Making memories

Numerous ideas of how to acknowledge 2010 as the Year of the British Home Child in Canada have surfaced. One idea is to create a photo memory quilt.

Gail Collins, a third-generation descendant of two British Home Children from St. Catharines, Ontario, woke up one morning with a vision to create a photo memory quilt to honour the British Home Children as a special project for 2010.

Coincidentally, an email from Hazel Perrier of Claresholm, Alberta, was forwarded to her later the same day. Perrier, also a descendant, had the same idea for a memory quilt, so the two women put the idea into practice. To do this they are collaborating by email, as both live in different provinces.

Their goal is to create a quilt that captures the essence and struggles of home children who immigrated to Canada from 1869 to 1948.

Hazel Perrier speaks with assistant editor Bev Tallon:

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Anyone with pictures and information about home children was encouraged to participate. Those who currently quilt were invited to send in an embroidered or embellished square. Those who don’t quilt could apply a photo using an iron-on transfer to a piece of fabric. Those who couldn’t do either could send a photo, plus money to cover expenses, to Collins who designed a square for them. Squares were accepted until March 18, 2010, and Collins and Perrier are currently working on putting the quilt together.

George Everitt Green.

Squares were received from all over the world, as many descendants have moved away from Canada. The final squares were sent to Perrier in Alberta. She will piece them together to create the final design.

Donations for completion of the Memory Quilt have also been coming in. Collins and Perrier are very appreciative, as it will assist with the final touches and machine quilting expenses.

A book will accompany the quilt as it travels around Canada. Each page will contain a photo explaining its significance, and a note that corresponds to its placement on the quilt. This will allow viewers to locate a specific square, and will also give each photo a bit of history of the Home Child and inspiration for the square.

Upper right: Anne Goldsmith - 28479. Admitted to Barnardo's Home December 24, 1902. Lower right: The family raised by Anne Goldsmith and Charles Hall.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are having their annual reunions for home children later this summer, and the quilt will hopefully travel there to celebrate both events. If any other events to celebrate home children arise, the quilt could be “requested” to make an appearance. There are endless possibilities as to how the quilt can be viewed across the country.

Queen Elizabeth will visit Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Manitoba for Canada Day, 2010. The goal is to have the quilt completed for her arrival, so it may welcome the Queen along with a group of home child descendants wearing their British Home Child t-shirts when she arrives in Halifax.

Collins is very excited about the project, and eagerly awaits the mailman to see what people have sent.

"Our vision for a 2010 Memory Quilt got more exciting every day, and surpassed my wildest dreams, when I saw the squares people were submitting from around the world. As I live in Ontario, and Hazel will be finishing it up in Alberta, I won't even get to touch it, I'll just have to hold that original vision in my mind."

Perrier is also thrilled to be a part of the project.

"I consider it a privilege and an honour to be able to work on the Memory Quilt. Since I have no memories of my ‘home children,’ it is very interesting seeing pictures and to read the stories, as it gives me a little insight into their early lives. Also, I am reminded that we live in a very small world.”

— Amanda Hope