Loren Noble

Story

Although we had done well in business in Scotland, my husband and I felt that economic conditions had deteriorated and that our children would have a better life in Australia. We sold our home and business, embarking in March 1966 on MV Fairsea sailing for Australia. Our family consisted of myself, 33 years, my husband Patrick, 38 years, our daughter June, 11 years, our son Allan, 7 years, and our baby son Garry, one year old. My widowed mother Mrs. Florence Rankin, then 57 years, came with us.

We pictured a beautiful sea voyage which turned out to be a nightmare. We were only able to call at Cairo. At every other port we arrived late, leaving at dawn. The passengers named the Captain – Captain Midnight, as we arrived at midnight being unable to disembark. A few years later I read in a newspaper that the poor Captain, trying to sail an ageing former troopship which kept breaking down, had committed suicide at sea. The young Canadian ship’s doctor told me we had on board every childhood disease except measles. We were so grateful to disembark at Sydney.

Once settled in, we travelled up the coast, finding a little place called Terrigal, which we fell in love with. We bought four large blocks of waterfront land on Terrigal Lake on which we built The Clan Motel. We owned and operated this motel for 20 years. The children learned to swim and surf and loved their life in Terrigal. June was Dux of her school, attending Macquarie and Hobart Universities where she earned degrees in Economics/Literature and Planning. She now lives with husband Peter in Hobart, Tasmania.

Allan and Kim have a business on the South Coast, where they live with their five children. Garry and Kim have a business on the Central Coast, where they live with their three children. Patrick died in 1992 of mesothelioma, caused by asbestos. It was a terrible blow to our family. I went on working in our business, building, with my son Garry, The Woodport Inn Hotel at Erina in 1998, which we ran for eight years, selling out in 2006.

My mother died in 2000, aged 92. Many other family members followed us here, my sister and brother with their families, Pat’s brother and his family. I married again, Gregory Edward Moran, whose children and grandchildren have joined my family. Now we number 68, with children, stepchildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren living and thriving in Australia. I have had a busy, productive, happy life.

I will always love my first homeland of Scotland, but I am so glad I brought my family to Australia, which has come to mean so much to me.

Loren Noble, Feb. 2009

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