Cornelis (Kees) Calis
| Town/City | Melbourne. Vic |
|---|---|
| First name | Cornelis (Kees) |
| Last name | Calis |
| Country of Origin | Holland |
| Date of Birth | 2/4/1938 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1957 |
| Submitted by | Cornelis (kees) Calis |
Story
Kees was born in Blaricum Holland on the 02/04/1938 to Margarethe Wilhelmina Noekel and Gijsbertus Calis.
He is the second eldest of 6 childeren. He went to school in Blaricum and during the war years had classes in a barn with the cows.
He got his Diplomas for Horticulture in Utrecht,Hilversum and Amsterdam.
He decided to leave Holland before being called up for the Army in 1957.
He came to Australia by boat “The Johan van Oldenbarnaveld(J.V.O)”. The Suez canal was closed, so they had to go via South Africa, Fremantle then Melbourne. He was met by an Aunt who took him to her place at Tallarook (VIC)
After about three months, he decided to leave and make his way to Melbourne. He couldn’t speak any English but soon learnt as he worked his way to Puckapunyal where he worked for a while then on to Essendon, then to Northcote where he stayed for about two years. He boarded with a lot of different people until he met June Broadhurst at a Heidelberg Town Hall dance. They got married in March 1962 and had three children; Peter, Alida and Marita. Kees started his own business doing stone work and brick cutting until he retired at the age of 61. Kees and June bought a block of land in Montmorency and built their own home.
When Kees first came through the heads at Port Phillip Bay, he liked the scenery at the Nepean Peninsula and later bought a block of land there. He built three holiday houses in Blairgowrie and has also built nine houses in his spare time, including one for his daughter. He has done a lot of charity work for disabled children and has also been on a few different committees. He belongs to a men’s group named O.M.N.I.(Older Men New Ideas) and also belongs to St.Helena Probus Club. Kees has done a lot of travelling overseas and also caravaned all around Australia. He enjoys gardening and growing his own fruit and vegetables which he loves giving to family and friends.
He was naturalised in 1964 and now has five grand-children; Andrew, Hayden and Mitchell Fleskens and Carly and Matthew Hoogeboom whom he loves very much.
He loves calling Australia home..