Ann Quirie (m. Partridge)
| Town/City | Canberra |
|---|---|
| First name | Ann |
| Last name | Quirie (m. Partridge) |
| Country of Origin | SCOTLAND |
| Date of Birth | 16.11.1935 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1954 |
| Submitted by | Ann Partridge |
Story
Reason for leaving homeland
I had no option as our father said we were going to Australia as it meant we would have a better life and we already had relations here that sponsored us. I was 19 at the time and they would not leave me as they wouldn’t break up the family. I didn’t want to leave my friends and they all came to see us off. Wilma and Jeannie ran after the train as it left the station I was hanging out of the window waving goodbye and we were all greeting (crying) we had been friends since school days.
About the Journey
We took an all night train to London and stayed with an Aunt for 2 weeks. We then went to Tilbury Dock to start our journey to Australia. The first sighting of the Strathaird was breath- taking we were in awe of the size . After we boarded and were assigned to our cabin we were told to come to the dining room for afternoon tea, we were sitting enjoying our cup of tea when Mum said to our Father “If this is sailing it’s great” Our Father laughed as we were still docked but when we started moving Mum was sea-sick for a week. But so was I. The stewards were very good to us and we were soon over the sickness. After that we had a wonderful trip, luxury and adventure. I was young and enjoyed myself dancing swimming and sunbaking. I enjoyed watching people buying goods from the various sellers when we got near Port as they sold from their little vessels by throwing up a basket on a rope. It was all noisy and exciting.
After 6 weeks we reached Australia and sailing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a memory I will never forget. The day was glorious , and the sky was so blue We lived in Granville before moving to Fairfield to our own home. My Dad had a job and I found one easily doing the same as I had in Aberdeen, Scotland , in a textile mill , at Lidcombe. Although I made many new friends I was still homesick for the friends and life I had left. Australia was behind in fashion and entertainment. Another thing that took a bit of getting used to was the early dark evenings with no twilight. All that changed when I met my future husband Chick Partridge also from Scotland – his family had emigrated from Wishaw the same year. We married and had 2 children Gordon and Wendy and settled in Canberra at Stromlo Forestry Settlement in 1966 . Chick passed away in 1986 but I stayed on at Stromlo untill the fires of 2003 when the settlement was destroyed. I now live in Theodore and although it took a while to settle in I am now enjoying being there surrounded by hills .