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New Natives Abroad Section
Following a suggestion by Rosemary Gilbert in San Francisco, we
have decided to create a substantial section called "Natives
Abroad". This will be based on our old "Home
from Home" articles (which show the homes of ex-pat
Natives worldwide) but include stories of why and how Natives
emigrated.
Several "Why we emigrated" stories have already been
submitted to the Visitors Book ... and, now, thanks to George T Marshall
and family in Western Australia, we have our first set of photos
and
mementoes. These describe a life changing journey to Oz back in
1968.
Marion, Sheree, Linda,
Lorraine and George Marshall - 1968
So, 'ang on to your tucker bags.... 'Ere
we go....
The Marshall Plan!
Let's start with the first few sentences of George's account in the
Simply Whitstable Visitors Book.....
| My wife (Marion), three daughters and I were "10
Pound Poms".
In 1967, I was a carpenter and joiner
working for two great guys - Ashby and Castle (Bert &
John). I was doing a job at Swalecliffe with Ronnie
Revell and toasting our cheese sammies on a fire with a
bit of metallic lathe in the middle of August. It
was so cold and raining hard. Reading the paper, I
saw this ad to "Come to Sunny Western Australia". So, I
filled it in and posted it on the way home.
Six months later, we were on the high seas to our new
home!
George T Marshall |
In post war years (1945-1972), the "Ten Pound Pom"
scheme
provided a one way passage to Australia for a tenner and , during
that period, approximately one million people joined the exodus. A more expensive scheme existed for New Zealand.
In fact, another of our
contributors, Bob Court, has pointed out that his journey to NZ cost a
whole £20!.
Setting Sail.... and
Charting a Route
Since 1972, emigration has usually been achieved by a swift
trip with British Airways or Qantas... but, back in 1968, it was
a more relaxed 4-5 week cruise by sea. Thanks to George's
mementoes, we can get a glimpse of what was involved.
The family travelled on the RHMS Ellinis and George has carefully preserved this post card of the vessel....
Like many other ships, the Ellinis became quite famous for its
role in the emigration scheme. In fact, from 1963, it operated a 'round
the world service' - proceeding from Southampton to Australia and New
Zealand via the Mediterranean and Suez Canal.... before returning to the UK via
Central America and the Panama Canal. However, by the time the
Marshall family made their journey in
1968, the Ellinis was being forced to take a rather different route
as George explains ....
| The Suez Canal was closed due to the 6-Day War and
sunken ships.
We left Southampton on Friday the 8th March 1968 and
called at Las Palmas on Gran Canaria (where we spent a
day) and Cape Town (South Africa) before arriving at
Fremantle (a major port just 20 kms
south of Perth, Western Australia) on 1 April.
George T Marshall |
The 6-Day War had taken place in June 1967 and the impact on
the Middle East was long lasting. In fact, Egyptian troops blockaded the
Suez Canal until June 1975.
The Journey...
The ship's RHMS title is interesting as I believe it
stands for Royal Hellenic Mail Ship. This gives us
a clue as to one of its functions. (In those days, a
considerable amount of correspondence still travelled by sea). It
also tells us something about the ship's owners - the Chandris
Line. Basically, Hellenic means
Greek. The Chandris Line was founded in
the Greek islands but, by 1968, it had become a London-based
enterprise.
The reference to "mail" might give younger readers
the impression that it was something of a cargo ship. However,
that was not the case. Like other ships involved in the "Ten
Pound Pom" scheme, it was originally a cruise liner and it
was still used for that purpose at times. Thus, it provided a
relaxed trip for George, Marion and the family....
The Family on board the RHMS Ellinis
It even had a pool for the youngsters...
Linda (aged 3), Sheree (aged 4) and
Lorraine (aged 5)
... and entertainment for the whole family......
Mind you, it wasn't without its problems for
children! Schooling was available for a short time each day!
There was a set dinner menu....
.... and it included an interesting note at the
top.....
The Chandris Line appears to have numbered the voyages.
I am only guessing but, with the service starting
in 1963, it could be that the Ellinis averaged as many as 4/5
tours to the Antipodes per year
The final approach to Fremantle was marked
by a more exotic "Farewell" menu - arranged in a way
that would provide a permanent reminder of the ship's name.
All this makes me wonder about the size of the Farewell
Dinner menu on another of the Chandris Line migrant ships.....
the Queen Frederica!
Arrival...
When the family disembarked, things didn't quite match up to
that "Come to Sunny Western Australia" ad that
George had read in Swalecliffe.....
|
When we arrived on the morning of 1
April, it was, of all things, raining hard!
George T Marshall |
.... and arrangements didn't quite run to plan either....
|
Our family and another family must
have been forgotten as we were still at the docks at 11 pm
that night.... and it was still raining!
