ANTULA DIMOV

Story

My Life Story: Antula Dimov (nee: Doikos)

I was born 1947 in the village of Melas, to my family known as Statisa in the Macedonian language – district Kastoria (Macedonia, Northern Greece). During the civil war in Greece 1946-49 together with my parents, grandmother, aunt, uncle, two cousins and several families from the village fled to join their husbands and or fathers in Australia.

My grandfather Con (Constandinos) Doikos had arrived in Australia in 1927, it was a hard life, the depression had a financial impact and he was unable to obtain work so he became a bounty hunter, rabbit trapping, he received sixpence for a pair of rabbit ears, he also worked as a farm hand in the Canberra, Queanbeyan district and Lanyon Estate at Tharwa.

It would be twenty years later that my father, grandmother and aunt were to see their husband/father again, my father was one year old when his father had left his homeland. Prior to our arrival my grandfather purchased a farmhouse and land to grow vegetables in Queanbeyan so he could provide accommodation and an income for his family.

We departed from the port of Pireas Ð Greece, and arrived at Port Said in Egypt, we stayed for 6 months as there were no ships for Australia, my cousin Argira was born in Egypt, my grandfather was to support 5 adults and 4 children. I remember my grandmother telling me, she would sit by the pier looking at the ships going by and holding me when all of a sudden a man grabbed me, my grandmother was running after the man screaming when a policeman came to the rescue.

We arrived by a small cargo ship called the ‘Miser’ in the port of Melbourne New Year\’s Day in 1948. I remember growing up at the farm and every member of the family working. We had people come to the farm to buy vegetables and with the horse and cart I remember my grandfather sometimes taking me on his trips selling vegetable to the local residents and later my family buying an Austin truck and selling vegetables in Queanbeyan and Canberra.

My family purchased land in Alinga Street now known as City Walk Canberra City to build a shop, vegetables grown on the farm were now sold in the shop, fruit and other vegetables which were not grown on the farm were purchased from the Sydney markets, my father or grandfather would drive to Sydney every Sunday and sometimes I would accompany them on these trips I remember it being a long and slow trip taking many hours and in the early hours of Monday morning it was a hive of activity when the doors were opened at the market and then the long trek back to the shop to unload the truck. Because I was the lightest I was to climb on the very top of the load so as not to bruise the fruit and pass the fruit or vegetables until my father or grandfather were able to climb on and pass down the heavier load. Many Monday nights it was well past midnight before we were able to go home. It was a hard life and long hours every day of the year. Every member of the family worked and by the time I was nine years old this was the way of life, I worked in the shop after school, weekends and school holidays. I left school at the age of 14, worked in the fruit shop until the age of 19 and in the year of 1966 I managed my parent\’s motel until the year of 1987.

I married Don Dimov in the year of 1969 and in 1983 we moved to live in Canberra with our three children Susie, Robert and Philip.

I worked in the Official Secretary Office at the Governor Generals in Canberra for several years until my retirement in the year of 2000 to spend more time with my children and grandchildren Ruby and Liam.

I know my grandfather had a vision for his family and future generations to work and strive for a better life, it was a hard life for him in the village and I know that it was very difficult for him in his new country.

Australia for me is a great country with opportunities to work and strive for a better life. Already I can see that my children and grandchildren have a wonderful life and future in this great country of ours we call home, I am proud to be Australian.

My name is Cveta in the Macedonian language and in Greek it is Anthoula.

Antula Dimov (nee: Doikos)

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