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Record #4121
Name :
: Frederick George SNOW (1909 - 1994)


Father
:
Mother
:
BMD and other details
Date of Birth
: 17 Sep 1909

Marriage (1)
:
Marriage (2)
:

Date of Death
: 17 Sep 1994
Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland, , London

Larch Road Balham
Abode (2) : Place of Death / BurialCanada, Thunder Bay
Sailing Information
Date of Arrival
: Apr 1925
Country
: Canada

Ship
: Andania

Placement Family
:
Homes / Agencys
Institution (GB)
:

Agency
: Waifs & Strays
NotesIn 1913, Frederick Snow (3? years of age) was forcibly removed from his home by the Church of England Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays. He never saw his family again. They pinned a nametag on his shirt, and put him on a train alone for the 3-hour trip to impoverished foster parents (a Mrs. M. Smith) in Rumburgh, Halesworth, Suffolk.

When he was 12, he was transferred to St. Augustine?s Home for Boys in Sevenoaks Kent. When he was 15, he was given the ?choice? of emigrating to Canada or Australia. Staying in England was not an option given to him, as, to his caretakers, he was an unwanted commodity to be exported.

In 1925, Fred Snow, 15, arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, along with a group of 24 boys en route to Gibbs Distributing Home in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.

He worked as an indentured farm labourer for 16 hours a day on farms in Ontario and Quebec. Many of his peers were not allowed contact with their Masters? families and had to sleep in the barn. Many were not allowed to attend school nor entitled to medical care. Many were unpaid for their labour.

When he was 18 years old and no longer ?in care,? he wrote his first letter to the Waifs and Strays. He pleaded with them to ?help someone who is living in darkness, and does not know who he is.?

He did not have a birth certificate, did not know who his parents were, why he was taken into care, or if he had any siblings.

He continued to write to them for information about his family for the next 50 years. He wrote his last letter in 1984 was he was 75 years old. He died at age 85 on his unconfirmed birthday September 17, 1994. Fred Snow died ?living in darkness? and ?not knowing who he was.? 
ContributorsCreated : 2008-08-31 13:52:55 / From original database

Last Updated : 2014-01-18 19:53:36 /

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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
17739 SNOW, Charles F1880ENG,     Mar 1899 : Dominion CAN National Childrens Home  
5801 SNOW, Florence May1896ENG,     Oct 1910 : Sicilian CAN Barnardos  
4121 SNOW, Frederick George1909ENG, LDN, London Apr 1925 : Andania CAN Waifs & Strays  
27246 SNOW, Jean1921 Nov 1935 : Balranald AUS Fairbridge Homes  
4415 SNOW, Lilian Ada1886ENG, ESS, Stratford Oct 1902 : Colonian CAN Barnardos