Then, a bus arrived to take us all to
Point Walter Hostel. The children were
starving as we had very little money with us and had not
had a meal since breakfast time. We had cold potatoes,
sausages and eggs - not much but it sure went down
well.
George T
Marshall |
There was even more heartache when accommodation proved to be
a bit more basic than anticipated....
| We were taken to our little hut. The guy said this is "not
Buckingham Palace but the best we can do".
The Hut at Point Walter
Hostel.
When he opened the door, we could see most of the walls
were red. We assumed that some one had been busy
with a paint brush but how wrong we were. We soon learned
that it was mozzie blood.
What had we come to? No wonder Marion my wife cried -
after having the "second top" class cabin on the
Ellinis.
George T Marshall |
Settling In.....
It all took some getting used to and there were some
immediate priorities....
|
My.... was it different from Whitstable. Australia
must have been 10 years behind - so much open space and
so many flies. You just kept your mouth shut to avoid
eating them.
The first thing you had to buy was a set of wheels to
get around in - not only for work but also to get to the
shops. Next was a fridge to keep the food and milk in to
beat the heat.
George T Marshall
|
There was also the question of finding a
permanent home.....
| Our first home cost just 5000 pounds in 1968....
Western Australia is nearly all sand, not
good old dirt.
George T
Marshall |
And Forty
Years On....
Quite understandably, some adjustments spanned a
much longer time frame....
|
It took Marion about 10 years to
settle down.
George T Marshall
|
Faced with the reality of emigration, quite a few participants in the
"Ten Pound Pom" scheme returned
home... via an unsubsidised ticket and considerable cost (at one
time this was around £150). However George, Marion, Sheree, Lorraine and Linda
stayed to forge
a new life in Perth and they are
still there.... forty years on. I'll leave the last word with
George...
|
I think that we could write a book about
our ups and downs in Australia since 1968, but all
the girls are now married and have children of their own.
Above: The
Marshalls in March 1968
Below: The Marshalls in March 2008
So, life goes on. But what an adventure it has
been over the years.
George T Marshall |
Our
Thanks....
On behalf of all Simply Whitstable readers, I would like
to thank George, Marion, Sheree, Lorraine and Linda for sharing their
story with us and for making all those photos and mementoes available.
We will, of course, be including it all in our new permanent feature....
Natives Abroad!
Reaction to George's Story....
Comments on George's story are given below
I would like to say how much I enjoyed the
George T Marshall's "Why I" article.
From a mariners perspective, all trading vessels count their
time in "voyages" covering there
lifetime - much like our year count except, of course, that
voyages have varying lengths.
It is an historic measure and still serves as an easy reference
for what happened for both the owners and their insurers. The
main documents supporting this count were the various ships log
books. These recorded a watch by watch record of what the ship
was doing and supporting data such as weather. Of course,
nowadays, such documents are supported by electronic and
communication systems that ensure "the office" is
aware all the time of what is going on.
I'm glad you kept a photo of the vessel you travelled on,
George. (A photo of a Douglas DC 8 would pale in comparison). In
my opinion, that was an era when passenger vessels were truly
beautiful in their own right.
For the company I worked for, I think the Pendennis
Castle would have been my pick. Nowadays, passenger
ships, including Chandris Line, are to me like giant floating
wedding cakes and, while they do have superb amenities, visually
beautiful they ain't.
Bill Dancer
Vancouver
Canada |
| My Response: Thanks, Bill. I suddenly realise that I
am getting old when I consider ships. Back in 1954, I went to
Guernsey on a ferry from Weymouth. (As a railwayman, my dad got
a free foreign pass on both train and BR ferry and we stayed
with friends).
There was no RORO and the few cars that made the trip were
lifted into the hold by crane. As a result, it took ages to turn
the ship around after it docked.
The ships certainly had character. On the outward journey,
we were on the St Julian. This rocked about like a cork on a
windswept pond. The return journey was on the St Helier which
listed to starboard all the way home!
We did the same trip a year later and BR had introduced a
new and larger ship... the St Patrick. This was very steady and,
as you say, a thing to admire from visual standpoint. Nowadays,
the ferries hardly look like ships at all.... just large slabs
of angel cake! |
|
Although we are family, we did not know a lot of what
was in the article. How exciting and brilliant things were,
although they were really hard.
I don't think families today could have done what you did.
So, well done. I wish I had the strength to do it now. Can't
wait to see the family from OZ again but we keep in touch on the
phone and by email.
You certainly have a better way of life out there and not to
mention the weather. God bless you all out there. Wish I was
there !!!
