Hello, The "Akbar Reform Ship" has been mentioned on this List and the Lancsgen List, and I have an interest in it because of Edward CORKILL being on it in ~1872. He was the older brother of the 5 CORKILL children who went to live in the Liverpool Sheltering Homes when it opened in 1873. Those children were "shipped to Nova Scotia" in 1874. But, Edward somehow got to the other end of Canada - Vancouver, British Columbia. I just read over the weekend on the Lancashire Message Board that there was also the Clarence Reform Ship, this one for Catholic boys. And, the historian said that the boys would then go onto the "sailing ships." My question is whether the officials placed the boys on both ships - onto sailing ships, or whether the boys had to make the arrangements themselves. It has been mentioned that these ships are discussed on the book, "Yesterday's Naughty Children ..." So, I'm going to try to borrow the book from my local library. This is the 2nd book I will be requesting. For 2 years I've been wanting to borrow an excellent book on the "home children" in Canada, written by Marjorie Kohli: "Golden Bridge: Young Immigrants to Canada ...." (2003). I found out that they are both available at university libraries in New England. Just a reminder that the latest web site about the "home children, Canada" (aka BHC) is: http://www.britishhomechildren.org/ But, you will find many more sites about all the children "shipped to Canada" by officials in the U.K. by a Google search for either: "British Home Children" or "Home Children, Canada." And, so many people in Canada and the USA are "spreading the word" that more books are being written about them each year. And, now there are "plays" on stage about them. We, on the BHC List, are trying hard to get the "home children" officially discussed in Canada's schools. Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA) (on Lists for 8 years; now an Administrator for 8 Lists) FYI: The youngest of the CORKILL children who were shipped to Canada were 2 boys, Ages 5 and 3. They and their 3 sisters all went to different homes in Nova Scotia. The sisters all married young. The boys did not fare so well. John married later in life, married an older woman, never had children, and then died before she did. Robert lived into his 60's and never married. (There is now a CORKILL List.)