"To thousands of young people, emigration has been the golden bridge by which they have passed from an apparently hopeless childhood to lives of useful service and assured comfort, in this new land."
- Mr. G. Bogue Smart, Inspector of British Immigrant Children and Receiving Homes, 1915
Many thousands of Canadians are descended from young immigrants transported to Canada from 1833 to 1939. Author Marjorie Kohli has meticulously documented the incredible story of the removal of thousands of "waifs and strays" and young men and women, primarily from the UK and Ireland. They braved the perilous voyage to an unknown future in Canada, ultimately being placed throughout the Maritimes, Ontario, Quebec and westward as far as British Columbia.
The most comprehensive resource of its kind, The Golden Bridge promises to be an indispensable tool for family researchers with a "home child" ancestor, and of interest to those unfamiliar with this aspect of Canadian history. This extensively researched book incorporates background detail on agencies and key organizers such as Maria Rye, Annie Macpherson, Thomas Barnardo and William Quarrier, along with lesser knowns including Ellinor Close and Charles Young.
Marjorie Kohli is well known for her years of active involvement with juvenile and child migration issues. Supported by charts, passenger lists and archival visuals, The Golden Bridge is a must-read for genealogists and history buffs alike.
About the Author: Marjorie Kohli was born in Calgary, Alberta, and spent her formative years migrating, with her military family, through the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Manitoba before settling in Waterloo, Ontario. A graduate of the University of Waterloo (UW), she worked at UW as a computer consultant from 1969 until 2003.
Actively involved in several genealogical and historical societies, Marjorie has served as chair of the Waterloo-Wellington Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) and is currently on the Board of Directors of the Waterloo Historical Society (WHS). She also maintains web sites on 19th Century Immigration, Child Migration and, in partnership with Sue Swiggum, TheShipsList. Marjorie was the recipient of an Award of Merit in 2002 from the OGS for contributions in furthering genealogy.
Marjorie researched and published articles in the WHS annual volume on two of the children's homes located in Waterloo Region. She has also had many speaking engagements and has written several articles for publications in Ontario and as far afield as Nova Scotia and Kansas. In her spare time she enjoys reading, walking, vacationing in the quiet lake country of central Ontario, and spending time with her granddaughter, Madison.
