Ingrid Andie Pedersen

Story

My father brought our family of four to Australia for the warmer climate and a better life. Our family consisted of my own father, his second wife and her son. I can’t remember, but the decision to immigrate was made by the two adults. I have memories of not wanting to leave Denmark, my loving Grand Parents, other family members and friends … and cried a lot because I would miss them very much, and knew I would never see them again, being so far away. I was right. I never did see many of them again.

In 1956 Australia had a white immigration policy, with the bread winner being able to speak English and was to have a trade. My Father was a boiler maker welder.

We left Denmark in January, 1956, sailed across the North Sea for England. Here we stayed in an old Hotel with a huge old wooden staircase, along with other Danish families, and other migrants until departure for Australia next day. Only my Father could actually speak English in our family, as well he helped others with translating. He has sailed in the British merchant navy during WWII. The only luggage we could bring was whatever we each could carry, so everything had been “especially selected” as we boarded the Ocean Liner S.S. Otranto. It was to be its last journey to Australia. Most of the Danes were in lower decks, in economy class, men in one area, and the women and children in another area. All were below the water line, as I remember the water bobbing up and down in the port holes. I didn’t like the thought of sleeping below the water level. We were up on B deck in a cabin for four. A lot of the passangers were green with sea sickness, sitting on the deck chairs ill, as we sailed south towards the Rock of Gibraltar. We had to go to the dining room for all meals. Our waiter was a Scottie Mc Gregor.

SIX WEEKS later we arrived in Sydney on my 12th Birthday, on 15th February 1956. All passangers disembarked the ship along the gang plank down to the customs sheds on the wharf. It was VERY humid and hot, in comparison to our frozen Denmark we had left behind. Here all passangers’ luggage was opened for inspection. After this we boarded the train headed for Greta Camp, in the Hunter Valley. It was an old unused army camp. Our two allocated rooms consisted of only a bed and blankets for each person, and very dusty. Meals were served in a huge army mess, dished up by migrant ladies in scarves and with big gold teeth. Sometimes we ate the meals in the mess, sitting at long wooden tables and benches, and other times we took our meals back to our rooms and “ate as a family” on the floor on a blanket like a picnic, as there was no table or chairs!

The men were busy out getting jobs. My father worked at the B.H.P. in Newcastle, and he and another migrant worker lived in a boarding house close to the job, while we lived at Greta Camp as he had no car.. 3 months later, after buying a house, we moved to Maitland N.S.W.

Maitland on the Hunter River, had a huge flood in 1955, and houses were cheap as people wanted out. Migrants bought these houses. The railway station was a good half hour walk from home. My father did not have a car for three years nor did he have a beer in as many years.

Life was extremely difficult at school, not being able to speak English. Mathematics was my best subject as numbers were universal. Australian people were not fond of migrants as I vividly remember, and Greeks and Italian people were referred to as Wogs and Dagos. They worked hard and owned the fruit shops and Fish n’ Chip shops in Maitland and employed the whole family.

As I look back I was proud of what the migrants achieved in the 50’s and 60’s, due to hard plain work. Australia thrived and grew tall and jobs were plenty.

I remember getting 2/- (20 cents) to buy my school lunch once a week. For this I could buy a pie, a cream bun and a water ice block. The baker delivered _ a loaf of bread for threepence halfpenny, a pint of milk cost 1/- (10cents) Black and white tv sets were a luxury, we didn’t get one until 1961. The basic wage was about 50 pounds P.W.

After struggling at school for a while things improved. I was nursing at the local hospital, then joined the R.A.A.N.C. here I met my husband.

We were married in 1965. We have four sons and eight Grandchildren.

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