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Record #23503

Name :: : Walter WILSON
Father: :
Mother: :

BMD and other details

Date of Birth: :
Marriage (1): :
Marriage (2): :
Date of Death: :

Abode (1) : Place of BirthEngland

Abode (2) : Place of Death / Burial

Sailing Information

Date of Arrival: : 14 Oct 1910
Country: : Canada
Ship: : Sicilian
Placement Family: : John and Keitha Horton in New Dublin

Homes / Agencys

Institution (GB): :
Agency: : Barnardos

Notes{website}recorder.ca/2010/09/02/home-children-deserve-more-city-woman-says

One of the saddest chapters in Canadian history is the story of the British "home children."

From 1869 to 1939, British church and charity groups shipped over 100,000 poor or orphaned children -called "home children" -to Canada, Australia and other British settler countries to work as farmhands and domestic servants.

Most of these children, who ranged in age from six months to 18 years old, were sent to Canada.

In 19th-century England, children were used as slave labour in factories, mines and trades. So the promise of a better life in a different country -where they would be provided with food, shelter and an education -must have seemed like a dream come true.

But for many, the dream became a nightmare.

Home children were little more than indentured servants with no rights. A fortunate few were welcomed into families, but many were subjected to neglect, abuse and abysmal working conditions.

In recent years, England and Australia have both issued formal apologies for their role in the home children saga, but Canada has never apologized.

However, steps are being taken to recognize the significant role home children played in Canada's development -and countless childhoods sacrificed in the process.

The Ontario government is currently discussing a bill that would designate Sept. 28 every year as British Home Child Day.

The federal government has proclaimed 2010 as the Year of the British Home Child, and on Wednesday, Canada Post issued a stamp commemorating the home children.

Donna King, whose Centennial Road home houses a collection of home children memorabilia, has a connection through her godmother, Annie "Nanny" Wilson, who married a home child, Walter Wilson.

While Walter was fighting overseas in the war, Annie rented out rooms in her home on Byng Avenue, and King's family, the Martins, moved in.

Annie became a kind of second mother to King.

"My mother was very ill when I was born, so my Nanny literally carried me home from the hospital, and she looked after me," King said.

"From then on, she was a part of our family."

In 1945, Walter Wilson came home from the war. He never talked about his years as a home child, but King has been able to piece together his history through documents found in Annie's attic after he died.

Walter Wilson was born in London on June 3, 1901. His birth certificate lists him as Walter John Collett. His parents were not married, so he was given his father's last name and deemed illegitimate. He had no brothers or sisters.

In later documents, Wilson and his wife refer to him as an orphan, but there is no evidence to support this. King believes he preferred being thought of as an orphan because of the stigma that was attached to home children.

As a child, Wilson lived and attended school in London at one of the Barnardo Homes. Founded by Dr. Thomas John Barnardo, these homes placed 30,000 children in Ontario.

Only nine years old when he was shipped overseas, Wilson arrived in Quebec City and was sent to do farm work for John and Keitha Horton in New Dublin, where he stayed until he married Annie on Nov. 9, 1937.

Then came the Second World War.

In his RCAF application, Wilson noted that he had a public school education and was working as a mechanic at a garage in Brockville.

At the bottom, he wrote: "I am an orphan, worked hard, still working hard."

Even though Wilson was not a Canadian citizen at this point, he joined the Canadian armed forces and fought on the front line in Italy.

It was here that King found a clue as to why Wilson did not go by his birth name, Collett.

In a sworn battlefield declaration in Italy, dated Dec. 26, 1943, he said that Walter Collett was his true name, but that he wanted to be known as Walter Wilson.

He wrote: "I took the name of Wilson from a relative who brought me up after the death of my parent, and I've always been known by the name of Walter Wilson."

When Wilson returned home, he rking as a mechanic and was eventually employed by Brockville's city works garage.

Wilson died on Jan. 17, 1979. He was 77.

King remembers him as a quiet, moody man who worked hard but did not socialize. He was emotionally withdrawn and seemed unable to show affection, even to his wife.

King often wonders if his experiences as a home child, followed by the brutality of war, forever damaged his psyche.

King recalls him talking about his days as a Barnardo Boy.

"The etiquette that he was taught at the Barnardo Home was very disciplined, very regimental," she said.

