This is a little of the story of George,
Albert and Walter Tickner.
In
March 1903 the Local Government Board wrote to each Poor Law Union on the
subject of the emigration of orphaned and deserted children. Masters of the workhouses were instructed to
prepare lists of children desirous of being emigrated.
Children in Guildford Union Workhouse were
asked if they wished to emigrate and in April 1903, the minutes of the Board of
Guardians report that three brothers, George, Albert and Walter Tickner, who had been at the workhouse for 5 years, wished
to go to Canada.
They were sent to Nova Scotia, Canada on the SS Siberian which sailed from Liverpool on the 30th May 1903 and arrived in Nova Scotia, Canada on the 12th June 1903.
They were sent to Nova Scotia, Canada on the SS Siberian which sailed from Liverpool on the 30th May 1903 and arrived in Nova Scotia, Canada on the 12th June 1903.
The
Tickner brothers are listed in the 1901 census in the Guildford Union as
paupers. They were the children of
Alfred and his wife, Elizabeth Glover, whom he married in 1890 at St John’s
Farncombe, Surrey. He was aged 24 and a
labourer, son of James Tickner, also a labourer. Elizabeth was aged 22 and a
machinist living in Busbridge, her father was Charles Glover, a dyer. Alfred made his mark, Elizabeth signed her
name. Their first child, Alfred Charles, was baptised at Farncombe on the 28th
September 1890, but died aged ten months and was buried in Nightingale
Cemetery, Godalming on the 13th July 1891. The 1891 census lists Alfred,
Elizabeth and Alfred Charles living in Farncombe Street. Alfred was born in
Godalming and Elizabeth born in Worcester.
Albert Tickner was born on the 22nd October 1893 and baptised at St
John’s Farncombe on the 28th January 1894, Walter Charles was born on the 19th
July 1895 and baptised at Farncombe on the 6th October 1895. On the 6th October 1896 Alfred Tickner, was
buried in Nightingale Cemetery, aged 30, a labourer of Bridge Street,
Godalming. Three and a half months later a daughter, Beatrice Kate, was born on
the 26th January 1897 and baptised on the 12th February 1897 at St Peter and St
Paul Church in Godalming.
Elizabeth
was left with a newly-born daughter and three boys. In 1899 Elizabeth Tickner married Richard
Symes (registered in Guildford). A new marriage
possibly meant there was no room for the boys and they were sent to Guildford
Union Workhouse. A newspaper report in the West Surrey Times suggests other family members didn't want the boys to be sent abroad.
The
brothers were sent to Canada, after at least 3 years’ residence in the
Workhouse, as part of Dr Middlemore’s child emigration organisation. After a short
time in the Middlemore Home in Birmingham, they were sent to a Receiving Home
in Canada. George was aged about 12,
Albert about 9 and Walter about 8. In
1872 John Throgmorton Middlemore founded the Children’s Emigration Homes after
he saw poor children on Birmingham streets and felt they should have a better
and healthier life abroad away from being paupers. In 1893 he started to send
children to Nova Scotia and over 5,000 children were sent with Middlemore to
Canada. The children came from local workhouses and reformatories in Birmingham
and some children were sent by Guildford Union Workhouse. Many organisations
participated in sending emigrants until government legislation stopped it in
1948. In 2010 the Prime Minister, Gordon
Brown apologised for the United Kingdom’s role in sending over 130,000 children
to former colonies.
After
a short time, George was placed with Forbes MacDonald in Upper River, Victoria
County, where he was reported doing well; Albert was placed with John Franklin
Forbes in Goshen, Guysborough County and after problems with his first
placement, Walter’s second home was with Roderick McCharles of West Side,
Middle River, Victoria County, a family who adopted him.
Like
his father, Alfred Tickner, George died in his 30s. He was married to Margaret McQueen and living
in Cape Breton Island, when he succumbed to complications from diabetes and
died on 12th May 1928.
©Elizabeth Lloyd
