Concern at young children being sent to live in Canada

They were being dispatched, seemingly uncaringly, by the city's Board of Guardians, an elected body of councillors and other Worcester worthies who were responsible, among other things, for the Workhouse at Tallow Hill and the nearby Cottages Homes for orphans and the children of poverty-stricken single parents.

Berrow's Journal for this week of 1903 reported a meeting of the Worcester Board of Guardians at which the issue of sending orphans to Canada was discussed.

"The Local Government Board had written pointing out the diminution in the number of children emigrated by boards of guardians to Canada. There had never been such opportunities for emigrating.

"As a result, the Cottage Homes Committee recommended that four girls of a family, Jane Fifield (aged 13), Annie (11), Elizabeth (10) and Emma (6) be emigrated.

"However, Canon W.R Carr said there was a grave question whether it was advisable to emigrate very young girls. The committee of the Royal Albert Orphanage at Henwick Road had declined to send them because there was not sufficient protection for young children, especially on the way over and on their arrival. Many thought it was wiser to wait till children were 10 years old. The Orphanage boys had done exceedingly well in Canada.

"Mr W. Shakespeare, seconding the resolution that the four girls be sent to Canada, pointed out that there was an excess of children in the Cottage Homes. Mrs H. Brown said that if they did not send some children away they would have to build extensions, which none of them desired. They proposed sending the children through the excellent agency of Mr Middlemore of Birmingham.

"Miss James thought they should not feel any anxiety about the young children either on the crossing or on reception. The Clerk, Mr Knott said the Board had previously sent children away by the same agency with satisfactory results.

"The resolution to send the four sisters to Canada was carried."