Hello everyone, I am new to the list. My late mother told me her Dad's brother emigrated to Canada. I have been trying to trace him for a while now. On 'findmypast.Com' I have found a Clifford PEARSON leaving for Canada on Feb18th 1897 from Liverpool. He is an unaccompanied boy aged 11 years. He sailed on the Numidian. Can anyone tell me if I can find any more details about him and if so point me in the right direction. Would a boy from the Halifax area be likely to sail from Liverpool? There were a lot of other children on the same ship without families too. Why would they go to Canada if they had a family? I may have the wrong person but will not know unless I can find more details about him. Regards, Elaine. - Special message from TalkTalk - Please help in the search for Madeleine McCann Madeleine's aunt, Philomena McCann, has devised an email poster as she fears that Madeleine may have been taken to Spain where the girl's disappearance has generated less attention. You can download the poster from here http://news.aol.co.uk/web-appeal-over-missing-madeleine/article/20070510063809990001. Anyone with information should contact the Portuguese police direct on 00 351 282 405 400 (international call rates apply) or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Hi Elaine, the ships passenger list can be viewed here http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/passenger/001045110.01e.phpq1=Numidian&q2=1897&q3=&q4=&q5=liverpool&q6=18972F022F18&q7=&interval=20&PHPSESSID=ni2cpflcuro1crkj7tlakipt02 Make sure you get the whole URL It shows the Clifford you mention as part of a large group of children under the supervision of a Mrs. Birt. No further details other than his age. A quick look at automatedgenealogy.com shows a Clifford Pearson born England, Feb 1893, who arrived in Canada in 1897. He is working as a farm labourer in Russell, Ontario. Hope this helps, Jack

Hi Elaine, Many British Home Children were sent to Canada and Australia between 1869 and 1930s. Some were orphaned; some had parents who couldn't care for them. Both these countries were young and in need of labour, and some people in England thought these children would be better off. Many were treated well but some were not. There was also a stigma attached to being a home child. It is a very sad part of English, Canadian and Australian history. It is estimated that about 20% of Canada's population descend from home children. Take a look at Collections Canada page: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/genealogy/022-908.009-e.html This Clifford PEARSON appears arriving at Halifax, Canada (not from Halifax, Yorkshire). I believe you can order a complete file on this person and it will tell the parents names, how they came to be in care etc. I don't know if you have to be related or how closely. Regards, Janet (Ontario, Canada) Home Children ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- PEARSON , Clifford Age: 11 Sex: M Year of arrival: 1897 Microfilm reel: C-4517 Ship: SS Numidian Port of departure: Liverpool Departure Date: 18 Feb 1897 Port of arrival: Halifax Arrival Date: 4 Mar 1897 Party: Mrs Birt's Destination: Knowlton, Quebec Comments: Difficult to read. Note: The child's surname was illegible or difficult to decipher. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elaine York" <yorkmpg@talktalk.net> To: <ENG-YORKSHIRE@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 5:18 PM Subject: [YORKSHIRE] Clifford PEARSON leaving for Canada in 1897. > Hello everyone, > I am new to the list. My late mother told me her Dad's brother emigrated to > Canada. I have been trying to trace him for a while now. On 'findmypast.Com' > I have found a Clifford PEARSON leaving for Canada on Feb18th 1897 from > Liverpool. He is an unaccompanied boy aged 11 years. He sailed on the > Numidian. Can anyone tell me if I can find any more details about him and > if so point me in the right direction. Would a boy from the Halifax area be > likely to sail from Liverpool? There were a lot of other children on the > same ship without families too. Why would they go to Canada if they had a > family? > I may have the wrong person but will not know unless I can find more details > about him. > Regards, Elaine.