Borstel Lads to Au

My uncle in Glasgow said he thought his older cousin, William BAIN (b.1908 Glasgow Scotland) had been sent out to Au. with other borstel lads. As far as I'm aware, William hadn't actually broken any laws. His parents were dead, he and his siblings lived with my grandparents. William insisted on wearing his father's old reg't kilt, which was showing much wear. Many arguments over the state of the kilt, and a refusal to wear the a newly purchased (family) kilt, caused William to run away several times. Uncle said due to this, William was missing school and grandfather was becoming annoyed about it all. William ended up in a borstel, which sent many of it's lads out to Australia (some also to Canada apparently). I'd of thought he was too old for the Quarriers, but have wondered about it or if my uncle had the story confused. (He is nearly 84.)

I've always understood William was a chronic runaway (due to kilt etc), that one day he didn't return, with quite few years pbutting before the family received a post card from Australia. It apparently said he was fine, had married or was about to. No return address of any kind. He was never heard from again. Until April 2000, when his daughter's friend posted a message on the BAIN surname board looking for info on her grandparents-etc, as she planned to be in Glasgow in June 2000. Unfortunately the friend didn't include William's daughter's name, nor any way to contact her. William's youngest sister is still alive, living in Glasgow. His other sister died June 2000 - same month as planned trip. Unknown what happened to his brother.

Would anyone have any knowledge of lads being 'transported' at such a late date as 1922-23? Would there be a record of the boys' arrival and-or what would-did happen with them? Would they have been in another borstel in Au or housed with regular families, like the Barnardo-Quarriers children? Ideas suggestions welcome. So far found pbuttenger lists have yeilded nothing.

Cheers ... Toni ~ Ontario