November 28, 2013:

Photo Source: University of Glasgow Story



Hmmm ... Here's a co-incidence:

The book which I am currently reading is called The Poor Law Report of 1834, edited by S.G. Checkland and his wife Olive Checkland.

The 1834 Poor Law in England was passed as an attempt to bring peace to the large number of English farm labourers. 
The powers that be were concerned about widespread social unrest, riots and even possibly revolution in England if steps 
were not taken to improve the economic conditions of the working class poor.

This important legislation became the basis of English, Irish and Scottish social policy until it was replaced in 1905.

This era was the time of the major emigration schemes of the 1800's which resulted in so many new immigrants 
coming to our region in Canada.

It turns out that Sidney G. Checkland was born in Ottawa in 1916. According to the 1911 census of Canada, his parents lived 
on Somerset Street in Ottawa and his father was listed as a "Reporter". S.G. Checkland probably inherited a love of writing and researching 
from his parents.

He lived in a working class neighbourhood and worked in a Laundromat. Later he emigrated to Scotland and England, picking up a
PhD. in Economic History. He was on the leading edge of his field and taught at both the University of Glasgow and the University
of Birmingham; both were major industrial hotspots in the British Isles.

A reversal of the usual migration path between the British Isles and Canada.

... Al