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I am writing this in the hope that some of you may be able to help me in my search for the descendants of my Great Grandfather's cousin Elizabeth Griffin, a British Home Child. The story began in England in 1888. Elizabeth Griffin was born to Edward Griffin & Isabella Ward in Middlesbrough which was at that time in the county of Yorkshire. Elizabeth was an only child until 1891 when her brother Dennis was born and then in 1893 her mother gave birth to a baby girl called Ellen. Shortly after the last child's birth, Isabella died from pneumonia. Less than a year later the baby Ellen died. In 1898 Edward married Ellen Miles, but then sadly he also died in February 1900. A son James was born shortly after but he also died within a year. Ellen later remarried but for whatever reason Elizabeth and Dennis did not remain in her care. In 1901 young Dennis, then aged 9, was living with his Uncle Thomas and Aunt Susannah Griffin in Middlesbrough while Elizabeth, then aged 13, was recorded as being an inmate in Nazareth House Orphanage in Middlesbrough. After contacting Nazareth House I discovered that she was admitted to their care in June 1900 on the recommendation of the Board of Guardians. I further discovered that Elizabeth sailed on SS Tunisian in May 1901 with the Canadian Catholic Emigration Society to Quebec. Sometime after she arrived she was sent to St Georges Home in Ottawa and from there to Arthur Town Ontario. I managed to locate a progress report from 1905 when Elizabeth would have been 17 years old which informed me that she had been both living with and working for Charles and Bridget Heffernan, hotel keepers in Arthur Town and had been there since 1903. After that I can find no trace of what became of her. I would really like to discover whether she remained in this area and if she married and had children. Some of your readers may be descended from Charles and Bridget Heffernan and may have some knowledge of what became of some of the British Home Children in their care. There may even be descendents of Elizabeth still living in the area or they may be elsewhere in Canada and if so I would dearly love to get in touch. Since becoming interested in my family history, I have been particularly touched by the discovery of the existence of Elizabeth. Being only 19 years old myself, I would like to think that if I had been in Elizabeth's situation that one day I would be remembered. Thank you for reading this. Georgina I know this should probably be on the Trying to Find board but I'm putting on here as I want as many people as possible to read this and hear her story so maybe I will crack this wall :~)

Hi Sorry I can t help, I m a Griffin too and wish you all the luck in the world. Worth putting a message on the Griffin Board though, I did. Penny in Dorset

I am going to look at Arthurs Town for you!!! I will see what I can do she might of got married that is why you can,t find her?. Debs.

Other people have hunted for her marriage in Arthur Town area and failed to find her. I wondered if she had died in her early 20s before marriage but I don't know how to go about following that possibility. George

No luck at the moment but I have a couple of more links but not looking godd. Do you think she could of gone back to England?. Debs.

I really do not know, the only thing I know is that she had no real reason to return to England once she was over 18, her parents were dead, her stepmum had remarried, her brother had been unofficially adopted by their aunt & uncle. There was nothing for her in England really.

That's a really touching story George, and although I can't help you at all, I wish you luck in your search. Glenys x

nudge for you......... Liz.

Just want to say thank you so much to all who have read the above and emailed me my last message, my 'letter' is now on this site thanks to the editor of the online Arthur newspaper http://www(.)heresthescoop(.)net/index00C(.)html remove brackets I'm starting to believe that she either -died before marriage, -left Ontario Co completely prior to marriage, -never married at all, -came back to England at some point, -went to America - crossed into america to marry and then back into Canada -became a nun, Several people have hunted for her marriage in Arthur area and the Ontario marriage index without success, I was given 5 or 6 possibles but her parents names are wrong on all of them and the birthplace was given as Canada on each. I have seen most of the British Home Child sites and am on the mailing list. I feel like I'm looking for a needle in a haystack.

I have a little more info now, in the way of a 1903 report, which informed me that she was originally placed with a Halpin family, she ran away from them and found her way to the Heffernans in Arthur where her shipmate Margaret Ussher was living. The more I discover the more intrigued I get. As someone suggested to me I could write a book about this kid and mebbe when I have traced her descendants or at least discovered what happened to her I might, lol George

as it was the anniversary of her departure yesterday, I'm giving it a nudge :~)