Oliver emigrated to Canada in 1926. This may be of interest to someone researching the family. Viv
Source: British Newspaper Archive
Source: British Newspaper Archive
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Ingram Oliver Harborne
- Thread starter Vivienne14
- Start date
I wondered if he was a "home child"
These were child migrants, most going from an emigration agency's home for children in Britain to a Canadian receiving home. The children were mostly placed with families in rural Canada.
Maybe he chose to return as an adult ? Viv
These were child migrants, most going from an emigration agency's home for children in Britain to a Canadian receiving home. The children were mostly placed with families in rural Canada.
Maybe he chose to return as an adult ? Viv
MWS
from Bham
He was with his parents and a brother (who later joined the merchant navy) in 1921. His mother appears to have died in 1923 but his father re-married. His father died in 1934 I think. Another (younger) brother is with the step-mother in 1939.
Maybe he came back when his father died.
Maybe he came back when his father died.
Thanks. Be nice to know under what circumstances he went out there at the age of 14. Viv.
This probably suggests he was sent as part of an organised emigration. I did wonder if when his mother died his father struggled to support him. If his father died in 1934 perhaps he was sick before that time and had no choice but to arrange for Oliver's migration to Canada. Viv
CPR offered ready made farms to GB residents in western Canada. So maybe these boys went out to work on these farms. They would have been with British families who'd settled there earlier. Viv
An advert from much earlier (c1893) advertising free farms. I think after the advert the further development of the railway pushed the programme into other parts of western Canada
The farms were built to standard plans for the houses, the barns, and outhouses. They were designed by the Canadian Pacific Railway for use as their "Ready-Made Farms.
Viv
The farms were built to standard plans for the houses, the barns, and outhouses. They were designed by the Canadian Pacific Railway for use as their "Ready-Made Farms.
Viv
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Some background to the situation in Canada at the time Oliver came back to visit England in 1930. If he'd been employed in farming these factors may have played a part::
- a severe drought in 1929 which was catastrophic for people living in the western part of Canada. The main resources of the prairies were crops, and wheat in particular. The economy there was dependent on these crops. The drought made it extremely difficult for farms to bring in a good harvest. For this reason, many farms failed and it became very hard for Western Canadians to make a living.
- the Great Depression. Apparently a large number of unemployed immigrants were deported from Canada
But at least Oliver had managed to save £150;- a tidy sum for an 18 year old at that time.
Viv
- a severe drought in 1929 which was catastrophic for people living in the western part of Canada. The main resources of the prairies were crops, and wheat in particular. The economy there was dependent on these crops. The drought made it extremely difficult for farms to bring in a good harvest. For this reason, many farms failed and it became very hard for Western Canadians to make a living.
- the Great Depression. Apparently a large number of unemployed immigrants were deported from Canada
But at least Oliver had managed to save £150;- a tidy sum for an 18 year old at that time.
Viv
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Some more info about Oliver (slightly adding to Janice's and MWS's info)
Died 1962 address 497 Harborne Park Road. This differs from Directories below which consistently have him living at #495
21/12/1929 Arrived Glasgow having departed St John New Brunswick Canada on Canadian Pacific ship Athenia occupation :given as "Farmer" Address in UK given as 357 High Street Harborne
21/3/1930 Departed England on the Canadian Pacific ship Duchess of Richmond - as per photo in post #1
9/12/1933 Departed Quebec Canada on the Athenia for Glasgow
Directories for 1957, 1960 and 1962 give his address as 495 Harborne Park Road
There is a family tree on Ancestry with photos of Oliver, one on a farm with snow around (definitely not an English farm in style) and one on the Duchess of Richmond (like the one in post #1) but alongside an elderly gentleman.
Viv
Died 1962 address 497 Harborne Park Road. This differs from Directories below which consistently have him living at #495
21/12/1929 Arrived Glasgow having departed St John New Brunswick Canada on Canadian Pacific ship Athenia occupation :given as "Farmer" Address in UK given as 357 High Street Harborne
21/3/1930 Departed England on the Canadian Pacific ship Duchess of Richmond - as per photo in post #1
9/12/1933 Departed Quebec Canada on the Athenia for Glasgow
Directories for 1957, 1960 and 1962 give his address as 495 Harborne Park Road
There is a family tree on Ancestry with photos of Oliver, one on a farm with snow around (definitely not an English farm in style) and one on the Duchess of Richmond (like the one in post #1) but alongside an elderly gentleman.
Viv
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