The Squires family...
The Barnardos Home documents, regarding Alice Violet (primarily) and Amy Ella Squires.
These are the source documents from Barnardos from which much of this Squires family story has been constructed. They have been transcribed to make them searchable.
- the admittance document, dated October 22, 1903
- the immediate events leading up to the actual emigration to Canada the date of which was June 14, 2012
- the significant events in Canada, from arrival in Quebec City on June 22, 1912 to the last record barnardo's had of Alice - an address change on December 31, 1937
A notable information gap exists between the admittance date and the lead up to the emigration. While there is a chance that Alice and her sister remained at their original foster home this entire time, I think rather that, when asked, Barnardo's only provided the essential documents that had to to do with the Canadian outcome.
These pages have been transcribed to make them searchable.
The admittance document...
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ALICE VIOLET (2), & AMY ELLA (2 months), SQUIRES ALICE VIOLET SQUIRES Admitted -- 22nd October, 1903. Age -- 2 years, 1 month. Date and Place of Birth -- 31st August, 1901, at Hackney. Religious Denomination of Father -- Church of England. Religious Denomination of Mother -- Church of England. If Baptized -- Yes. Full Agreement, with Canada Clauses, signed by mother. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION. Colour of Hair -- Brown. Complexion -- Fair. Colour of Eyes -- Blue. Vaccination Marks -- Nil. Height -- 3 ft., 2 in. Weight -- 28 lbs. Chest measurement -- 19½ in. Condition of Body -- Stout. Remarks by Medical Officer -- Seborrhæic denudalitis back of scalp. Left ear discharging. In this case, application on behalf of these fatherless children reached us in a letter from Miss Mary K. Davis, Secretary of the Hackney Committee of the Charity Organisation Society., 5 Sutton Place, Hackney. Subsequently, one of our enquiry-officers reported the following facts;-- The parents were married at St. Michael and All Angel's, Hackney, on the 25th March, 1894. For more than eleven years the father was carman, at a wage of 25/- per week, to Messrs. Palmer & Co., grocers, 84 Chatsworth Road, Hackney, and from the head of the firm our agent learnt that he bore an exemplary character, and was very much liked by everyone. On the 24th February, 1903, he died after six days' illness from pneumonia. From an Insurance Company, the mother received £21; from a Club £12; and £5 was subscribed by her husband's fellow workmen. After defraying the funeral expenses, (£7 10s), the remainder of the money supported the mother and her five children (supplemented by her earnings as a charwoman) until after the birth of Amy, who is a postmumous child. On account of her approaching confinement, the mother had to give up her work, and as she had been further incapacitated by a "bad hand", her employer, Mrs. Bainton, of 57 Powerscroft Road, Hackney, was obliged to get a substitute. This lady gives the mother a most excellent character. Finding herself almost destitute and hampered by a young baby, the mother at length applied for parish relief, and was granted six loaves and a small allowance of grocery. When our officer called on the mother, the children were clamouring for food, which arrived while he was there. They were living in two very small rooms, the rent of which (5/- per week) was three weeks in arrear. The Rev. Watson, 54 Powerscroft Road, had been making efforts to get the two eldest children into a Primitive Methodist Home, at Arlesford, Hants, and they had been actually accepted. They, however, failed to pass the doctor, and had to be operated on for tonsilitis. The question of their ultimate admission was still in abeyance, but as the Home is a very small one, there was a great probability of the vacancies being filled up. In the event of the mother being relieved of three or four of her children, the Charity Organisation Society intended to have taught her a trade - such as collar ironing - to enable her to support herself and those remaining dependent on her. Relatives: -- Mother -- Mary Ann Squires (33), 13 Maclaren Street, Hackney Brother -- William Walter Charles (8), with mother. Sisters -- Harriet Maud (7), Florence May (6), Ethel E.E. (4), all with mother. Grandparents (maternal) -- John Harrowell, a carpenter's labourer, 3 Lionel Mews, Notting Hill, Mary Ann Harrowell, same address. Uncles (maternal) -- John Harrowell, clerk, 8 children, Warrington Road, Notting Hill; George Harrowell, Labourer, lives with his parents; Harry Harrowell, single, a foreman porter, 32 Queen's Road, Dalston. Aunts (maternal) -- Lizzie Williams, married, address &c., unknown; Louisa Harrowell, single, with parents; Alice Harrowell, in service, Stanley Villa, Gordon Villa, Hackney. Uncles (paternal) -- Walter S. Squires, a printer, married, 8 Castillian Road, Northampton. De. R. 505. Ad. 30,475.6]. Queen Victoria House |
Items entered into the records in England, notably the immediate events leading up to the actual emigration to Canada the date of which was June 14, 2012.
