George Hine

Story

George was placed into the Barnado Homes system as a young boy after both his parents had died and the stepmother he was living with could no longer support him. Although he was actually the half brother of her children she sought the help of Barnados..

George remembers being given new warm clothes and shoes just before making the long journey by boat, however these items were all removed and sent back for the next lot of children who were immigrating after him. He does remember being worried about going through the Bay of Biscay (renowned to be very rough) but calm seas were on his side and it wasn’t until the Sea of Aden that seasickness hit him with rough weather. They sailed through the Suez Canal and were warned not to buy turkish delight sweets. He wondered about this as none of them had any money anyway. He remembers the many children begging in Bombay and the Gully Gully magicians that entertained them. Also seeing the Aurora Australis just prior to getting to Australia. Never again did he see this in his life.

He arrived at Fremantle on a bitterly cold day and was taken to Fairbridge Farm in Pinjarra where all of their shoes were removed. No child at Fairbridge had shoes and although very painful at first George says their feet soon toughened up. Here he spent 4 years learning the work of a farmer in readiness to be put out to the workforce. Although it was a very hard life, George has always credited Fairbridge farm for giving him good work and moral ethics and an appreciation of a fair days work for a fair days wage. Also the fact that nothing in life was going to just fall in your lap and what you wanted you had to work for.

After leaving Fairbridge at 16 years, George made his own way in life, met and married Gloria Edmonds, served in WW2 and had two children Elizabeth and John. He greatly appreciated Gloria’s parents and family for taking him in as part of their family. George immensely enjoyed his garden and his family and lived until his 89th year when he succumbed only to the effects of cancer. Prior to this he would let nothing stop him. He is survived by his children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren of whom he was very proud. It was his family…There is a plaque and tree erected in his name along the Fairbridge Avenue of trees and his ashes were scattered by his family in the pastures of Fairbridge farm. He was a good bloke remembered lovingly…..

< Back to the Stories