Rosemary Towler left her home town Burnley, Lancashire, England with her Brother Anthony and Grandparent’s Rose and George Towler after the death of her father Frank Towler. Her Grandparents Rose and George had been so upset by the death …

Rosemary Towler, England, 1954

We were a large family of six children living in Paris. After the Second World War, my father, an intellectual without formation, who had seen dreadful things while in the Resistance, thought that the best way to bring up all his children was to leave…

Etiennette Dupuy (Fennell), France, 1950

Australia. A Migrant\’s Impression

We have found our New Jerusalem,

Midst Bush and sunburnt plain,

The imprint of those ancient feet

At Heaven\’s gate remain.

The Southern Cross our celestial Guide,

Shines bright upon the land,

Where…

George & Beryl Patterson, U.K., 1949

On 16 November 1629, a Dutch ship, the Sardam, sailed into Broken Anchor Bay, at the mouth of the Hutt River, 450 kilometres north of present day Perth, W.A. The Sardam anchored & Commander Pelsaert recorded in his journal that:

‘At this…

Wouter Loos and Jan Pelgrom de Bye, The Netherlands, 1629

Siutcases & Dreams

From continents to continents, we came.

Holding suitcases and dreams…,

Then what was unknown..

We now proudly call

Home

Written By : Mr Nazmi Suzen 08/06/08…

Yildiz Suzen, Turkey, 1974

Leaving Home

Peter Hurlstone, descended from a line of Gloucestershire millers and educated at Oxford, married Hester Howell when he was 19. During their early lives, rising populations and improved roads were causing many traditional occupations…

Peter Hurlstone, England, 1838

My father was born on 19/10/1928 in Bronte a town of about 20,000 inhabitants situated on the North-West slope of Mount Etna, Sicily.

He migrated with his father Nunzio, mother Giovanna (born Schiliro) and two siblings: Hector (aged 6 years) and …

Nicholas (aka Len) Destro (Dr.), Italy - Bronte (CT), Sicily, 1937

Luigi, born in 1902, was one of six children (2 boys and 4 girls) of Nicola and Placida Destro (born Lupo).

His upbringing was a happy one and typical of young men in a Sicilian town of the early 1900\’s.

Conscripted into the Army at age 18 years,…

Luigi Destro, Italy - Bronte (CT), Sicily, 1926

I wish to record the story of my father, Giuseppe Taranto, because, in my opinion he merits being remembered as one of the many immigrants who contributed to the advancements in our society by their hard work, sacrifices, and the introduction of new…

Giuseppe Taranto, Italy - Filicudi (ME), Siciliy, 1925

[Reason for leaving homeland]

To seek greener pasture, I grow up in the farm and my father died at my early age that mainly left my mother and I cultivating the land with the help from the rest of my sisters. My 2 brothers left and worked in Venezuela; one…

Fernando Caputo, Italy, 1956

I was concerned about the future in South Africa, both for myself (what will the situation be like when I am retired) and my children (wanting them to grow up in a safe and happy environment, obtain a good education and not be prejudiced against when …

Michael Elliott, South Africa, 2001

JOHN HUNTER

C1811 Ð 14.1.1860

John was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland who emigrated to New South Wales C1840s. He was the foreman watchmaker for Thomas Dawson, a clock maker of Sydney, from 1843 until the business ceased trading in 1857. John and…

John Hunter, Scotland, C1840

In 1964 my young family left India for a new life in Australia after having lived there for five generations under the Raj of England and my Dutch heritage. My family carried the name Vanderputt.

In 1953 I married Jean Rose Ford and we were blessed with…

Trevor Vanderputt, India, 1964

George was born on 28th October 1845 in Benfleet, Essex, England. He was inspired to go to sea as a young boy probably because his father John, who had been born in East Tilbury was a wharfinger on the Thames docks. C1860 papers of apprenticeship were…

George & Agnes Joyce, England via New Zealand, 1874&1880

My Sister Marie Part 1.

My sister Marie (born Marie Grace Faithful) was born in Patna to James and Maude Faithful and was their first child. My parents were married in Bankipore Cathedral on 2 April 1923 and Marie duly arrived on the 2March 1924 the first…

Marie Grace John, India, circa 1981

Nostalgia and regrets were crowded out from my mind by excitement and a sense of adventure as the Norwegian Cargo Vessel Elisabeth Bakke slipped its mooring at Calcutta on the 29th of February, 1948, and glided down the Hooghly River toward the open…

Stanley Blackford, India, 1948

When Joseph, aged 21 years (son of John DOODY AND Mary BLOOMER), married Lucy BOWDEN at Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, Lancashire, England on 12th Aug 1849 his address was 39 Grandby Row, Manchester. When their 1st child MARY was born, on 3rd …

Joseph DOODY, ENGLAND, 1853

England was in the grip of World War 11 in 1941 when I was born. My father, George, was an essential worker, doing 12 hr shifts as a tool setter for Parnall Aircraft Ltd, manufacturing turrents for fighter planes. Louie, my mother, had been a nurse before…

Wendy Lowcock, England, 1950

Walter, or Buckle as he was known, was the second son and third child of Albert and Maud Barnicoat. He was born in Gosport Hampshire which is situated on the south coast of England and was a butcher by trade. After service in WW2, both at home and in North…

Walter Henrry BARNICOAT, England, c1948

My name is Emilio Trignano born 15th September 1932 and I grew up in Ariano, Irpino in Italy. I lived on a farm with eight brothers and sisters, Nicola, Antonio, Egidio, Buonaventura, Giovanni, Carlotta, Rosa and Carmelinda. My parents are Saveria…

Emilio Trignano, Italy, 1952

Susannah Jane Sophia Monies was born on 6th April 1848 at Thanet Place, High St, Croydon, England to Thomas Saltonstall Monies and Sophia Jones. She had two sisters, Sophia born 14th July 1850 and Rose Ann born 26th December 1852. All three girls were…

Susannah Jane Sophia Monies, England, 1856

William Coupland was featured in a commemorative volume “The Aldine Centennial History of New South Wales” compiled in two volumes by W.Frederic Morrison in 1888. At that time William was a storekeeper in Tamworth.The History reports…

William Coupland, England, 1859

I visited Australia from England a couple of times in the early 1960s living in Adelaide for about 2 years while working on one of the first Inertial Navigation systems for a very large missile (it was at the height of the cold war). We were working for…

John Saxon, England, 1966

“Jo” and “Jacky” and their 3 grown up sons left the Netherlands for economic reasons and flew to Australia by KLM in a Constellation. The whole journey took one week as navigation in those days was impossible by night. They…

Johannus Christianus and Jacoba Theadora Penders, Netherlands, Mar-51

Ernest Napoleon ‘Napper’ Perry

Ernest Napoleon Perry was born the son of a farmer Arthur William Perry at Takeley Essex on 7 September 1889 and travelled from England to Australia as an assisted migrant about 1911 in company with his…

Ernest Perry, England, circa 1911

JOHN NEHEMIAH WEBSTER 1798-1842

John Nehemiah Webster was born in London on 9th April 1798 son of Joseph & Ann Webster. He and his older sister Caroline were baptised on 6th July 1800 at St. Clement Danes, the Strand. On maturity he was described…

John Nehemiah Webster, England, 8/7/1820

JANE JONES STILWELL WEBSTER

1795 -1868

Jane Jones grew up in the Soho district of London, the daughter of William Jones a glassmaker. She was 4\’10 _’ tall, of fair complexion with black hair and hazel eyes. On 16th May 1812 aged 17 she …

Jane Jones/Stilwell/Webster, England, 1814