Love
Deb (Cuffe) Mick and Jack
Dover
Kent
xxxxx |
We travelled on the RHMS Ellinis in the
August of 1968 from Middlesex in London to arriving in Melbourne
in September. We travelled by train and then by bus to the town
of Whyalla where my father, now 80, worked at the BHP Steel
Works. At first, we were housed in a migrant hostel 'Milpara'
till our house was ready, then allocated a brand new house on
Milsom Street along with some of the other migrants who
travelled with us. My memory of Whyalla back then was
dust storms, heat and saltbush. I too have our dining ticket, a
small badge and some photos of our family on board and at the
port towns we visited. I remember on the ship the tea
trolly bought around every afternoon, with as much cake as
needed to fill us children ,the endless movie of 'The
Sound of Music' and especially the tail of the cyclone
we sat on from South Africa to Fremantle when the ship was in
'Tie down' and we were all sea sick. Being scared and
excited of the new and unknown. Sad at the loss of old
friends and the anticipation of being new 10 Pound Poms! Susan
Verhaaf. Nee Jones
Perth
Western Australia
19 April 2009 |
| My Response: Many thanks, Susan. As George's
article was included in the Chat Column some time ago and has
now been transferred to our permanent "Natives Abroad"
section, I have replicated your message in the Visitors Book to
ensure that it gets a wide audience.
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Hi there.
My name is Maureen and I travelled with my family
on the Ellinis in August 1968. I remember that we left around the
23rd August 1968 with my mum, dad and two brothers. We left from
Southampton. My uncle and three cousins came to see us off. I
remember it quite vividly even though I was only 9 years old. My
younger brother was 8 and my elder brother 10 at the time.
I cannot believe that it is nearly 41 years ago
since we left England. My mum and dad said that it was the best
decision they ever made although I'm sure that it must have been
tough for them to leave their families behind. I went back for the
first time in 2006 and also think that they made the right
decision. We came from Redditch, Worcestershire. From my
recollections as a youngster, the place hadn't changed much. I'm
sure we came to a better life in Australia.
We first lived in the Altona Hostel in between
Altona and Williamstown which was later named Wiltona Hostel.
There were round huts when we first arrived and then they built
brick buildings. Our family stayed at the hostel for about 3 years
and then we moved to Newport. Mum and dad built a house in 1974 in
Hoppers Crossing and still live there to this day. I now live in
Melton, Victoria.
Maureen Richards
Melton
Victoria
Australia
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| My Response: Your account is a lovely
addition to the overall picture.
The Ellinis appears to have played a
big part in the £10 pom scheme as you are the third person to mention
that they travelled on it to Oz. However, your journey presumably
involved a longer sea trip as you stayed on board until the vessel
reached Victoria whereas the others disembarked at Fremantle (close to
Perth, Western Australia). This fits in nicely with our existing picture
becasue we know that the Ellinis completed round the world trips at that
time - returning from Oz via the Panama Canal.
What we don't know is
whether it called in to drop "£20 poms" off in New Zealand!
PS I have replicated your message in our Visitors Book
(entry dated 19/5/09)
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Thank you for your article
on being a 10 pound pom. My family also emigrated to Australia
on the Ellinis in Sep 1972. I was a child of 8 on that trip
along with one other sister and two brothers. We got off in
Sydney.
Your photos have brought back some very
wonderful memories of my time on that ship.
Ruth Ligertwood
Esperance
Western Australia
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| My Response: Thanks, Ruth. Judging by the
response we have received to George's article, I have come to
the conclusion was a very busy ship in terms of £10 poms.
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In November 1969 I celebrated my 12th
Birthday on the ship RHMS Ellinis, with my mum and dad and
Brother and sister. We were £10 poms emmigrating from
Southampton to Adelaide. It was a very momentous journey. We all
came back unfortunately 2yrs later and on the same lovely ship. I
loved Australia but seeing the ship to take us back home I knew
how exciting life would be for the next few weeks. We arrived
back in England and it was snowing... It was then I realised I
missed the warm weather of Oz. It was a part of my life
I have cherished and an Adventure. Its a shame that the Ellinis
has been broken up. She served people's Hopes and dreams
for many years. When you have been on a ship like her, you feel
she has a heart and that you made an old friend. Thanks
to my late mum and dad Brian and Margaret Pemberton and a
wonderful ship the Ellinis, I was given memories that most
children would never ever have, of places one would never see in
ones lifetime. I'm privileged...
Carl Brian Pemberton
Bromsgrove
Worcs
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| My Response: Thanks, Carl. It's great to hear
all these stories about emigration and ships like the Ellinis.
As it is some time since George's article appeared in the
Chat Column, I have added your message to our Visitors Book
(entry date 26/9/09) to ensure that is seen by all our regular
readers.
George's article is now a permanent item on our Natives
Abroad section. I will be adding all the other messages we have
received to that section in due course.
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