Tillsonburg honours the legacy of British Home Children through exhibition, digital archive and Recognition Day illumination

Annandale National Historic Site (NHS) and Museum, the Town of Tillsonburg, and Oxford County Archives are honouring the legacy of the British Home Children program. Created for British Home Child Day on September 28, the exhibition tells the stories of children who came to the area to work on farms and in domestic service.

According to Home Children Canada, more than 100,000 children were sent from the United Kingdom to Canada through child migration programs between 1869 and 1948. Many came from families facing poverty or other hardships and were placed in homes and on farms across the country. In Tillsonburg and the surrounding area, they became part of the community and its history. Some found supportive homes, while others endured hardship, exploitation, and abuse.

Annandale NHS is hosting an exhibition that uses photographs, historical records, and family stories to highlight the experiences and contributions of several British Home Children in Tillsonburg and the surrounding area. Oxford County Archives also offers the exhibition online, Tillsonburg’s British Home Children virtual exhibit, at www.oxfordcounty.ca/archives. The exhibition is not a complete history of every British Home Child who settled in the area. Because of the stigma historically associated with being a British Home Child, many experiences were never shared.

As part of the Town’s recognition of British Home Child Day, the Rotary Clock Tower will be illuminated yellow on September 28. The colour yellow represents the sunflower, the official flower associated with British Home Children. As a symbol of resilience, the sunflower honours the lives, contributions, and lasting legacies of the children who came to Canada and helped shape communities across the country, including many in the Tillsonburg area.

Residents are encouraged to visit the exhibition at Annandale NHS, 30 Tillson Avenue, Tillsonburg, through October 31, 2026, or explore the online exhibition at www.oxfordcounty.ca/archives.

Background

• To learn more about the British Home Children program, attend the From Hardship to Hope: The Story of the British Home Children, a special presentation at the Annandale National Historic Site and Museum on Saturday, September 19, at 2:00 p.m.
• Annandale NHS and Oxford County Archives are seeking more stories about British Home Children who lived in the area. Descendants are invited to share stories and information about local Home Children using the British Home Children Stories online form.
• The Town of Tillsonburg and Annandale NHS are grateful to the families who contributed stories, photographs, and research to the exhibition, including the Lucas/Crossett family and the Newman/Helsdon family. Special thanks are also extended to Home Children Canada for its ongoing work to preserve, research, and share the history of British Home Children.  

About Oxford County 

Located in southwestern Ontario at the crossroads of Highways 401 and 403, Oxford County has a population of approximately 140,000 people across eight area municipalities that are “growing stronger together.” A partnership-oriented, two-tier municipal government, Oxford County is committed to 100% renewable energy, zero waste, zero poverty, and being 100% housed. Oxford County is situated in one of Ontario’s richest areas for farmland, with a diversified local economy that is home to an innovative agricultural industry, leading automotive manufacturers, and the Oxford County Cheese Trail. Oxford also offers a thriving local arts and culinary community, as well as conservation parks, natural areas and more than 100 kilometres of scenic trails. The County’s Strategic Plan puts forward a vision of “Working together for a healthy, vibrant, and sustainable future.” The Oxford County Administration Building is in Woodstock, Ontario. Visit www.oxfordcounty.ca, follow us on social media, or download our Facts and Stats to learn more.

About the Town of Tillsonburg

Tillsonburg is a vibrant hub combining rich agricultural heritage with modern industrial growth. Famed for its uniquely wide downtown Broadway street and the historic Annandale National Historic Site, the town offers a robust economy driven by high-tech manufacturing, food processing, and a strong service sector. Today, Tillsonburg serves a growing community of over 16,000 residents, maintaining a "big small town" charm that provides exceptional regional connectivity, family-friendly neighborhoods, and an active, community-oriented lifestyle.

Contact

Kate Bakos | Cultural Heritage Manager/Curator

The Corporation of the Town of Tillsonburg

519-688-3009 ext. 4211 | Kbakos@tillsonburg.ca

Chris McMillan | Strategic Communication & Engagement

Oxford County

519-539-9800, ext. 3505 | cmcmillan@oxfordcounty.ca