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(activity in) England Squires, Alice Violet. Born 31-8-01. Admitted 29-10-03. Full by Jno. (John). Amy Ella (253). Mother (very respectable). Mrs. Squires, Boarded out to foster parents John (Jno.) & Miss Cooper, School Cottage, Beckley, Sussex. Friend - Mrs. Luck, Westfield Cottage, Beckley, Sussex, corresponds regularly. (dd-mm-yy, dd-mm-yyyy) 29-04-1912... Before Sailing Notice to John. 02-05-1912... John asks for visiting order. 03-05-1912... ans., asking for names and date. 08-05-1912... Letter to ?? asking visiting order for QLC (QE?). Visiting order sent. 23-05-1912... Letter from foster mother asking girls to write. 24-05-1912... Letters from girls to Mrs. Luck and foster mother. 09-05-1912... John visited and 3 girls (children's sister, probably Maud, age 16). Working for living, grateful, respectable, nice woman. Photos promised - asked if she may know boat and time so that she can see the girls off on 14th June. Promised to send word. 12-06-1912... Letter from girls to John. 14-06-1912... John saw girls off by train from London to Liverpool. (Note : sisters sailed from Liverpool on June 14, 1912, arrived in Quebec City on June 22, 1912.) 16-07-1912... Old foster mother Miss Cooper sends box of goodies to girls - given to Cottage and wrote Miss Kennedy?. 14-08-1912... Miss K. replies - "writing girls advising them of Miss Cooper's gift. They are both settled in happily in their homes." 09-04-1915... John - Mr. Squires, 8 Millers Terrace, (near) Arcola Street (and) Kingsland, writes, enquires about girls, as not heard from them for some time. 13-04-1915... ??? and wrote Miss T. (must be the contact in Canada) 11-05-1915... Miss T. replies she is urging girls to write. 07-05-1917... Alice writes to Miss Humphreys, forwarding letter to (Alice's) sister Maud. Sent letter to sister Maud, which was returned D.L.O. (Dead Letter Office). (Maud must have moved from where Barnardos believed she last was.) Wrote to tell Alice this, 12-05-1917. |
From arrival in Quebec City on June 22, 1912 to the last record Barnardo's had of Alice - an address change on December 31, 1937.
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Canada June 1912 Squires, Alice Violet... 27-06-1912. (Age 10.) To Mrs. Joseph Oliver, April, 1913. (Age 11.) (change sheet) Address now... R.R. # 1, Shelbourne, P.O. Ontario 24-08-1913. (Age 11.) Miss Brown (says) healthy-looking girl, tall, fair, and blue eyes. Tidy and smart. Conduct and behaviour fair. Treated very kindly. Attending Presbyterian Church and Sunday School regularly. D. Sch. 3904 13. Book 3. Nice farm home. Satisfactory room. Boarded out. March, 1914. (Age 12.) (change sheet) (reason) Eye and ear trouble. (going to) Margaret Cox Home (Barnardos, Peterborough). 03-04-1914. (Age 12.) (change sheet) (going to) Mrs. J.P. Taylor, Cheltenham, Ontario. Board & School. June, 1915. (Age 13.) (change sheet) (reason) Services no longer required. (going to) Mrs. Herbert R. Bessey. Georgetown, P.O. Ontario. B.C.S. (board, clothing, school) To 30-06-1915, then $4.00. 22-01-1916. (Age 14.) (change sheet) (reason) Mutual dissatisfaction. (going to) Mrs. William George Halbert, R.R. #1, Camilla, Ontario. $5.00- Farmer. 18-07-1916. (Age 14.) (change sheet) (reason) Unsatisfactory. (going to) Mrs. R. Coulson, Shanty Bay, Ontario. $5.00 foster mother. 08-11-1917. (Age 15.) Mrs. Reagin (says) - well-grown, healthy girl, rather untidy, suitable clothes. Fairly good, willing worker. Treated kindly. Methodist Church and Sunday School. Plain home, kindly mistress, 2 sons (Cam's note : Alice's son Alfred remembers her talking about the Coulson's having two sons.) Sleeps with mistress. $6.00. Alice says she is lonely, but has a good many privileges. 20-08-1918. (Age 16.) Miss Hatfield (says) - Well-grown, healthy girl. Needs new everyday clothes. Good worker, but headstrong. As one of family. Church and Sunday School regularly. Aged lady and two middle-aged sons (probably still at the Coulson's). Small frame house, untidy. Sleeping arrangements most unsatisfactory. $4.00. Alice finds plenty to do here, and is dissatisfied with her wages. 03-06-1919. (Age 17.) (change sheet) (reason) Mutual dissatisfaction. (going to) Work(ing) as "ward maid" at the Nicholls Hospital, Peterborough. $15.00. 06-01-1920. (Age 18.) (change sheet) (going to) Mrs. Bernard Dench, R.R. #4, Lakefield, Ontario. $15.00. Farmer. 03-05-1920. (Age 18.) Miss Heaslip (says) - Healthy girl, average size. Suitable clothing. Giving satisfaction so far. Kindly treated. Does not attend church at present. Good farm home. Loving couple, 4 children. Good room. $16.00 or $17.00. Alice starts she is out of the care of the "Home". Is ungrateful. Does not wish a visitor. 09-1920. (Age 19.) (change sheet) (going to) Mrs. D. Hewitt, Gravenhurst, Ontario. 14-10-1921. (Age 20.) (change sheet) (going to) Mrs. Crow, York Mills, Ontario. $10.00. Aged 20. 12-08-1922. (Age 20.) (change sheet) (going to) Mr. Harold Dynicut, Barrie, Ontario. 11-22-1922. (Age 21.) (change sheet) Miss Gillars (says) - I heard that Alice is working at above address and that her sister Amy is working in the same home. 27-10-1923. (Age 22.) (change sheet) Married now:- Mrs. A.T. Longhurst, R. R. #1, Allandale, Ontario. 26-04-1928. (Age 26.) (change sheet) change of address to:- 17 Emily Street, Belleville, Ontario. 24-04-1928. (Age 26.) H.R. corroborates above change:- (report received later than change sheet) 08-02-1930. (Age 28.) (change sheet) Change of address to:- (Station Street? or Station, like Station A Toronto?), P.O. Belleville, Ontario. 31-12-1937. (Age 36.) (change sheet) Change of address to:- 29 Fisken Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. |