Josephine Lambert

Story

IMMIGRATION BRIDGE Mrs. JOSEPHINE (SUSANNE) LAMBERT

Named after Napoleon Ð Josephine.

I was born in Malta. I decided to come to Australia after a visit from Mr. Holt, who was the Minister for Immigration at that stage, sixty years ago. He came to Valetta to encourage people to come to Australia to boost numbers. I went to the Immigration Office, I was fifteen years old. I met Mr. Holt and his wife. Mr. Holt was a small man. He asked me what I would like to do if I went to Australia. I told him I wanted to be a mothercraft nurse. (Mum had seven children). He said he would see if there would be a place for me. He was so lovely, so was his wife. Three months later I received a letter accepting me with honour. After that I came to Australia in 1949. I could have gone to Canada or America. I chose to come to Australia because the Australians had sent us food and clothing during the war.

I hadn\’t had much education as most of the time I should have been at school there were air raids. However I loved music and learnt through the lyrics of songs.

The letter I received from the Australian Immigration Department said that on arrival in Melbourne I was to go to the YWCA in Church Street, Richmond who would provide me with accommodation. I would then be given a job as an assistant at the Sacred Heart Hospital Ð Baby section.

Myself and my brother came to Australia by boat. The name of the boat was ‘Columbia\’. It was a Greek ship. The trip out was very good. I got on well with a family and my brother was there of course as a chaperone. Dad cried when I left. I can remember stopping at the port of Aden, Fremantle and Perth. At some of these places, small boats would come out to the ship and we could buy things by putting the money in a basket and lowering it down to the boats.

We arrived in Melbourne on a Sunday night. I had missed going to church that day. My brother and I went to Bourke Street that Sunday night and I met the most wonderful five people from the Salvation Army. They were so lovely and their music was wonderful. From there I went to the YWCA as accommodation had been organized for me there. I stayed there for about three years until I married.

I met my husband through some friends. One of them said, ‘I\’m going to get you an Aussie\’. So she took me to a dance, and from the start I liked him. He came up to me and said, ‘May I have this dance please?\’ I said, ‘you may\’. I couldn\’t dance properly. I asked him what his name was and he said ‘Ossie\’. Then I lost my bloomin temper and said, ‘I know you\’re and Aussie, what\’s your name?’ His name was Oswald. That is a family joke. I made another one for my children and my grandchildren.

It was the greatest mischief that Melbourne ever seen;

My father is an Aussie and my mother is Maltese.

I settled well in Australia and proudly became an Australian citizen in 1970. Ossie and I had two children, a boy and a girl. We named our son Mark Oswald Charles and we named our daughter Victoria Marie Louise. Victoria was named after the wonderful state of Victoria where we settled down. At the time she was born, the doctor said I was very patriotic.

Later on my family came to Australia, including my Nana.

‘Around the world I searched for you

I travelled on when hope was gone because our homes were bombed and bombed

It may have been in County Down, or in New York,

But it was Melbourne Town.

No more will I go around the world again.

For I have found my world in you.\’

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