CRAWFORD, JAMES, junior, Canada
I didn't even know of this family member until my attention was brought to him through rootschat.com and British Home Children.
James was born in 1905. His place of birth was given as England at one point, but Dublin in the general text. So is this our family? Read on.
James arrived in Canada on the 23rd September 1921 on the ship the Mennedosa and was placed with a family called Curle through Barnados as the agency.
The official records note :
In 1921 James Crawford, 16, arrived at Quebec, Canada, in a group of 134 Barnado Children en route to Toronto, Canada. He declared that his present occupation was a bookmaker; that his intended occupation was to do farm work; that he was born in Dublin, Ireland; that his passage was paid for by Dr Barnado's Homes; that he was destined to his friend, Mr J. W. Hobday, 50-52 Peter Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; that his nearest relative was his grandmother, Mrs Annie Crawford, who resided at 30 Fitzroy Avenue, Ireland.
Juvenile Inspection Report [ T-15421]
CRAWFORD James 16, Minnedosa 1921 Barnado's. Only with Marus Curle, Campbelford; Entirely Satisfactory, smart and pleasant. Placed in a 'superior home.
He is certainly one of our family. But he also raises many questions: Was he destitute? Was he orphaned? How did he come to be born in Dublin when most of his immediate family seem to be centred in Belfast? His grandmother still seems to be living at 30 Fitzroy Avenue. We can only guess. There are a few potential parents.
While we can be sure of him being family, I cannot find quite how he fits in.
