Immigrants to Canada, porters and domestics, 1899 to 1949
Search for names of domestics and some porters who arrived in Canada between 1899 and 1949.
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About the records
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, Canada actively recruited three classes of immigrants: farmers, agricultural workers and domestic servants, including porters. To attract domestic servants, the federal government developed an immigration policy to attract single British women, aged 17 to 35. The policy had a major impact on the number of women entering the country as domestics. In 1904, 2,523 women entered Canada as domestics. By 1906, this figure rose to 4,467 and continued to rise until the beginning of the Depression (1929).
This collection has 8,653 references to names of domestics and some Black porters who arrived in Canada between 1899 and 1949. Details were pulled from the following records:
Girls' Friendly Society Fonds (MG28 I349)
This society was established in London in 1875 to provide support and protection for girls and women in urban employment. The society encouraged and assisted some members to immigrate to the British colonies.
The records in this collection are pulled from the society’s Canada Commendation (emigration) Registers, 1910-1927 (volumes 63 to 71, registers 8 to 16, microfilms A-1194 to A-1198). The records are not digitized.
Only the basic details were input. More information is found on the pages cited in the references.
Note that these registers include names of some women who were coming to Canada to be married rather than to work as domestics.
Immigration Branch, Central Registry Files (RG76 BIA)
Lists of names in this series were indexed and all details about each person was entered in the database. The records are digitized.
The collection includes names from the following volumes:
Benjamin Pipe, Wapella, Assiniboia, proposes bringing out from England, girls as domestic servants, 1905-1911 (RG76-I-A-1, vol, 347, file 375086 microfilm C-10254)
- These records contain names of farmers, farm labourers and domestic servants from the British Isles. Between April 1905 and August 1908, Benjamin Pipe was a booking agent for the Canadian Pacific railway Atlantic Steamship Lines and brought domestic servants and other immigrants to Canada on a commission basis.
C.O. Swanson, Waterville, Quebec; Immigration of domestic servants from Scandinavia, 1905-1910 (RG76-I-A-1, vol. 167, file 49149, microfilm C-7324)
- These records contain the names of Scandinavian female immigrants to be hired as domestic servants all over Canada.
Canadian Pacific Railway requests admissions of coloured porters (Blacks), 1931-1949
RG76-I-A-1, Volume number: 577, File number: 816222, part 6, part 7; part 8 and part 10 Microfilm reel numbers: C-10652 and C-10653.
- These records contain the names of black immigrants coming from the United States to work as porters for the Canadian Pacific Railway company.
Coloured domestics from Guadeloupe, 1910-1928
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 475, file 731832, microfilm C-10411
- These records contain the names of female immigrants from Guadeloupe to be hired by families living in Montreal, Quebec.
Mrs. Helen Sanford, bonus on domestics, Girls Home of Welcome, 1898-1907
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 118, file 22787, part 1 and part 2, microfilm C-4781
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 118, file 22787, part 3, microfilm C-4782
RG76-I-A-1, vol. 119, file 22787, part 4 and part 5, microfilm C-4782
- These records contain the names of domestics who used the services of the Girls’ Home of Welcome in Winnipeg. The Home was used as a receiving centre for immigrant domestics and as a registry office where the women could register for work. Founded in 1897, Mrs. Helen Sanford later became its matron.
Selected parties of domestics sent by the Women's Branch of Colonization and Development Department. Colonel J.S. Dennis, CPR, Montreal, Quebec, 1924-1937 (RG76-I-A-1, vol. 230, file 127825, part 1 and part 2, microfilm C-7380)
- These records contain names of female immigrants to be hired as domestic servants all over Canada.
Access the records
Digitized records
Details for names in this collection were transcribed from the above records. If you find a record of interest, there may be a digital image. Some of these are available through Collection Search. Others, particularly digitized microfilms, are available through Héritage.
Records that are not digitized
For records that are not digitized, you will need to see them in person. If you cannot visit us in person, you may want to order copies or hire a researcher.