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One of One Hundred Thousand **Feb8** Multi-Cache

Hidden : 1/12/2008
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

This cache will take you to several points in Halifax, at which you will learn about a part of our Canadian history rarely taught in our schools or known to the general public.

You will follow the path of “one of a hundred thousand”, that of a British Home Child. You will use the details from each significant location to take you on the journey and then finally on a short hike to the final cache location.

100,000 children were sent from England to Canada to work as indentured farm labourers and domestic servants as part of the British Child Emigrations Scheme between 1870 and 1957.

This cache is dedicated to the memory of my grandfather – who was a British Home Child. At the age of 5 Stuart was separated from his family and boarded the steamship S.S. Mongolian May 24,1910 in Liverpool England. They sailed the Atlantic and arrived in Canada on June 7, 1910. Although you will not be following his exact footsteps, many of the points you will visit will be significant in the path that these children who ranged in age from 5 – 15 would have followed once arriving in Canada. Imagine being a small child separate from your home, your family, and your heritage as you learn about this important part of Canadian history that has been all but forgotten.

The original cache items are all British themed, so if you have something themed to trade that would be great. Original items courtesy Southern-Fairy.

Point 1: This point was a major point of entry for most Canadian Immigrants - Pier 2 welcomed nearly 5.5 million immigrants if numbers are counted going back to 1880. Along with the history of immigration, this pier also had a history of many disasters – Pier 2 sustained tremendous damage during the Halifax Explosion in 1917 and then later in 1933 a very devastating fire. In 1928 the jetty known as Pier 21 officially began its long career as Canada’s most famous point of entry.
www.pier21.ca/wp-content/uploads/files/research_remembering_pier2.pdf

Your starting point is the coordinates close to where Pier 2 would have been located. At this point, what is the street address for the close by military building?
Using this number subtract the year of the Halifax Explosion and reverse the figure (ie: if you get 123 then its 321) for the northing. N 44.40. ---. Use this with westing of W 063.38.808.

Point 2: Here is an educational plaque for BCH. You will find information about the nearby reception and distribution home, Fairview Home, where the children stayed after first arriving in Canada. To find the northing for your next stop use the following calculation: Year Fairview Home was opened - 1199 to complete = N44.39.xxx. To find your westing add 331 to the street address of what is currently located at the site of the former Fairview Home (this is found on the informational plaque - not the community centre nearby). W063.37.xxx. This site is slated for demolition, but the staircase that dates back to original buiding of the Fairview Home has been saved for possible future display.

Point 3: This will take you to the only know one of these in Canada. No other is inscribed as “Middlemore Home”. At this unique headstone you will find some information. To get northing take year Francis died and subtract 1571. N44.40.---. To get westing take the year Doris was born and subtract 937. W 063.29. ---. If the details are not clear (and in damp weather this may be the case)check tree nearby for help.

Point 4: Most BHC did not have a happy childhood and were treated badly in the homes where they were placed. This would not be the case for Stuart, the family that he lived with here treated him very well and he would be willed this farm and land and this would become the lifelong home of Stuart, his wife and family. From the sign on the nearby white building - use the first and last words in the names on the sign (one is a flower)to determin the next co-ordinate, number of letters of these is added to 269 to complete the westing – W063.27.xxx, along with the northing of N44.38.963.

**any confusion after WP #4 please contact cache owner**

Final WP is on a popular local trail.

For more information on the topic - (visit link)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Svany pnpur vf nobhg 50 z sebz genvy. Oevat fbzrguvat gb jevgr jvgu, naq Unccl Pnpuvat.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)