Paul F and Jacoba J Richter and Family

Story

Paul (Dad) born Amsterdam in 1901 & Jacoba (Mum) born Haarlem in 1908 married in 1935 – a dedicated hard working couple with five sons & five daughters Paul, Frank, Anne, Henry, Willy, Fred, Theresia, Theo, Antoinette & Lucy. Before their marriage Dad & Mum experienced first hand the 1930’s depression.

During WWII our home was occupied by the Germans while we lived in a small shelter in the back yard which Dad built. One of the neighbours offered space in their underground shelter which was large enough to accommodate quite a few families, but Dad & Mum declined their kind offer. When the war was over, we found that this shelter had been bombed & all its occupants killed. Our parents & their then six children survived with only one mishap when baby Fred had one finger hurt by shrapnel. Mum had guts! She used to walk to the farms nearby to get milk & eggs for the children although the polder she had to walk through was patrolled by Germans. She was stopped many times & was told to return home or they would shoot her but she somehow convinced them that the milk for the children was more important than her own life. It was a delightful sight in 1944 to see the English tanks rolling in through that very same polder with food. I remember looking up at these enormous tanks when a soldier handed me what looked like a Sao biscuit. It tasted superb & until this day I still eat these biscuits & remember how hungry we were.

Mum & Dad having lost everything in the war started all over again. Dad worked for various companies as a salesman, which involved a lot of travel. He didn’t like to be away from the family. They decided to start a laundry business in s’Hertogenbosch in 1947. They did this for eight years. Supported by Mum & children they still found it almost impossible to make ends meet. Immigrating to Australia became the most viable proposition for the whole family. The decision to leave Dad & Mum’s twenty-one brothers sisters & parents behind, was the most difficult one to make.

Paul Jnr. at age eighteen decided to go to Australia first to sum up the employment situation. Arriving in Canberra he stayed with cousins in Narrabundah. He reported back that the employment opportunities were good. He drew a pretty good picture of Canberra & its facilities – ‘The skies are always blue, unlike Holland’. With our papers already in order, we packed our suitcases.

Dad, Mum & their now ten children boarded the MS Sibajac in May 1955 & arrived in Australia 5 weeks later. Our route took us to the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal (it was the last ship allowed through the canal before it closed during the Egyptian/ Anglo-French upheaval) & across the Indian Ocean to Fremantle. We then sailed through rough seas across the Great Australian Bight & finally to Sydney. Sydney was quite overwhelming with trams & traffic going everywhere. We waited for the tram to Central Station on the wrong side of the road. Eventually we travelled from Sydney to Canberra by train. On our arrival we were greeted by our cousins who were fantastic.

Dad, Paul Jnr.& Frank had accommodation at the Capital Hill Hostel where the new Parliament House now stands & Anne stayed with our cousins.

Mum & the other seven children went to Scheyville migrant centre near Windsor where they stayed for some months until they were transferred to Greta near Maitland.

We all obtained positions within days of our arrival in Canberra. Dad’s first job was with the Department of Capital Territory planting trees along Melbourne Avenue, Forrest. Paul & Frank had similar jobs & Anne was a sales assistant in Manuka – with no knowledge of the English language! Dad, Paul & Frank built a house in Wattle Street, O’Connor, which was inadequate but we were soon offered a larger house by the Dept. of Capital Territory in Hart Street O’Connor (now known as Hartley House for disabled children).

Dad started a commercial plan printing business, printing plans for many Canberra structures including the new Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. Mum, the boys & later the girls helped in running the business from home. Often Dad would start a job in the evening letting it run overnight for delivery next day. Frank still operates the business today.

Mum & Dad lived in Holt & Melba before settling into Mirinjani Retirement Village. Mum passed away on March 14, 1993 at 85, followed by Dad on August 1, 1993 at 92.

Mum & Dad came to Australia to make a future for the whole family. With opportunities plentiful, none of us were ever unemployed. As naturalised Australians it has been great to be able to contribute to the Australian community. We are so proud to be part of this ‘Lucky Country’

On behalf of Dad, Mum and their ten children – We thank you Australia!

The Richter Family

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