Edith Vandendool
| Town/City | Yapeen |
|---|---|
| First name | Edith |
| Last name | Vandendool |
| Country of Origin | Netherlands |
| Date of Birth | 23/01/53 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1953 |
| Submitted by | Edith May |
Story
My Mother and Father and I left Holland post WW2 seeking a better future for ourselves. The original plan was that the extended family emigrate to Tasmania (My Grandmother, Grandfather and their 13 children). However, this was not to be, due to one of my Father’s siblings suffering health problems and being prohibited from emigrating. Eventually only three of my Father’s siblings emigrated. Three family members finally settled in Tasmania, and one in Victoria.
I was born in Haarlem, Holland, during the great flood of 1953. I was barely five months old when I left Holland, and enjoyed the benefits of a Dutch/Australian upbringing. As soon as I was able, I returned to Holland as an adult to marvel at the country that I had left as a child. The impressions remain with me to this day.
I have tried to educate my two children in the ways of the Dutch, and I hope that they are able to visit my country of birth in the future.
The journey was via KLM Airlines, leaving Amsterdam on 16 June 1953 and arriving in Melbourne 6 days later aboard the “Schiedam”. I was awarded Certificate Number 52325 upon crossing the Equator. The journey was quite harrowing for my parents, especially for my mother, as I was suffering the after effects of immunisations required at the time.
My parents were met in Tasmania by my Father’s brother, who had already settled on the island. By all accounts it was a great culture shock, especially for my Mother. My Mother, who had been taught English at school in Holland, taught my Father to read the English language. My Father worked on various farms in Northern Tasmania with his siblings, in the early years, and I enjoyed the company of 3 brothers who arrived as time went by.
Both of my parents made many journeys back to Holland over the years, greatly enjoying their experiences. My Father last returned to Holland for his 80th Birthday celebration, and said it was the only time that he felt reluctant to leave his family in Holland behind.
My Mother recently lost her only sibling, who lived in Santpoort, and still feels the loss deeply. She was unable to talk to or be with her Sister in those final weeks.
I feel privileged to have grown up as an Australian Citizen, to live in this great country. I was granted Citizenship as a five year old, along with my parents in Devonport , Tasmania, in 1958. At heart , of course, I am Dutch.