‘Ecstatic’ end to 130-year search for lost children

One family’s 130-year search for relatives who went missing after being shipped to Canada from an Edinburgh children’s home has come to an “ecstatic” end after their family was traced.

Pat Dishon from Portobello described the “emotional” moment she spoke to the great grandson of one of the children after a serious genealogical search was launched following a story in The Scotsman.

The quest to find the missing youngsters was started in the 1880s by their father, Arthur Delaney, a painter and glass cutter, after his son and two daughters were taken from an Edinburgh children’s home and sent to Nova Scotia without his knowledge.

They were moved as part of the British Home Children programme of forced emigration designed to save youngsters from the hardships of the slums and workhouses.

Mr Delaney fought the home’s owner, Emma Stirling, in the Court of Session for several years in order to get his children back but he was to never see or hear from James, Annie or Robina (Bessie), again.

Ms Dishon, the great great granddaughter of Mr Delaney, picked up the hunt after learning of his struggle which led him travel to Canada to try and find his children himself.

This week, after 25 years of trying to piece together her family’s story, Ms Dishon was put in touch with Michael Delaney, the great grandson of James, who lives in Florida. Ms Dishon said: “It was such an emotional moment for both of us. After 130 years the Delaneys were reunited. The last few days has been an absolute whirlwind but our family is absolutely ecstatic.

“It was the article [in The Scotsman] that was the catalyst that finally led to us finding the lost children.”

It has now emerged the children, whose names were changed from Delaney to Whitehead by Ms Stirling, were moved over the border to a home in the United States as the Court of Session case progressed.

James later told his family that he had been “kidnapped” from Scotland by an “aunt” who put him in a home in Cayuga, New York state, after growing tired of him.

The three children were admitted to the home in September 1890 by a Mr Sutherland, a freight agent, with the home aware that James’ real surname was Delaney.

Ms Dishon added: “I had always felt certain that since James was that bit older he wouldknowthathewasjames Delaney, not Whitehead.

“The family also hoped he would remember his father Arthur and given the fact that he called his own son Arthur, and that name continued down his family line, that he remembered him fondly.

“Sadly, he was never to know that his father fought for their return for eight years and even went to Canada to look for them.”

James died aged 81 with Ms Dishon now having a photograph of his gravestone. 0 Emma Stirling, top left, ‘stole’ the three children of Alfred Delaney, top right, and had them moved to her Hillfoot Farm in Nova Scotia despite the father’s failed court battle to recover his children

Annie, a “delicate” child, died at the home aged 17 after returning from a spell of work as a domestic servant. She is buried nearby.

While Annie’s story is sad, Ms Dishon said she was grateful she had been looked after by the home and buried with dignity.

More work is needed on the case of Bessie, who was sent to New York from the home in 1890 with little known of her after that. Ms Dishon is certain that, despite Emma Stirling’s statements in court, she knew at all times where the children were.

“Thewickednessofthewomen is hard to comprehend,” she added.