Butterbox baby searching for her mom

Born on July 25, 1945, in the Ideal Maternity Home in Chester, Fredericks was adopted by a couple in Yarmouth at the age of two.

The Chester facility operated from the 1920s into the late 1940s and was owned by William, a chiropractor, and midwife Lila Young. Here, maternity care was provided for local married couples as well as discreet birthing and placement arrangements for the children of unwed mothers. The Youngs charged for room and board, for birthing services, for arranged adoptions and for the funerals of babies who died (those who were deemed unadoptable and allegedly murdered). Burial was performed on site with the babies placed in white pine butter boxes.

It is estimated that between four and six hundred babies died at the home, while at least another thousand survived and were adopted.

Fredericks belongs to the Friends and Survivors of the Ideal Maternity Home association. The head of this association is Bob Hartlen who lives in Lunenburg. He explains the difficulties Fredericks and those like her face in searching for their birth parents.

“Unfortunately in many cases, some babies were handled privately and possibly in some cases illegally, so these babies literally just disappeared to their new homes,” said Hartlen.

“Some, who ended up in the US, found out as young adults that they didn't even have proper citizenship. Some were just placed with foster families and never went through an adoption process.”

During her search, Fredericks says she was first told by Social Services that her mother was single at the time of her birth and from East Chester.

“Then they told me my mother was born around 1925 and had another child before me,” she said.

“After many years of searching they told me they had a number for her and when they called it, it was not in service,” said Fredericks who lives in Bradford, Ontario and advertised in the Vanguard looking for her mother.

She’s excited about a few leads she’s following but also cautious. With the assistance of several friends she’s made along the way, she feels she’s getting close.

“We may know who she is but want to obtain other documents if possible so that we can make sure,” she said.

Hartlen says a lot of successful searches have taken place as a result of much detective work and frustration.

“Sometimes the smallest clue can lead to success,” he said.

“For those of us who have been reunited, the experience is difficult to explain, but briefly, it is a strange feeling like your life has come together and there are no loose ends. Even if it doesn't work out, you know who you are, and in some cases, why you are the person you are.”