NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA PUBLIC LIBRARY
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Are you the descendant of a British Home Child? Approximately four million Canadians have a Home Child in their ancestry and might not know it.
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first British Home Children brought to Canada. It is estimated that over that 150 years, 118,000 children were brought to Canada as indentured servants to work on farms, or as domestics in Canadian homes.
The Orillia Public Library has partnered with the British Home Child Advocacy and Research Association to put together an event to honour the legacy of British Home Children in Canada and to celebrate their contributions this Saturday, Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the library.
Exhibits honouring these children will be on display throughout the library, with photos and stories in the main lobby focusing on Home Children who lived in the Orillia area.
Featured in the back hall display cases are paintings by San Francisco artist, Laura D. McHugh. This grouping of original paintings entitled, “21 Little Souls”, tells the stories of 21 Home Children who came to Canada. Each child is honoured with two paintings, one as a child, and one as an adult.
Visitors to the event can also request help to look up family members on the Home Child database to discover whether they have a Home Child in their family tree.
Local band Even Steven will also be performing at this event. Group member Steve Eyers’ grandparents were both British Home Children.
This event is free and everyone is welcome.
For more information please check the Orillia Public Library website or call the Orillia Public Library at 705-325-2338.
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