Brenda Homan

Story

I was born on 22 February 1941, the third daughter of Harry and Mary Ann (nee Barker) Coombs of Leytonstone in London’s East End. I joined sisters Joan and Doreen and in 1950 brother Barry completed our family. The London Blitz was raging, my father was in the Army and my mother struggling to bring us up as normally as possible despite shortages and constant bombing. We were evacuated to the country briefly but my mother, a Londoner through and through, soon took us back home.

After the war I attended Mayville Rd Primary School and after passing the 11+ Scholarship, studied at the South -West Essex Technical College in Walthamstow. Five happy years later armed with 7 0 levels and the History Prize, I began my working career as a junior shorthand typist in the City of London and happily settled into life as a young, single girl in a busy, exciting City. Then, in 1960, life changed for ever when I met Keith Homan at a West End Jazz Club. He was born on 19 December 1939, also in Leytonstone the sixth child of George Alfred and Elizabeth Matilda (nee Croucher) Homan. Sadly, his twin brother, Alan, died soon after birth. He was many years younger than brothers George and Stan and sisters Iris and Grace. Like me, he was really into modern jazz, and was a good guitar player. Our courtship was accompanied by the best of British jazz and the excitement of ‘Swinging London’. We married on 29 April 1961, and settled into his mother’s small terraced home which she shared with his sister, Grace. They warmly welcomed me into the family and we buckled down to work hard Ð me in an office and Keith as a postal worker Ð with a home of our own as the eventual goal.

Advertisements were urging Brits to start a new life in Australia and, as we were beginning to feel that there had to be something better out there, we applied successfully and were accepted to become ‘£10 Poms’. After sad farewells to family and friends, we embarked on the ‘Castel Felice’, Sitmar Line, in June 1962. Being young, adventurous and without children to care for, we had a wonderful time. We had our own cabin, explored the exotic ports visited en route and thoroughly enjoyed shipboard life. The 6 week voyage was an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Disembarking in Melbourne we immediately fell in love with what to us truly seemed ‘The Lucky Country’. The clean air, open spaces and warm sunny weather were everything that we had hoped for. After visiting friends, we caught a train to Sydney where I got a job at Radio Station 2UW which was interesting, with a kind boss, and welcoming colleagues, but Keith struggled to find permanent work. He was able to fulfil a lifetime ambition to work in a Zoo when he successfully applied for a Zoo Keeper’s job at Adelaide Zoo which was advertised in the Sydney press. We set off to Adelaide and spent 2 happy years there. Keith enjoyed caring for the Zoo animals, but some aspects of the work disillusioned him. I was happy working at a firm of Chartered Accountants and have very fond memories of my kindly boss, Eric Forbes. When our 2 year contract expired we returned to the UK on the ‘Aurelia’, Cogedar Line in November 1964. We were warmly welcomed back into the fold but soon realised that our future lay in Australia. Keith’s mother fell ill and it was 2 years before we were able to return disembarking from the ‘Flavia’. Cogedar Line, at Sydney in March 1967. My sister Doreen accompanied us and went off on a working holiday which resulted in her marrying a 5th generation farmer in WA where she lives with husband Brian Clegg, sons David and Tim and their families.

During our time in London, Keith had trained as a Telephone Technician and obtained a position with the PMG’s Department in Melbourne where for the next 5 years I worked as a Secretary in the State Government. However, Queensland had always seemed attractive to us and in 1972 Keith obtained a transfer to Brisbane. I commenced with the Brisbane City Council and became Private Secretary to the Lady Mayoress (Mrs Sylvia Jones) and Secretary to her Fundraising Committee going on in this position for nearly 25 years under Lord Mayors Clem Jones, Bryan Walsh, Frank Sleeman, Roy Harvey, Sallyanne Atkinson and Jim Sorley. On 8 May 1973, we made our commitment complete by taking out Australian Citizenship. I was also appointed Secretary of the Lord Mayor’s Flood Appeal during the 1974 Brisbane Floods. Keith worked long and hard restoring telephones to flood ravaged areas. We are both pleased to have been able to serve our City in this way.

We were not blessed with children, but our friends have been generous with their families.

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