Hi Everyone, My turn to ask for some help. We had a visitor to the museum from Belfast, Ireland today. He is looking for information on his grandmother's brother who was sent to an orphanage in Ireland. He had located Attestation Papers for Samuel Best who gave his place of residence as Penetanguishene in 1915. He believes him to be his gr-uncle. I have not had time to really get into this as yet and since it is a new area of research I thought you great people might have some direction for me and, of course, to eventually forward on to our visitor. Here is what I have so far: 1901, 1911 censuses: No Samuel Best. Nor is there one in the 1911 census in Ireland. Personal knowledge: He was an illegitimate child, as were his two sisters, supposedly all had the same father. The girls did not go into an orphanage but he did. All were Church of England. Attestation Papers: His name as Samuel James Best. He enlisted Nov. 5, 1915 in Parry Sound and gave his place of residence as Penetang. He was born 24th February 1897 in County Down, Ireland and was a farmer on the date of enlistment. His next-of-kin is his sister is Mrs. Nellie Jess (one of 2 sisters who remained in Ireland) of Belfast. Civil registration of marriage: He married Emma Brownsward in Guelph, Wellington County in 1923. He stated he was 26 years old, a sawyer, bachelor. living in Toronto, C of E., mother Ellen Best, father John Best and both died young. Immigration Record: Samuel Best, born 1897 , arrived from Liverpool May 1908, destination Toronto. Cleary states these were Dr. Barnardo's party. Home Children database in LAC records: Samuel Best, age 11, male, Ship Dominion, arrived Quebec May 1908, destination Toronto. Girls to Peterborough, no mention of where the boys were sent. My task is now to prove the soldier Samuel and child Samuel are one and the same. And of course, to figure out who he stayed with in Penetang and how he got there. I'd really like to add him to our list of WW1 soldiers from the area. Any ideas? Pam Penetang

Pam, check out the British Home Children Descendants website and e- mailing list archives, etc.: http://www.britishhomechildren.org ----- Original Message ----- From: Pam Tessier <pamtessier@sympatico.ca> Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 3:40 pm Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] Simcoe County Barnardo children To: Simcoe Mailing List <can-ont-simcoe@rootsweb.com>

Barnardo's might send a copy of his file to you, but is more likely to only send it to a direct descendant. Moreover they now charge what I think is an obscene rate for this, but it's worth it because the files have a lot of information in them you will never find anywhere else, including--usually--a photo taken of the child upon admission, & another one just before emigration. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pam Tessier" <pamtessier@sympatico.ca> To: "Simcoe Mailing List" <can-ont-simcoe@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 6:39 PM Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] Simcoe County Barnardo children > > Hi Everyone, > > My turn to ask for some help. We had a visitor to the museum from > Belfast, Ireland today. He is looking for information on his > grandmother's brother who was sent to an orphanage in Ireland. He had > located Attestation Papers for Samuel Best who gave his place of > residence as Penetanguishene in 1915. He believes him to be his gr-uncle. > I have not had time to really get into this as yet and since it is a new > area of research I thought you great people might have some direction > for me and, of course, to eventually forward on to our visitor. > > Here is what I have so far: > > 1901, 1911 censuses: > No Samuel Best. Nor is there one in the 1911 census in Ireland. > > Personal knowledge: > He was an illegitimate child, as were his two sisters, supposedly all > had the same father. The girls did not go into an orphanage but he did. > All were Church of England. > > Attestation Papers: > His name as Samuel James Best. He enlisted Nov. 5, 1915 in Parry Sound > and gave his place of residence as Penetang. He was born 24th February > 1897 in County Down, Ireland and was a farmer on the date of enlistment. > His next-of-kin is his sister is Mrs. Nellie Jess (one of 2 sisters who > remained in Ireland) of Belfast. > > Civil registration of marriage: > He married Emma Brownsward in Guelph, Wellington County in 1923. He > stated he was 26 years old, a sawyer, bachelor. living in Toronto, C of > E., mother Ellen Best, father John Best and both died young. > > Immigration Record: > Samuel Best, born 1897 , arrived from Liverpool May 1908, destination > Toronto. Cleary states these were Dr. Barnardo's party. > > Home Children database in LAC records: > Samuel Best, age 11, male, Ship Dominion, arrived Quebec May 1908, > destination Toronto. Girls to Peterborough, no mention of where the boys > were sent. > > My task is now to prove the soldier Samuel and child Samuel are one and > the same. And of course, to figure out who he stayed with in Penetang > and how he got there. I'd really like to add him to our list of WW1 > soldiers from the area. > Any ideas? > > Pam > Penetang > > > > > ***************** > Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy > > Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CAN-ONT-SIMCOE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi Pam, There is a website for a Barnardo group located in Peterborough ON. They hold meetings once a month during the winter. The name of the home where the girls were sent is called Hazelbrae, no longer standing, but the lady in charge of the meetings is Ivy, she may be able to help. 'barnardohazelbraegroup.com' Sherry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pam Tessier" <pamtessier@sympatico.ca> To: "Simcoe Mailing List" <can-ont-simcoe@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 6:39 PM Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] Simcoe County Barnardo children > Pam > Penetang > > > > > ***************** > Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy > > Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CAN-ONT-SIMCOE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.851 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3080 - Release Date: 08/18/10 14:35:00

