Irene Luke
| Town/City | Pennant Hills |
|---|---|
| First name | Irene |
| Last name | Luke |
| Country of Origin | England |
| Date of Birth | 6th February 1923 |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | 1928 |
| Submitted by | Murray Rodgers |
Story
Irene and her family left England due to the effects of the Great Strike of 1926 on the coal mining industry in which her father worked as a miner. Her father, Robert Jobson Luke left Newcastle, England, on 17 September 1927 for Australia, aboard the passenger ship “Otranto” in search of a more economically secure lifestyle for his young family. Soon after his arrival he obtained work in Newcastle, Australia, as a steelworker with John Lysaght and Sons. He worked for this employer until his death on 11th April 1963. Robert ‘s aim was to accumulate enough funds to sponsor his wife and daughter, Isabella and Irene, to join him in Australia. Isabella and Irene left England on 28th July 1928 , on the passenger ship “Orana” and arrived in Australia on 27th August 1928. At last the small family was re-united in their new home.
Upon arrival in Sydney, Isabella and Irene sailed past the construction site of the unfinished Sydney Harbour Bridge. This was not the last of the surprises that Isabella and Irene would experience that day. When they walked onto Australian soil, Robert was there to meet them with a very large and important surprise. He handed Isabella an envelope containing £300. This was more money than she had ever seen in her life. The money was used to purchase their first family home in East Mayfield, Newcastle. This was a very large step up from the family’s situation in England where Robert earnt £2 per week of which £1/1/- was paid in rent for a two room flat.