A black, medium-sized, hardback book of 284 pages, 12 chapters, 15 Fine Line Drawings and Engravings, and 21 Illustrations, many of which are from the Barnardo Photo Library. The Introduction states that this is the account of how tens of thousands of children were sent from Britain to parts of the British Empire without parents, and concentrates on the small group of people responsible for this juvenile emigration. These people are listed, with their dates, in an appendix. There are listed notes to each chapter, followed by an extensive bibliography, other sources, and an index.

Comment: A comprehensive study.

The history and widespread destinations of child emigration from the 17th century onwards is outlined, followed by the appearance of a group of people with differing motivations, who became deeply involved in this process as it spread throughout the British Empire. Barnardo made a major contribution to child emigration, not only by sending many thousands of children, to Canada principally, but also by contesting the law requiring parental consent for emigration, until it was changed in 1888.

By the 20th century, child emigration as an answer to destitution had greatly waned, but exacerbations occurred following both World Wars, before finaly ceasing as a practice among childcare organisations.

Comment: This interesting subject, with many features relevant to Barnardo's, is very well covered.

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