I am searching for two brothers who were sent to Canada as British Home Children. I have information on John Bahan as an adult but nothing about his British roots. As for Anthony, I know nothing about him at all having just discovered his existence.

Below is all the information I have on the two brothers as young lads.

I hope I can make a connection with family.

Cheers,

Bill Ellis

In the 1881 census for Heston, Middlesex, England (page 22) John Behan (age 6 (1875) born in Stepney, Middlesex, England, occupation scholar) and his brother Anthony Behan (age 10 (1871) born in Stepney, Middlesex, England, occupation scholar) were inmates in North Hyde Hounslow St Marys Orphanage. They were treated horribly there. Both brothers were Roman Catholics.

Canadian Catholic Emigration Committee’s list of emigrants sent out to Canada by this committee on the 8th July 1886 (showing also their respective ages, the amounts contributed towards their emigration and their postal address) included Anthony Behan; Union or Parish Chargeable to – Stepney; Age – 15; Contribution by Guardian - £10; Postal Address – Mr. Patrick Coyne, Chesterville, Province of Ontario.

The following is a transcript of a Home Children Passenger List record found at the National Archives of Canada: Behan, Anthony: Age: 15, Sex: M, Year of arrival: 1886, Microfilm reel: C-4535, Ship: Polynesian, Port of departure: Liverpool, Departure Date: 8 Jul 1886, Port of arrival: Quebec, Arrival Date: 18 Jul 1886, Party: Cardinal Manning, Destination: Ottawa, Comments: From London Unions, Reference: RG76 C 1 a and General Correspondence file RG17, Vol. 519, File 57294. When Anthony arrived in Ottawa, the Diocese of Ottawa sent him to St. George's Home 1153 Wellington Street. From there he was sent to Mr. Patrick Coyne, Chesterville, Province of Ontario.

The following is a transcript of a Home Children Passenger List record found at the National Archives of Canada: Behan , John: Age: 13, Sex: M, Year of arrival: 1887, Microfilm reel: C-4535, Ship: SS Samaritan, Port of departure: Liverpool, Departure Date: 14 Jul 1887, Port of arrival: Quebec, Arrival Date: 24 Jul 1887, Party: Cardinal Manning's, Destination: Ottawa, Ontario. From Ottawa John Behan went to Michael McMahon's farm (Lot 23, Concession 2, 50 acres, Winchester Township, Dundas County, Ontario, Postoffice Chesterville). John was in the Stepney Union before he left for Canada.

The 1891 Ontario Census for Dundas County, Winchester Township (page 11) found John Bahan (age 16, born in England as were both parents, farmer, can read and write) living with Michael McMahon (head, age 33, born in Ontario, both parents born in Ireland, farmer, can read and write), Margaret McMahon (wife, age 29, born in Ontario, both parents born in Ireland, farmer, can read and write), Mary I. McMahon (daughter, age 6, born in Ontario), Stella C. McMahon (daughter, age 1, born in Ontario) and Catherine McMahon (Mother, age 69, born in Ireland, both parents born in Ireland) on Michael McMahon’s farm. All in the house were Roman Catholics.

John A. Bahan immigrated in 1894 to the U.S.A. where he married and had a family.

I also have a relative, Joseph Donovan aged 12 years, who appears in the census of 1891 at the orphanage. His two sisters were in an orphanage in Hackney. Can you elaborate on 'they were treated horribly'? As the institution was run by Jesuit brothers I am not surprised to hear this but I would like to know what life was like and at what age boys moved on - and to where.