PAM ........... 2010 is " THE YEAR OF THE BRITISH HOME CHILD " . and a book is in the works, for publication, as I understand, AT THIS TIME . Have been in correspondence with others, on this list, further to this, some months ago. EVEN CONTRIBUTED A STORY. When the weather clears, and the dust settles, hopefully can get a couple of e-mail addresses to you . :-) Keep plugging .. this story has great promise. Paul Robins -------------------------------------------------- From: "Pam Tessier" <pamtessier@sympatico.ca> Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 6:39 PM To: "Simcoe Mailing List" <can-ont-simcoe@rootsweb.com> Subject: [CAN-ONT-SIMCOE] Simcoe County Barnardo children > > Hi Everyone, > > My turn to ask for some help. We had a visitor to the museum from > Belfast, Ireland today. He is looking for information on his > grandmother's brother who was sent to an orphanage in Ireland. He had > located Attestation Papers for Samuel Best who gave his place of > residence as Penetanguishene in 1915. He believes him to be his gr-uncle. > I have not had time to really get into this as yet and since it is a new > area of research I thought you great people might have some direction > for me and, of course, to eventually forward on to our visitor. > > Here is what I have so far: > > 1901, 1911 censuses: > No Samuel Best. Nor is there one in the 1911 census in Ireland. > > Personal knowledge: > He was an illegitimate child, as were his two sisters, supposedly all > had the same father. The girls did not go into an orphanage but he did. > All were Church of England. > > Attestation Papers: > His name as Samuel James Best. He enlisted Nov. 5, 1915 in Parry Sound > and gave his place of residence as Penetang. He was born 24th February > 1897 in County Down, Ireland and was a farmer on the date of enlistment. > His next-of-kin is his sister is Mrs. Nellie Jess (one of 2 sisters who > remained in Ireland) of Belfast. > > Civil registration of marriage: > He married Emma Brownsward in Guelph, Wellington County in 1923. He > stated he was 26 years old, a sawyer, bachelor. living in Toronto, C of > E., mother Ellen Best, father John Best and both died young. > > Immigration Record: > Samuel Best, born 1897 , arrived from Liverpool May 1908, destination > Toronto. Cleary states these were Dr. Barnardo's party. > > Home Children database in LAC records: > Samuel Best, age 11, male, Ship Dominion, arrived Quebec May 1908, > destination Toronto. Girls to Peterborough, no mention of where the boys > were sent. > > My task is now to prove the soldier Samuel and child Samuel are one and > the same. And of course, to figure out who he stayed with in Penetang > and how he got there. I'd really like to add him to our list of WW1 > soldiers from the area. > Any ideas? > > Pam > Penetang > > > > > ***************** > Ten People All Genealogists Should Follow On Twitter: http://tr.im/hBAy > > Simcoe Co. GenWeb at http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CAN-ONT-SIMCOE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >