London: Rye, Macpherson and Stephenson

It was Maria Rye and Annie Macpherson (1824-1904) whose names have been most often associated with the inauguration of child emigration to Canada, although they did not collaborate and were never closely acquainted. Their styles of operation were markedly different. Rye, although subscribing to evangelical sentiments, was a tough-minded entrepreneur with a sharp eye for political opportunities. Macpherson, as Wagner describes her, was a ‘twice-born Christian, a committed evangelical who shunned the secular world’. The depth and pervasiveness of this evangelism is compellingly illustrated in her letters that appear in the ‘record’ of her work written by her helper Clara Lowe. In contrast, Rye's letters are robust and businesslike with only an occasional reference to evangelical sentiments.

After training as a Froebel teacher Macpherson was introduced to social work in the East End of London through the revival movement, and from 1865 she was involved in various schemes to assist destitute families, and children in particular. There was visiting, feeding, classes and bible instruction. She publicised the plight of the small children whose poverty-stricken parents were obliged to set them to work making matchboxes. In 1868 she opened a small Home for boys, then a second for girls, followed by a third for older boys. Donations came mostly from the readers of the evangelical paper, The Revival; indeed, the Homes were called ‘Revival Homes’. Funds from similar sources were collected in 1868 in order to rent a warehouse that was to become the ‘Home of Industry’. The aim was to combine work for young people and their mothers with elementary education and the propagation of the Gospel. However, by 1869 Macpherson, like many others, had come to the conclusion that emigration was an important remedy for the distress in east London and a fund was established to send selected families to Canada.

Thus, although they had arrived at the idea of child emigration by different routes both Rye and Macpherson were, by 1869, in a position to appreciate the opportunities that child emigration seemed to offer. Rye had more practical experience of organising emigration parties and a better understanding of the nature and scale of the demand for child labour in countries like Canada.