Between 1871 and 1938, Quarriers, known at that time as The Orphan Homes of Scotland, sent over 7,000 children to new lives in Canada. This was part of a child migration programme that involved many children's charities in Britain at the time. Most of the children went initially to reception and distribution homes at Belleville and Brockville in Ontario and then went to live on farms and homesteads in the surrounding countryside. It was often a hard and uncompromising life, involving long hours work in all weathers.
Most of the children remained in Canada when they grew up and they and their descendants have integrated into Canadian life at all levels, making significant contributions to the success of that country. Possibly 200,000 or more present day Canadians have roots in Quarriers Village in Scotland.
Many Quarriers' descendants continue to live in Ontario, particularly in the area bounded by Toronto, Ottawa and Brockville, where most of the original children went to live. Many others are scattered across Canada from the Maritime Provinces to British Columbia and the North West Territories and others have gone to live in various parts of the USA.
In 1996, to mark our 125th anniversary, Quarriers began to renew contact with surviving former boys and girls and their descendants in Canada. A very successful reunion was held in Kingston, Ontario, which was attended by nearly 300 people, including 17 former children.
Quarriers Canadian Family Association was formed in Canada and has become a source of information and focus of interest for the families of Quarriers' Canadian children. Many enquiries have been received by Quarriers seeking information on individual migrant children; Canadian families have visited Quarriers Village and subsequent reunions have been held by the association in Canada in 1998, 2001 and 2003.
