SS Victorian
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Mary Evans Picture Library
SS Victorian
The SS Victorian, aboard which many children were emigrated to Canada
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 14408194
© Mary Evans/Peter Higginbotham Collection
Aboard Date Emigrated Services Unknown Welfare
EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the SS Victorian, a steamship that played a significant role in the mass emigration of children from Britain to Canada in the late Victorian era. The exact date of this image is unknown, but it is believed to be towards the end of the 19th century when the child emigration movement reached its peak. The SS Victorian was one of several ships operated by the Fairbridge Society, a British charity that aimed to provide welfare and social care services to children in need. The organization believed that a new life in Canada would offer these children a better future, and so they arranged for their passage across the Atlantic. In this image, we see the SS Victorian docked at the quay, with children and their luggage gathered on the deck. Many of these children were orphans, wards of the state, or from impoverished families who could no longer care for them. They were often accompanied by teachers or other adults who would look after them during the journey and help them settle in their new homes. The emigration of children from Britain to Canada was a controversial issue at the time, with some criticizing the practice as a form of child trafficking. However, for many of the children, the journey was a new beginning, filled with excitement and hope for a better future. This photograph is a poignant reminder of the social welfare services that existed during the Victorian era, and the lengths that charities and organizations went to provide care and support for children in need. It also highlights the significant role that emigration played in shaping the demographic makeup of Canada and its multicultural society.
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