Charles Franchimon
| First name | Charles |
|---|---|
| Last name | Franchimon |
| Country of Origin | Netherlands |
| Date of Birth | 23/03/29 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1955 |
| Submitted by | Lineke White |
Story
My father Charles migrated from Holland to Australia to marry my mother, Marjorie, who was born in Australia. He had met her when he visited Australia while he was in the Dutch Merchant Navy. He had joined the Merchant Navy after the war and travelled the world for 5 years working as a radio operator. He was motivated to migrate because he fell in love with my mother, and wanted to make a new life for himself in a new country, after the severe deprivations he and his family had experienced in occupied Holland during the Second World War. When he settled in Australia he initally got a job working in an electronics factory, while studying at night to get his higher school certificate (his Dutch qualifications weren’t recognised). He continued his studies part time to obtain a degree from UNSW in science and engineering, while working full time, and helping to raise his family. During these years he bought a house at Oatley in Sydney, had two children, Lineke and Wilma, and obtained a job at CSIRO as an experimental officer. He worked at the National Measurements Laboratory in CSIRO, and co-authored several papers subsequently published. He still lives in Sydney and has 4 grandchildren: Courtney, Kate, Michelle and Claire who are his pride and joy.