"You sat down to your meal, you put a napkin on your lap, you ate everything that was on your plate, and when you finished, you pushed your chair in."

Every child shipped overseas by a Barnardo Home was given a trunk to carry their belongings. King has Wilson's Barnardo trunk, which contains his war coins, a diary and other war memorabilia, a good conduct medal he received from Dr. Barnardo's Home, and all the official documents, newspaper clippings and photos King has compiled of Wilson's life.

Other than some scuffs and scratches on the inside of the trunk, it looks much as it might have when nine-year-old Walter Wilson stepped off the boat in Quebec City.

King wants Canada to do more to recognize the plight of the home children.

"I don't know what the percentage is, but a lot of these children were abused. And mind you, when these children came here, they were children. They worked with their hands. They didn't have the farm equipment that's here today," she said.

"I would like to see recognition for all of these home children. They were such an important part of our history and the development of the land."

ContributorsCreated : 2014-01-11 09:19:37 / 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 80 Entries

ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family links
8575	WILSON, Albert	1888	ENG, LND, Lambeth	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
26736	WILSON, Albert	1902		Oct 1910 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
19821	WILSON, Alec	1897	ENG,	Apr 1913 : Teutonic	CAN	Hurst House Training Home
5717	WILSON, Alexander		ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
25420	WILSON, Alexander	1890	SCT,	Jun 1897 : Sarmatian	CAN	Quarriers
8576	WILSON, Alice	1885	ENG, LDN, London	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
11649	WILSON, Alice	1890	ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
3496	WILSON, Alice Maria	1898	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
5720	WILSON, Allan G		ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
22321	WILSON, Annie Elizabeth	1906	ENG, LDN, London	Jul 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	MacPherson Homes
27591	WILSON, Archibald	1871	SCT, LKS, Glasgow	1881 : Manitoban	CAN	Marchmont Homes
18396	WILSON, Arthur	1913	ENG,	Mar 1929 : Duchess of Richmond	CAN	Unknown
25037	WILSON, Arthur	1898		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
9576	WILSON, Benjamin	1895	ENG,	Aug 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
12429	WILSON, Benjamin	1892	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
3366	WILSON, Charles	1897	ENG,	Jul 1910 : Virginian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
11136	WILSON, Charles	1894	ENG,	May 1907 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
13944	WILSON, Charles	1893	ENG,	Mar 1901 : Dominion	CAN	Louisa Birt
25038	WILSON, Charles	1898		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
27169	WILSON, Charles A			Jul 1930 : Balranald	AUS	Barnardos
21996	WILSON, David		ENG,	Apr 1925 : Athenia	CAN	Quarriers
27420	WILSON, David	1932	ENG,	Jan 1949 : Ormonde	AUS	Big Brother Movement
26316	WILSON, Edith Joan	1924		Aug 1934 : Oronsay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
8969	WILSON, Edith M	1896	ENG,	Jul 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
8577	WILSON, Edward	1888	ENG, LDN, London	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
14420	WILSON, Edward	1882	ENG,	Jul 1895 : Laurentian	CAN	Waifs & Strays
15453	WILSON, Edward	1893	ENG,	May 1906 : Empress of Britain	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
6993	WILSON, Elizabeth	1859	ENG,	Aug 1871 : Prussian	CAN	Maria Rye
25553	WILSON, Elizabeth Anne	1913	ENG, KEN, Sheppey	Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
23988	WILSON, Elsie	1911	ENG,	May 1920 : Minnedosa	CAN	Middlemore
5192	WILSON, Ernest	1917	ENG, , Swaffham	Mar 1932 : Montclare	CAN	Barnardos
25552	WILSON, Ethel Eileen	1915	ENG, KEN, Sheppey	Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
18357	WILSON, Eva	1889	ENG,	Oct 1896 : Scotsman	CAN	Barnardos
3357	WILSON, Florence	1897	ENG,	May 1910 : Corsican	CAN	Louisa Birt
