The Trunk
William Quarrier described the emigration of the children to Canada with the words “There is no piece of philanthropic work that accomplishes so much good at so little cost.” It cost about £15 to migrate a child whereas the annual cost of maintaining the same child on the Poor Law was about £12.
He equipped each child with a wooden trunk. In it for the boys was a “good outfit comprising three suits of clothing-one for winter wear, one for summer, and one for working in, in addition to the warm suit he travels in-four shirts, four pairs of socks, three pairs of boots, a fur cap, a Scotch cap, braces, handkerchiefs, collars, ties…” In addition and most importantly were a Bible and a copy of ‘Pilgrims Progress’ in addition to writing materials, darning materials and a brush and comb.
Girls were “furnished out in the same way, and have a nicely trimmed dress and hat for Sabbath wear and a wincey dress and dark hat for winter, a liberal supply of underclothing both for summer and winter, three pairs of boots, four pairs of stockings, ties, gloves, collars, aprons and pinafores, and warm ulster, hood and cravat.”