Dr Barnardo's records

A great uncle was sent to Canada by Dr Barnardo's in 1924. We put in a
standard request for information on his emigration to the relevant
department at Barnardo's. The reply gave details of the ship he was on
and dates of a few communications up until the early 1930s, however all
other information such as addresses was withheld because the request
came from a great niece, and not next of kin.

I would be keen to find out what success other people have had when
requesting information. He certainly has no living children in the UK we
know that for sure, and his contact with the family ended soon before
the second world war. Barnardo's need proof that he has no living next
of kin before releasing info to more distant relatives. At this stage,
we don't even know if he survived past the war, let alone what family he
might have had in adult life.

There must be lots of people requesting similar information, and getting
the same reply, are there any tips for progressing with the search?
Any suggestions great fully received.

Hugh Watkins...

Hve you tried the notice boards

Home Children

and the Canadian National Archives site?
one online index

DavidM...

The basic details we have are listed on a few Home Children websites. If
he or his descendants were looking, I expect we would have hooked up by now.
The Canadian National Archives are processing a request for his
immigration form. I don't know how much info that will give us, maybe
the farm he was sent to, but most likely just a Barnardo's address. The
online index does not yet cover 1924 unfortunately.

Barnardo's were in contact with him up until the 1930s, so it is their
information that will really give us some clues as to where he ended up.
Someone has already suggested a person skilled at finding Canadians,
which is one option. Though I suspect he went to find his fortune in the
US as an illegal immigrant, which adds even more variables.

Hugh Watkins...

1930 US census?

Hugh W

DavidM...

1930 would be too early, but if available 1940 would be useful, thanks
for the suggestion.
Do they not have the same 100 year privacy rules as us then?

singhals...

Hang on, it'll come open in 2012. Only 6 more years ...

Hugh Watkins...

meanwhile relaunched

use
and
You are here:Message Boards > Topics > Orphans and orphanages > Canada >
General

and boards will some times get results years after posting

Hugh W

Charani...

No, they don't. It's either 72 or 75 years, I believe, but one of our
American residents will be able to enlighten you.

Jeff...

I think you'll find it varies by State.

Hugh Watkins...

which lists all available
NARA is a magic web-search word

National Archives and Records Administration.
Washington, D.C.

ip: Begin with the most current census year available and work
backwards. With the 72-year restriction on access to the Census, the
most current year available is 1930.

The National Archives has the census schedules on microfilm available
from 1790 to 1930. (Note: Most of the 1890 Census was destroyed in a
Department of Commerce fire, though partial records are available for
some states.)

see also

news to me

Last year Heritage Quest Company notified you about the delay of the
online census effort. We are pleased to now announce that we are moving
forward with this project as a result of Heritage Quest's acquisition by
ProQuest Information and Learning.

History is always new with ProQuest Historical Newspapers™, the
initiative that delivers the "backfiles of record" in living page
image—exactly as they appeared to the original readers decades ago.

* The New York Times- 1851-2003
* The Wall Street Journal- 1889-1989
* The Washington Post- 1877-1990
* The Christian Science Monitor- 1908-1993
* Los Angeles Times- 1881-1985
* Chicago Tribune- 1849-1985
* Atlanta Constitution- 1868-1929
* Boston Globe - 1872-1923
* Hartford Courant - 1764-1984

boundless resources and little by little the local competitors of
ancestry.co.uk are getting better and better.
which can only be good for us researchers (if we can afford to pay for
access)

I love this BBC Through the Night program
used to listen to it in Denmark too

Hugh W

To start with we want to find out what became of him as a child in care,
sent from England to Canada. Finding living relatives is not the main
reason for the search.

Hugh W

DavidM