
Mr. Quarrier, we had a nice Christmas tree here for Sabbath Sc hool, and
we all got presents. My teacher is a Scotchman,and the minister is
Scotch, too ; his name is Mr. Morrison. My papa was talking to him, and
Mr. Morrison asked him what country girl I was, and papa told him all
about me an d where I came from and everything, and Mr. Morrison said he
knew Mr. Quarrier and had visited the Homes. So I will finish about the
Christmastree. I got a nice album,it is just a beauty, so it is ; and I
got a nice silk pocket hand kerchief and nice things in my
stockings--ribbon and cent and I got a nice lit tle lead basket, and I
don't know how many more things.Now, dear Mr. Quarrie r, I want to ask
you a question, and I hope you will not think it too much tro uble or me
too bold and I hope you will grant it. Itis for your picture and Mrs.
Quarrier and your family. Please send me yours and Mrs. Quarrier's
anyh ow, please do. I would like to have your family pictures to put in m
y
album ; but if you can't, why you can't. They all teased me so to ask
you so I thoug ht I would. And I would like to have them, too, to show
them to everybody. P lease send them, dear Mr. Quarrier. I am going to
have my picture taken this summer and send it to you. I guess I have
told you all the news now, dear Mr. Quarrier. Remaining yours truly,
Maggie Blance" Being the eldest child, a lot of the verbal history of
our family came from her and after reading these letters, it was clear to
me that her stories of a wealthy family living in a s umptuous home in
Scotland, were patterned heavily on the actual Quarrier famil y, that she
must have wished had been her own ! The truth must have been far too
painful. 
ContributorsCreated : 2011-05-11 10:14:09 / From original database

Last Updated :

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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  5 Entries        
IDNameDOBPlace of birthArrivals & ShipsDest.AgencyFamily links
14577 BLANCE, Andrew1875SCT, MLN, Edinburgh Jun 1884 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers  
13346 BLANCE, James William1880SCT, MLN, Edinburgh Jun 1884 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers  
14576 BLANCE, John Hay1873SCT, MLN, Edinburgh Jun 1884 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers  
14575 BLANCE, Margaret1871SCT, MLN, Edinburgh Jun 1884 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers  
14578 BLANCE, Mary1878SCT, MLN, Edinburgh Jun 1884 : Buenos Ayrean CAN Quarriers