Pat & Vic Noyce
| Town/City | Berri |
|---|---|
| First name | Pat & Vic |
| Last name | Noyce |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 9.11.29 & 2.1.27 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1950 |
| Submitted by | Pat and Albert Victor known as Vic Noyce |
Story
Reason for leaving homeland – No prospects for young marrieds and no accommodation.
About the Journey – Married 6 days before embarking on the Ormonde at Tilbury docks. The women and men were separated so the ship could carry more people. The trip was very interesting and educational and for us cockney Londoners really ‘posh’. We sat at the Captains table – what an honour! and felt like royalty. The bum boats at Port Said were an eye opener as was the stop over in what was called Colombo back then. The ship broke down in the middle of the Indian Ocean, it went round and round in circles but got under way eventually.
Our first stop was at Fremantle. Oh the butcher shops with all the lovely meat made our mouths water. Adelaide next stop, husband got a job but as we were Commonwealth migrants (travelling free of charge!) had to go on to Sydney. Next stop Melbourne. We were stuck for 7 days – dockers were on strike! On to Sydney to disembark then by train to Bathurst to an old army camp. I had learned I was pregnant by then. This is where I had my first encounter with a huge huntsman spider, my daughter was, and still is, terrified of them.
We returned to Adelaide by bus after all the formalities were completed. Stayed in the woolsheds at Rosewater for a few months then got a flat in Belair. It has not all been easy but we have never returned and do not want to return to the UK , OZ is the best. We had 1 child, 2 grandchildren 8 great-grandchildren.
Done our bit to populate Australia, almost fulfilling my father-in-laws last request before we left!