Young Immigrants to Canada

UWInfo | Young Immigrants | 19th Century Immigration | Genealogy | Local History

Ellen Agnes Bilbrough and Reverend Robert Wallace

Ellen Bilbrough worked in the Annie Macpherson home in London, England. When Miss Macpherson began to bring children to Canada Ellen Bilbrough came with her to manage the Canadian home that was established in Belleville, Ontario. The home was called Marchmont and Ellen remained there until her death in 1902.

Marchmont was first used by Annie Macpherson for all of the children she brought to Canada. When she established two additional homes, one in Galt, Ontario, the other in Knowlton, Quebec, Miss Macpherson decided to let other agencies use Marchmont. In 1877, she turned the home over to Miss Bilbrough.

Miss Bilbrough went to Scotland and made arrangements to bring children from several organizations in that country to Marchmont. Some of these organizations were:

All of these organizations used Marchmont as their receiving home with Ellen Bilbrough in charge. Quarrier's and Barnardo's eventually started their own receiving homes.

In 1887, Miss Bilbrough married Reverend Robert Wallace. Together they continued to bring children to Canada for the various agencies. Wallace remained at Marchmont until 1913. The home was then turned over to The Manchester Homes but in 1920 the Liverpool Sheltering Homes of Liverpool took over. In 1925 the Barnardo organization took over the home and closed it in August of the same year. All records are now with Barnardo Homes.

UWInfo | Young Immigrants | 19th Century Immigration | Genealogy | Local History