Children who died in orphanage remembered with monument

CTV Atlantic: Orphanage remembered in Saint John A memorial has been unveiled in Saint John remembering the children who died at the New Brunswick Protestant Orphans' Home.

A monument has been unveiled to remember the children of the New Brunswick Protestant Orphans’ Home.

"It was on Manawagonish Road here in Saint John and it was there for more than 150-odd years,” said Brenda Allen of the New Brunswick Children’s Foundation. “And then when the foster care system came into effect, the provincial government took over that end and the orphanage closed."

That was in 1978. The orphanage was in operation for 161 years, and hundreds of children lived there over that time.

Arthur Kincade lived at the orphanage for 17 years.

"My father had tuberculosis, and he was in the TB hospital. My parents they were divorced, (and) couldn't look after us all so we were put in the orphanage. I guess that's the way it went back in those days," Kincade said.

He has fond memories of growing up at the home.

"Times were tough, but there was a lot of good times and you know, you kind of bonded with the other kids,” he said.

“The staff, they looked after you and they were good to you."

The New Brunswick Children’s Foundation and those who lived and worked at the home gathered on Wednesday for a ceremony at the cemetery where many of the children are buried. More than 40 names of children who died, most of them due to diseases, are inscribed on the back of the monument.

"It's wonderful to see the children are not forgotten and that they are brought to light in such a manner, and hopefully it will continue and people will remember this day," said Jean Stevens.

Stevens was a childcare attendant at the orphanage.

“I worked directly with the children, making sure their teeth were brushed and their little hands were clean, that their heart was happy," she said.

Grade 5 students attended the ceremony and laid flowers at the monument.

“I thought it was pretty cool that we could be a part of other children’s history,” said student Noah Hunter.

A history that will now be remembered with a permanent memorial.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ashley Blackford