20337	WILSON, Frederick	1876		Mar 1887 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
25551	WILSON, Frederick	1913		Feb 1924 : Euripides	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
26839	WILSON, Frederick Alexander	1924	ENG, LND, Lambeth	May 1934 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
11705	WILSON, George		ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
18358	WILSON, George	1887	ENG,	May 1899 : Gallia	CAN	MacPherson Homes
22003	WILSON, George		ENG,	Apr 1925 : Athenia	CAN	Boy Hostel, Montreal
23002	WILSON, George	1890	ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
26282	WILSON, George Ernest	1919	ENG,	Apr 1930 : Jervis Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
12131	WILSON, George W H	1916	ENG,	Jun 1928 : Ballarat	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
21346	WILSON, Grace	1899	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
3365	WILSON, Harriet	1899	ENG,	Jul 1910 : Virginian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
15891	WILSON, Henry	1872	ENG,	Sep 1884 : Sarmatian	CAN	Liverpool Catholic Childrens Protective Society (now Nugent Care)
19504	WILSON, Henry	1872	ENG,	May 1889 : Nestorian	CAN	Unknown
5730	WILSON, Isabella		ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
7032	WILSON, Isabella	1860	ENG,	Aug 1871 : Prussian	CAN	Maria Rye
5733	WILSON, James		ENG,	Aug 1875 : - Unknown -	CAN	Louisa Birt
16334	WILSON, James Thomas	1872	ENG,	Mar 1887 : Parisian	CAN	Barnardos
4288	WILSON, Jane	1891	ENG,	Oct 1900 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
17917	WILSON, John	1913	ENG, NBL, Newcastle	Jun 1928 : Andania	CAN	British Immigration and Colonisation Association
7162	WILSON, Joseph	1856	ENG,	Aug 1871 : Prussian	CAN	MacPherson Homes
8637	WILSON, Josiah	1910	ENG, LAN, Liverpool	Jul 1925 : Athenia	CAN	Marchmont Homes (now Barnardos)
26581	WILSON, Leonard	1897	ENG,	Mar 1906 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
23989	WILSON, Lilly	1909	ENG,	May 1920 : Minnedosa	CAN	Middlemore
27019	WILSON, Lily Violet	1914	ENG, KEN, Greenwich	Aug 1921 : Themistocles	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
25327	WILSON, Maggie	1882	SCT,	Jun 1897 : Sarmatian	CAN	Quarriers
13654	WILSON, Mary	1906	ENG,	Sep 1921 : Minnedosa	CAN	Barnardos
11757	WILSON, Maude	1891	ENG,	May 1902 : Dominion	CAN	Barnardos
24198	WILSON, Michael	1855	ENG,	May 1870 : Scandinavian	CAN	Boy's Home Great Queen Street, London
5700	WILSON, Norman	1900	ENG,	Mar 1911 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
21514	WILSON, Oscar	1895		Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
9577	WILSON, Reginald F	1893	ENG,	Apr 1905 : Kensington	CAN	Barnardos
6013	WILSON, Richard	1887	ENG,	Oct 1904 : Bavarian	CAN	Barnardos
24927	WILSON, Robert	1901		Mar 1910 : Tunisian	CAN	Barnardos
20908	WILSON, Ronald	1922	ENG,	Apr 1938 : Duchess of Bedford	CAN	Fegan Homes for Boys
27018	WILSON, Rose	1911	ENG, LND, Southwark	Aug 1921 : Themistocles	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
4608	WILSON, Rudolph Alexander Hamilton	1910	ENG, KEN, Chatham	Aug 1925 : Ausonia	CAN	Salvation Army
11928	WILSON, Victor George	1919	ENG, LND	Jun 1929 : Largs Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
20707	WILSON, Violet	1898	ENG,	Oct 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
21394	WILSON, Violet	1898	ENG,	Jun 1913 : Corinthian	CAN	Barnardos
20184	WILSON, W. F.	1887	ENG,	Jun 1897 : Labrador	CAN	Barnardos
23503	WILSON, Walter		ENG,	Oct 1910 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
4985	WILSON, William	1909	ENG, LAN, Liverpool	Aug 1925 : Montnairn	CAN	Catholic Emigration Association
12430	WILSON, William	1892	ENG,	Mar 1903 : Canada	CAN	Barnardos
18281	WILSON, William	1908	ENG,	Mar 1920 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
27299	WILSON, William	1915	ENG,	Jun 1929 : Largs Bay	AUS	Fairbridge Homes
19398	WILSON, William Thomas	1901	ENG,	Sep 1912 : Sicilian	CAN	Barnardos
ID	Name	DOB	Place of birth	Arrivals & Ships	Dest.	Agency	Family 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 80 Entries

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