Ten Pound Poms
BACKGROUND
In the postwar years of last century, Australia was mad keen on immigrants. Under the White Australia policy of the time, that meant white immigrants. British subjects only need apply.
Ten Pound Poms is a colloquial term used in Australia to describe British subjects (including residents of British colonies such as Malta and Cyprus and citizens of the Republic of Ireland born before 1949) who migrated to Australia after the Second World War under an assisted passage scheme established and operated by the Australian Government. The program attracted over one million British migrants between 1945 and 1972, after a publicity blitz profiling Australia as a blissful haven of jobs, good health, appealing housing and ceaseless beachside activities.
Created as part of the "Populate or Perish" policy, the scheme was designed to substantially increase the population of Australia and to supply workers for the country's booming industries. In return for subsidising the cost of travelling to Australia (adult migrants were only charged £10 for the fare and children were free) the Government promised employment prospects, housing and a generally more optimistic lifestyle. However, on arrival, migrants were placed in basic hostels and the expected job opportunities were not always readily available.
The publicity was nothing like the reality, with Australia appearing backward, harsh, flyblown and unwelcoming.
THE PICTURE
My father left by ship for the 6 week sail to Australia in early 1955, and arrived with no job, no money and nowhere to live.
A timber machinist by trade, and with life in post war England looking very tough, it was agreed that a better life was to be had in Australia. After arriving, he managed to pick up a job as a salesman with a Queensland timber company at a sawmill located in the bush with only a group of a dozen houses (for employees) and a sawmill.
Following this, my mother then had to tidy up all the affairs in Lancashire, and sail on another boat with 3 children arriving in Sydney, then by train to Brisbane.
As fortune would have it, a newspaper photographer happened to be on the station that morning, and took a picture of the reunited family on the railway station, and this is a scanned copy of the only aging photo of the event.
I am the cute one. No not him, I'm the one in the middle of Mum and Dad.
I think my parents had an amazing resolve, when you consider they were separated for about 6 months, travelled to live across the world, never saw their parents again, had no shops or theatres or transport, no electricity and no relatives around the corner any more, and lived in the bush, with heat, flies and snakes.
They aren't here any more, but the memories are strong.
Ten Pound Poms
BACKGROUND
In the postwar years of last century, Australia was mad keen on immigrants. Under the White Australia policy of the time, that meant white immigrants. British subjects only need apply.
Ten Pound Poms is a colloquial term used in Australia to describe British subjects (including residents of British colonies such as Malta and Cyprus and citizens of the Republic of Ireland born before 1949) who migrated to Australia after the Second World War under an assisted passage scheme established and operated by the Australian Government. The program attracted over one million British migrants between 1945 and 1972, after a publicity blitz profiling Australia as a blissful haven of jobs, good health, appealing housing and ceaseless beachside activities.
Created as part of the "Populate or Perish" policy, the scheme was designed to substantially increase the population of Australia and to supply workers for the country's booming industries. In return for subsidising the cost of travelling to Australia (adult migrants were only charged £10 for the fare and children were free) the Government promised employment prospects, housing and a generally more optimistic lifestyle. However, on arrival, migrants were placed in basic hostels and the expected job opportunities were not always readily available.
The publicity was nothing like the reality, with Australia appearing backward, harsh, flyblown and unwelcoming.
THE PICTURE
My father left by ship for the 6 week sail to Australia in early 1955, and arrived with no job, no money and nowhere to live.
A timber machinist by trade, and with life in post war England looking very tough, it was agreed that a better life was to be had in Australia. After arriving, he managed to pick up a job as a salesman with a Queensland timber company at a sawmill located in the bush with only a group of a dozen houses (for employees) and a sawmill.
Following this, my mother then had to tidy up all the affairs in Lancashire, and sail on another boat with 3 children arriving in Sydney, then by train to Brisbane.
As fortune would have it, a newspaper photographer happened to be on the station that morning, and took a picture of the reunited family on the railway station, and this is a scanned copy of the only aging photo of the event.
I am the cute one. No not him, I'm the one in the middle of Mum and Dad.
I think my parents had an amazing resolve, when you consider they were separated for about 6 months, travelled to live across the world, never saw their parents again, had no shops or theatres or transport, no electricity and no relatives around the corner any more, and lived in the bush, with heat, flies and snakes.
They aren't here any more, but the memories are strong.