From 1869 to 1948 various workhouses, sheltering homes, orphanages and child care organizations in Great Britain sent over 100,000 orphaned, abandoned, pauper children ages 1 to 18 to Canada and other Commonwealth countries They have come to be known as the British Home Children. It is estimated that 12%, over 4 million of the Canadian population, is a descendant of a Home Child. Research into these young immigrants can be difficult. We hope these sites recommended by our staff may assist in your search.

ArchiviaNet -searchable database of home children

 Barnardo's Family History Service - start to trace your family history by sending an enquiry form with details about your relative. A small fee is payable if documents are required

British Home Children - lists over 56,000 records. Plus information about requesting searches of an offline database containing more detailed records

British Home Children Descendants - Canadian "extension of the British Home Children Mailing List, hosted by Rootsweb". Includes articles, a database, postings etc

Former British Child Migrants - a UK government web site, provides contact details about tracing former child migrants, and various schemes in place to assist in this matter

Library & Archives Canada - members of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa [www.bifhsgo.ca/] are locating and indexing the names of Home Children found in different records held by Library and Archives Canada

Middlemore Homes Index - index to Children's Emigration, Home children who came to Canada 1872-1932

Olive Tree: Ontario Home Children - useful links to both Canadian and UK locations