Eric Whitehall

Story

I believe my parents, Nellie and Eric Whitehall’s reason for leaving England at the time was because my father was working so hard at a factory, getting sick so often and after the war they seemed to never quite get ahead with 4 children. My mother worked nights as a nurse too. As my mother was from South Africa, she had sighted pamphlets of immigration and as Australia looked so much like her homeland she talked my father into going. It took a lot of guts for my father to do so, as all his family were living in Derby and leaving his mother, our precious grandmother was the hardest thing he ever had to do.

I remember turning 9 aboard the SS Otranto in March 1954 and just having a great time. We did get seasick and as there were 4 children we just kept each other entertained. I do remember King Neptune and the big celebration we had then. I actually met my best friend Eileen Ricketts on board and still today we are best friends. I do know my parents were very brave to take the chance to immigrate and I also know they never regretted one day of doing so.

We boarded a big bus and went to Dundas Hostel, a suburb now called Oatlands in Sydney and were bundled into a small type unit, but again my parents’ attitude was fantastic, they made it all fun for us. My parents were very incidental in entertaining other residents of the hostel and Dad even played Santa at Christmas time.

It was a huge adventure that we undertook, sadly my parents are no longer alive, but their legacy lives on through grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Thanks Mum & Dad for bringing us to a great, wonderful country.

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